Tuesday, August 18, 2009

To Get Started All I Need Is a Suggestion...

I recently started studying long-form improv. It’s different than what you might have seen on a certain improv TV show hosted by Drew Carey (and/or the British show that spawned it). Instead of a series of short “games”, long-form starts with only one audience suggestion. Performers use whatever the suggestion makes them think of to start scenes, then they build them into a half-hour show. The result is fun to perform and fun to watch.

But you can’t read it. So I’d like to try an experiment. Starting from an audience suggestion, I will write a short story. I’ll start the instant I read the suggestion and write for a set period of time. Probably five minutes. Maybe ten. Then I’ll post the result unedited. (Except for typos.)

“But, Steve,” you say, “where will you get the suggestion? There’s no audience.” Ah, but there is, friend. If you’re reading this, it’s you. So leave a suggestion in the comments. It should be either one word (“Expressionism!”) or a short phrase (“Puerto Rican Day Parade!”) It can be anything. I’ll use the first one posted. (So if you see that someone posted one already, save yours for next time.) I’ll write a story around whatever it makes me think of.

Comment away, loyal readers!

6 comments:

Kasey said...

Fruit Hammock

Susan theiss said...

Can't wait to read about fruit hammock!

Anonymous said...

frog hollow

Steve said...

Alas, nerb, your suggestion failed to arrive first! Perhaps next time. By the way, what is a frog hollow? Here are my guesses: 1) a hollow where frogs live; 2) the empty space in a frog's chest cavity. Am I close?

Anonymous said...

well...why don't you write a story about it and let me know for sure...i prefer to think of it as a dark and misty swamp where alligator eyes peer above the mirky waters and amphibious creatures frolic in the mud.

Unknown said...

Boogers