Monday 26 September 2011

The New Apple Imago – does everything!



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 Pretty soon even the tried and tested ‘Keep him on the phone until we get a trace’ will be outdated.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.

38 comments:

Cheryl said...

I want a Ford Lacuna! I like this one, very inventive use of the words.

mooderino said...

@Cheryl - thanks, I think the Lacuna will be a big hit, once someone invents it.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Now that was clever! You covered all the words.

F.E. Sewell said...

Hah! A Ford Lacuna!

So clever. I envision a newer version of the Ford Taurus. :)

Ruth Hartman Berge said...

Light and entertaining!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

This read so smoothly - I didn't even realize it was for the challenge until the end. :) Well done!

Daniel R. Marvello said...

Very entertaining! I give you my personal award for the most seamless and appropriate use of the challenge words.

Sarah Tokeley said...

And you even got the mirror in there! I'm impressed :-)

Christy Farmer said...

I like this moody...I like it a lot:-)

Alleged Author said...

So true. Now I just need a more clever name than iPod for their musical devices.

Jen said...

Ford Lacuna -- well done! You've met the challenge, and you've made some good points along the way!

julie fedderson said...

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!

Donna K. Weaver said...

That's an awesome twist to the challenge. And I love that apple pic.

Sonia Lal said...

Some good advice! Good way to use all the words, too.

Susan Gourley said...

I'm glad I write fantasy so I don't have to try to keep my characters up to date with the tech stuff.

Anonymous said...

A job well done! I joined the challenge, but just can't do it as other demands have overwhelmed me. Good luck to you!

Anonymous said...

Really clever. Mine is #29

Anonymous said...

Very Nice! Great read...following!

dolorah said...

Innovation; there is too little of it in literature ;)

........dhole

LD Masterson said...

That was beautiful. I, also, didn't realize I was reader your challenge post until the end.

Crystal said...

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!

Sheri L. Swift, Author said...

Clever way to use the *words* ; )

Claire Hennessy said...

Great, very clever. I liked the Ford Lacuna too, but I'm afraid I'd always go with the Aston! I'm #133.

David P. King said...

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! :)

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I voted for you Moody!

Ciara said...

Great job. I love the message tied into this challenge. I'm a new follower from the campaign and #127 for this challenge.

Anonymous said...

True though when the technology fails it can be exceedingly frustrating.

mooderino said...

Thanks for all the great comments.

D.J. Kirkby said...

This was very creative....well done!

Bob Sanchez said...

Well done. You not only used the words, but the essay makes sense. Of course, I had to look up oscitate.

mooderino said...

@Bob - me too.

Tara Tyler said...

totally hilarious!!!

Joanna said...

Very clever and some lovely expressions "miasma of modernity" "Ford Lacuna"; I am off to vote!

Dawn M. Hamsher said...

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.

Anonymous said...

LOL, brilliant. Great take on the challenge!

Christine Rains said...

That was great! Hey, I have nothing against characters using technology regularly myself. Well done. :)

MISH said...

Very smart ... and you incorporated "mirror" too ... love the humour !
My entry no.#185

Karen deBlieck said...

Great job on the challenge piece. Original and it reads smoothly.

#189

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