My picfor1000 assignment for 2015 is a black cat and a castle :

[chamekke]

The challenge 13 theme is "unlucky things" (I guess because it's the 13th challenge), and each participant is given a photograph to inspire any fic as long as it weighs in at exactly 1,000 words. Here's my pic:



Admittedly I did go AWOL on my assignment for the previous 2 years. Well, third time lucky, I say! THIS IS THE YEAR WHERE I BREAK THAT TREND. *determined face*

Luckily this image has tons of potential. I've been toying with various ideas involving (a) Sleepy Hollow, (b) Shirley Jackson (i.e. a postscript story to We Have Always Lived In The Castle, because clearly that IS Jonas outside the Blackwood home), or just maybe (c) Warehouse 13. I figure, in a pinch I can do a fic where an artefact turns the world black and white. You know, the way things were in the olden days.

That said - if your first reaction to the pic is "OMFG this would be perfect for {fandom/plot bunny}", I am definitely all ears! *chinhands*

Not sure how many of you are also doing the challenge? I know draycevixen and severinne have both signed up. How are you faring with your prompt?
 

Comments

[blythechild.livejournal.com]

Nice prompt! I was initially stumped by mine this year, but then I left it alone for a week, and two ideas came to me for it. The prompts can be hit and miss - last year's was a struggle, and the year before that I failed to write anything. But the year before THAT (still with me?), the damn thing wrote itself. I think that it's nice that the mods tell you right upfront that it's just meant to inspire you and if that inspiration isn't literal, that's fine.

Got any fandoms that you WANT to write it for?

[chamekke.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I'd missed that post. You've written 2 fics based on your prompt already? Woot, that's fantastic! *waggles pompoms of victory*

You're right about the hit-and-miss, quite a few people have struggled unsuccessfully with their picfor1000 prompts. Also, sometimes the photo inspires a fic that simply will not fit into 1,000 words without dismembering the story idea completely.

Got any fandoms that you WANT to write it for?

Eep, I'm such a fic virgin where most fandoms are concerned. Right now I'm leaning towards Sleepy Hollow (with an ample dose of crack). Although... since I've just fallen in love with Agent Carter, that's sort of tempting? I'd have to find the right plot bunny, though. *entices with carrots*

How did/do you decide which fandom to write the prompt for?

[blythechild.livejournal.com]

Actually, the year that I failed to post a fic for the prompt, I ended up writing something for it that was waaaay too long to qualify. But, like you said, it refused to be trimmed down. It deserved to live, so I let it ;)

*cheers "Agent Carter, Agent Carter!"*

I usually let the picture decide which fandom I'll write in. I actively write in half a dozen fandoms, so I have the benefit of choice. For example, this year my prompt finally said Forever even though I'm not entirely comfortable with that one. Then I wrote a Criminal Minds one afterwards because it just popped into my head fully formed.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

The fandoms you mention sound like good, solid choices. :D

If you want to write about Abraham, this looks like somewhere he might hole up. The US has a lot of buildings built to look like something from the "old country."

[chamekke.livejournal.com]

The fandoms you mention sound like good, solid choices. :D

Or I could stay with the kitty theme and write something for Puss in Boots. *snerk*

If you want to write about Abraham, this looks like somewhere he might hole up. The US has a lot of buildings built to look like something from the "old country."

Ooh, good point. I hadn't had Abraham in mind particularly, but you've tickled an idea there. Thank you!

This morning I was looking at the prompt, thought "Hey - catspaw," and vaguely recalled there was a ST:TOS episode of that name. Do you remember it? I didn't, but Wikipedia did, and whoa, "Catspaw" was seriously incoherent. I'd love to see someone try to do that with the reboot! Well, not me obviously, but someone...

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

I followed your link. I vaguely remember the cat and definitely remember the ending with the "stick insects." I suspect that episode wasn't re-broadcast quite as much. *g*

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

I'm signed up. My prompt is a broken mirror, so all sorts of possibilities.

I can definitely seeing this work for Sleepy Hollow - and the cat not being a cat at all, but some sort of witch's familiar.

[chamekke.livejournal.com]

Nice one! blythechild was assigned a broken-mirror pic too, although a rather different one (a car's rear view mirror in her case).

I really like your photo for itself, in terms of composition that is, especially the beautiful webby bits where the glass is fractured into smaller pieces. Interesting that your mirror doesn't reflect the photographer... Presumably the subject is angling it a tad to avoid exactly that, but to me it suggests an invisibility spell or a ghost or vampire or something mysterious.

I can definitely seeing this work for Sleepy Hollow - and the cat not being a cat at all, but some sort of witch's familiar.

Definitely a possibility. I've got about 5 bunnies for SH and will add that to the list, thank you!

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's a lovely photo. I was attracted by the way the different pieces were all reflecting different things. I'm thinking of using it for Spooks (MI5) - and the whole not being the image you are protecting.

But first I need to get my SmallFandomBigBang written.

[chamekke.livejournal.com]

As plot bunnies go, that's magnificent.

Good luck with your SmallFandomBigBang! What fandom are you writing in? *proffers a pompom waggle*

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Lewis - it's a casefic.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

Wow, I haven't done this challenge in ages. Hmm. (Oh, I see it's closed. Darn!)

Good luck (as it were)!

[chamekke.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry it's too late to for you to enter, but thanks for the well wishes!

Actually I tend to discover challenges only after they're closed. Couple of years back I was devastated to have missed my chance with that year's Zombie Big Bang. And since then I haven't wanted to write about zombies. Life (and unlife) is perverse that way :-P

[severinne.livejournal.com]

I really liked your pic when I first saw it but in fairness, I'm not sure if I know what I'd do with it either... it's just a rather nice photo and I seem to be fond of cats these days. *g*

I do like the motion in the photo too, though, the flick of sudden movement across a scene that's otherwise got a frozen, timeless quality... anything to work with there? Sorry, not very helpful... *shrug*

[chamekke.livejournal.com]

Any comment is potentially useful! And I like the motion as well, so there may be possibilities around time travel (or stopping time), ghostly things, a lifeless house (no one's visible in any of the windows) with life outside...

So far I've had one idea that I've sketched out into a sort of outline. It has potential but as so often happens, it could easily bloat beyond the 1K word limit. If that's a red pen Annie's holding in your usericon, I may have to ask to borrow it :-)

[hambelandjemima.livejournal.com]

I've signed up for this year. I'm hoping to actually write something this time. It's not going too well so far...

[chamekke.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Yours is a bit Blair Witch Project, isn't it.

Any idea which fandom you might write in?

P.S. Also reminded me of this:

[hambelandjemima.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking it's more suited to Professionals than Life on Mars, but I might go all out and make it original fic. I'll stare at it some more and see if any ideas form.

That's a very atmospheric scene from Snow White. I might use it for a bit of inspiration :)