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 Pretty soon even the tried and tested ‘Keep him on the phone until we get a trace’ will be outdated.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

  1. Cheryl26 September 2011 at 19:05

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

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  2. mooderino26 September 2011 at 20:30

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

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  3. Alex J. Cavanaugh26 September 2011 at 20:31

    Now that was clever! You covered all the words.

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  4. F.E. Sewell26 September 2011 at 20:34

    Hah! A Ford Lacuna!

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 I envision a newer version of the Ford Taurus.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

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  5. Ruth Hartman Berge26 September 2011 at 20:42

    Light and entertaining!

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  6. Madeline Mora-Summonte26 September 2011 at 21:12

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

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  7. Daniel R. Marvello26 September 2011 at 21:45

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

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  8. Sarah Tokeley26 September 2011 at 23:52

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

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  9. Christy Farmer27 September 2011 at 00:40

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

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  10. Alleged Author27 September 2011 at 00:44

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

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  11. Jen27 September 2011 at 00:51

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

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  12. julie fedderson27 September 2011 at 01:13

    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!

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  13. Donna K. Weaver27 September 2011 at 01:58

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

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  14. Sonia Lal27 September 2011 at 02:15

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

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  15. Susan Gourley27 September 2011 at 02:17

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

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  16. Anonymous27 September 2011 at 04:51

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

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  17. Anonymous27 September 2011 at 05:50

    Really clever. Mine is #29

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  18. Anonymous27 September 2011 at 07:08

    Very Nice! Great read...following!

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  19. dolorah27 September 2011 at 08:06

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

    ........dhole

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  20. LD Masterson27 September 2011 at 14:42

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

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  21. Crystal27 September 2011 at 16:08

    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!

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  22. Sheri L. Swift, Author27 September 2011 at 17:17

    Clever way to use the *words* ; )

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  23. Claire Hennessy27 September 2011 at 18:06

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

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  24. David P. King27 September 2011 at 19:51

    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! :)

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  25. Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader27 September 2011 at 20:05

    I voted for you Moody!

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  26. Ciara28 September 2011 at 13:33

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

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  27. Anonymous28 September 2011 at 20:54

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

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  28. mooderino28 September 2011 at 23:52

    Thanks for all the great comments.

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  29. D.J. Kirkby29 September 2011 at 06:38

    This was very creative....well done!

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  30. Bob Sanchez29 September 2011 at 21:52

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

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  31. mooderino29 September 2011 at 22:40

    @Bob - me too.

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  32. Tara Tyler29 September 2011 at 23:35

    totally hilarious!!!

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  33. Joanna30 September 2011 at 18:01

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

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  34. Dawn M. Hamsher30 September 2011 at 21:20

    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.

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  35. Anonymous30 September 2011 at 23:31

    LOL, brilliant. Great take on the challenge!

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  36. Christine Rains1 October 2011 at 02:55

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

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  37. MISH6 October 2011 at 23:33

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

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  38. Karen deBlieck11 October 2011 at 01:10

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

    #189

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