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Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/3518-.html
Comedy: January 27, 2010 Issue [#3518]

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Comedy


 This week:
  Edited by: Sophurky Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Hi, I'm Sophurky Author Icon ~ your editor for this edition of the Comedy Newsletter.

Instead of cracking you up like I usually do in the Comedy Newsletter, this week I'll be offering you a very simple but effective tool guaranteed to get your comedy juices flowing.

What is this miracle idea? "The Writer's Cramp" Open in new Window. -- which turns eight years old this week -- of course!


Word from our sponsor

ASIN: B01FST8A90
Amazon's Price: $ 24.95


Letter from the editor

Happy Birthday Writer's Cramp!

** Image ID #1636644 Unavailable **


"The Writer's Cramp" Open in new Window. was born on January 23, 2002 (and hosted in a former member's port) -- a mere two months later I joined Writing.com -- and very soon afterward I stumbled onto the Cramp, within my first week or two as I recall. I started writing to the prompts almost daily -- usually short stories (you can write a poem or a story) and more often than not, I would take a comedic bent on the prompt. And very soon I was hooked -- on WdC AND the Cramp. Here's one of my earliest efforts :

 A Modest Proposal Open in new Window. (E)
Taking the bite out of a romantic dinner for two senior citizens.
#396526 by Sophurky Author IconMail Icon


If you are not familiar with "The Writer's Cramp" Open in new Window., it's a daily contest where a new writing prompt is posted around noon Wdc time every day, and depending when you discover the prompt, you have 24 hours or less to come up with a short story that's 1000 words or less (think Flash Fiction) or a poem that's 40 lines or less. Usually the judge/prompter will allow you to choose your genre, but I'll be honest here -- as a judge I tend to be drawn toward the funny entries. Just sayin'. But I'm getting ahead of myself ...

Sometime during the summer of 2002 I was asked by The Milkman Author Icon, who ran the contest back in those days, to be a guest judge for the Cramp -- and by the fall of 2002 I became a regular weekly judge. I still entered occasionally (when I wasn't judging or prompting, of course) throughout the years, until a couple of years ago when, because of Moo's busy work schedule , I began hosting and running the Cramp in my own portfolio.

One of the things I love about the Cramp is that it inspires you to write quickly, without the dreaded self-editing that bogs so many of us down and keeps us from getting a writing project done. You are given a prompt from one of the judges (Robert Waltz Author Icon, shaara, darkin, Diane Author Icon, Storm Machine Author Icon, and I are the regular weekly judges -- a pretty funny group right there! -- and we take turns judging and posting a new prompt for you to write about) -- from there the rest is up to you .

You can do whatever you want with the prompts usually -- as long as you follow the prompt and include your word/line count, and post it with a bitem link before noon, you are in the running for the daily 10,000 GP prize. As I said before, most of the prompts can be turned into something comedic -- and sometimes, because we judges love to have our funny bones tickled, we insist on them being comedic .

So, for example, one week I asked entrants to write about a vampire. The only catch was, it could NOT be a scary story or poem -- it had to be a COMEDY story or poem about a vampire (or vampires). Or one time I asked them to write a comedy Story or Poem about going back to school -- either after a summer break, or as a more "mature adult" returning to school after many years. Other times we leave the genre up to you, but as I said, if you are looking to awaken your comedic muse, our prompts can often do that for you no matter what we give you to start with.

For instance, just this past weekend, as part of our Birthday Week festivities, I gave this prompt:
Your life changed drastically on January 23, 2002. Write the STORY or POEM about what happened and how/why it changed your life. First or third person is fine, fiction or non-fiction -- and it doesn't have to have anything to do with the Cramp -- the date is the important factor.

I didn't require a Genre -- it was up to the entrants to decide. More often than not, Smiling Jack Author Icon takes a comedic bent on the prompts and so, for that day, while others offered serious, dramatic pieces in response to the prompt, Jack entered this little funny: "Invalid Item" Open in new Window.. *Laugh*

Another great thing about the Cramp is that your little 1000 words or less story can actually end up being expanded into something longer and more substantial. Many members have started with an idea, inspired by one of our prompts, and turned it into something more. And one of our regular entrants even ended up publishing a book made up solely of her Cramp entries!

ASIN: 1598249150
Amazon's Price: Price N/A


Okay, so enough of a commercial for "The Writer's Cramp" Open in new Window. -- what are you waiting for?!? *Bigsmile* Get over there an enter -- it could be worth 10,000 GPs to you, but even more importantly, it could just help get your comedy engine up and running. In fact how about this for a writing challenge -- no matter what the prompt is try, for a week or more, to turn it into comedy gold!

Let me know how it turns out. Oh, and if you are new to the Cramp, we are sticklers for rules , so check out "How to Enter the Writer's Cramp" Open in new Window. first, and if you have any questions about entering the Cramp, just email them to me.


Sophurky Author Icon


Editor's Picks

In honor of the Cramp birthday -- some of my favorite (and recent) comedic Cramp entries:

Smiling Jack Author Icon always cracks me up when he enters -- check these out:
 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1622922 by Not Available.

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1621054 by Not Available.

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1630875 by Not Available.


And a few more entries/winners from Cramps-past:

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1635174 by Not Available.

It's all about Learning Open in new Window. (E)
A journey reveals many things, it's all in the attitude.
#1631100 by Just an Ordinary Boo! Author IconMail Icon

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1621452 by Not Available.

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1563067 by Not Available.

 The Soda Open in new Window. (13+)
A problem at the movies.
#1612140 by An apple a day.... Author IconMail Icon

 Costume Creativity Open in new Window. (ASR)
Writer's Cramp (10/16/09). Unique but offensive Halloween costume.
#1608985 by Jeff Author IconMail Icon

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1598197 by Not Available.

 
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Word from Writing.Com

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Ask & Answer


Now for a few comments about my last newsletter about resolutions we can keep :

From Robert Waltz Author Icon
Wow, Sophy, thanks! You not only featured my hangover story, but also put in a plug for my blog! I guess that means I have to write funny stuff in it more often now
*Pthb*

Yes, get on the funny right away, Waltz! *Laugh*

*Snow1* *Snowman* *Snow2* *Snowman* *Snow3* *Snowman* *Snow1* *Snowman* *Snow2* *Snowman* *Snow3* *Snowman*

From drjim
Hey Soph - philosophically, I agree with you that Glenn Beck is a 'girly-man' type that can honestly be a little over-the-top with emotional outbursts ... but, if we look into what it is that he is saying to us, from the staggering National Debt ... to his fairly rational book entitled "Arguing With Idiots", we would be hard pressed to not to feel enormous fear for our Nation! As he always says when his circus act is in full swing ... " I hope that SOMEONE can prove me wrong!!" ... and sadly, no one does - or do they and we dont know about it? The toughest thing to do is to pull America's head out of the sand ... and realize that regardless of party affiliation, many ARE mortgaging our grandkid's future through sheer lust for power without any afterthought of consequences. Maybe WE wont be crying, but our grandkids will - with great reason. I fear that day's arrival greatly ....

Thank goodness I don't have kids so I don't have to worry about my grandkids! *Smile* Okay that was a cheap shot I know, but since I can't think of anything good or helpful to say about Glenn Beck, I'll just keep my yap shut and thank you for your comment, lol.

*Snow1* *Snowman* *Snow2* *Snowman* *Snow3* *Snowman* *Snow1* *Snowman* *Snow2* *Snowman* *Snow3* *Snowman*

From Ms. J Author Icon
Love the comment on Glen Beck and FOX news!

Ms. J

Thanks -- glad at least one person agrees with me about that freak show (aka Fox News)! *Bigsmile*

*Snow1* *Snowman* *Snow2* *Snowman* *Snow3* *Snowman* *Snow1* *Snowman* *Snow2* *Snowman* *Snow3* *Snowman*

From LJPC - the tortoise Author Icon
Hi Sophy! Awesome newsletter, but what's even more awesome is the fact that you've been married 23 years! Now THAT'S an accomplishment!

Your newsletter was terrific - why didn't I ever think of making resolutions that I could actually keep? Like gain 10 lbs., remain unemployed, and get rejections from a few more magazines! Got all those covered...
*Heart*
Laura

Ah, grasshopper, you are learning ........

*Snow1* *Snowman* *Snow2* *Snowman* *Snow3* *Snowman* *Snow1* *Snowman* *Snow2* *Snowman* *Snow3* *Snowman*

That's all for this time -- see you next month -- and until then, enjoy the comedy musings from the King and Queen of Comedy themselves, Ẃeβ࿚ẂỉԎḈĥmas Author Icon and Robert Waltz Author Icon, our other regular Comedy Editors!

Sophurky Author Icon

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