[Fiction] Friday #164
July 16, 2010
Use a McGuffin in your story.
McGuffin: An object or person in a movie that has no use other than to drive the narrative forward. (originally coined by Alfred Hitchcock)
examples: The Maltese Falcon in the movie of the same name; the suitcase in Pulp Fiction
How Fiction Friday works
It’s easy to do.
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Check this page for this week’s theme or challenge. Prompts are published each month to give you plenty of notice.
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Spend at least 5 minutes composing something original based on the theme or challenge.
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But, remember, no editing. This is to inspire creativity not stifle it.
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On Friday, simply post what you wrote to your own blog..
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If you utilise social networking, Tweet your story using our hashtag of #fictionfriday AND post it up onto Facebook.
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Then come back to Write Anything and leave the link in the comment section below.
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You may also like to Tweet other peoples links from this site as they are posted using the hashtag #fictionfriday afterwards.
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To participate further, just go visit some of the other links left by other participants, read what they wrote, and leave a comment. Just be sure that your comment is constructive—this is, after all, a meme to give us all a little writing practice.
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You may also like to Tweet other peoples links from this site as they are posted – and our hashtag of #fictionfriday
If you’re participating in the Write Anything meme, please leave a link to your entry below. (If you’re not participating, please don’t leave a link. People who aren’t playing will be removed).
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9 Comments
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Write Anything 
I had a lot of trouble beginning this story, as I have never tried the McGuffin approach before. This one was quite hard.
Woohoo! Have been refreshing for hours, I need to get a life! 😉 Was challenging to think of a McGuffin but once I had it it was so much fun!
Sorry everyone! There wasn’t a post lined up to go live at midnight.
Muchly apologetic – had I not seen John’s tweet it probably would have remained blank a little longer. Oops!
Sorry Jodi. I’m a little obsessive sometimes.
Stacey, I loved your story.
Obsessive is good and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time – after having done ZERO work of any description since I wrote my column on Monday.
This one was fun. My story takes place after the events of “The Astonishing Adventures of Captain Juan”, which will be relaunching very soon. I hope you enjoy it.
A week obsessing over McGuffins and I nearly fell at the last hurdle with an impromptu 12 hr shift followed by a drinking session on Friday eve … but I pulled it out the bag at the last minute … I hope!
http://www.moultworld.com/?page_id=1716
ha… I don’t even have a 12 hour shift or a Friday night binge to blame. Lucky 13th I seem to be. I only looked up the McGuffin last night! I think I’d like to explore this as a longer story but for now: “The Lichtenberg Trust”
and all I have is a few fragments of a story which didn’t make it past being scribbled into my little notepad whilst watching Mr 7 play AFL this morning. Sorry folks.. I might be posting this eek -but will *try* and get on and read yours