The problem with technology is it makes life too easy – for your characters. Your smart phone connects to the internet, records video and has GPS - who needs a watch with a garrote or a pen that fires darts? Never mind the Aston, James, here's my Ford Lacuna that parks itself and never gets in accidents.
Writers keep coming up with weak excuses to keep their characters in peril (Oh no I can’t get a signal!) that are already clichéd and only make readers oscitate. Pretty soon even the tried and tested ‘Keep him on the phone until we get a trace’ will be outdated.
However, if ever there was a time to embroil your characters in the miasma of modernity it's now, before they get turned into brand new clichés. Too many stories lack synchronicity with the times, and have to pretend to be in a simpler world that doesn’t mirror ours at all. So, I say embrace technology and put a phone in your character’s hand, connect them to the Internet, and make it part of the story. Not just as a geeky way to find out some key piece of info, but as an everyday thing.
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This post is part of the Second Campaigner Challenge
Write a blog post in 200 words or less, excluding the title. The blog post should:
· include the word "imago" in the title
· include the following 4 random words: "miasma," "lacuna," "oscitate," "synchronicity"
Optional: make reference to a mirror in your post.
Optional: make it 200 words EXACTLY!
If you liked this post please go here to vote for it. No. 116.
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38 comments:
I want a Ford Lacuna! I like this one, very inventive use of the words.
@Cheryl - thanks, I think the Lacuna will be a big hit, once someone invents it.
Now that was clever! You covered all the words.
Hah! A Ford Lacuna!
So clever. I envision a newer version of the Ford Taurus. :)
Light and entertaining!
This read so smoothly - I didn't even realize it was for the challenge until the end. :) Well done!
Very entertaining! I give you my personal award for the most seamless and appropriate use of the challenge words.
And you even got the mirror in there! I'm impressed :-)
I like this moody...I like it a lot:-)
So true. Now I just need a more clever name than iPod for their musical devices.
Ford Lacuna -- well done! You've met the challenge, and you've made some good points along the way!
I think Marty McFly had a Ford Lacuna after he wrecked his DeLorean. Really liked this one--very unique and the words really fit in the text!
That's an awesome twist to the challenge. And I love that apple pic.
Some good advice! Good way to use all the words, too.
I'm glad I write fantasy so I don't have to try to keep my characters up to date with the tech stuff.
A job well done! I joined the challenge, but just can't do it as other demands have overwhelmed me. Good luck to you!
Really clever. Mine is #29
Very Nice! Great read...following!
Innovation; there is too little of it in literature ;)
........dhole
That was beautiful. I, also, didn't realize I was reader your challenge post until the end.
Ooooh, very clever! And I agree - we writers have to keep up with the times and we'll just have to use our imaginations to come up with new and inventive ways to circumvent the new technology and make things difficult for our characters!
Clever way to use the *words* ; )
Great, very clever. I liked the Ford Lacuna too, but I'm afraid I'd always go with the Aston! I'm #133.
Couldn't have said it better myself. Embrace technology, especially if you're writing stories in modern times. Don't want technology, write something from the past, or alternate past.
Great job! :)
I voted for you Moody!
Great job. I love the message tied into this challenge. I'm a new follower from the campaign and #127 for this challenge.
True though when the technology fails it can be exceedingly frustrating.
Thanks for all the great comments.
This was very creative....well done!
Well done. You not only used the words, but the essay makes sense. Of course, I had to look up oscitate.
@Bob - me too.
totally hilarious!!!
Very clever and some lovely expressions "miasma of modernity" "Ford Lacuna"; I am off to vote!
I resist! I don't want a cell phone in my story fantasy adventure. Anyways, it wouldn't work when they go through the portal to the new world. ;0)
The Write Soil
Mine is #50.
LOL, brilliant. Great take on the challenge!
That was great! Hey, I have nothing against characters using technology regularly myself. Well done. :)
Very smart ... and you incorporated "mirror" too ... love the humour !
My entry no.#185
Great job on the challenge piece. Original and it reads smoothly.
#189