I've seen this thread on the Fantasy and Science Fiction threads, so I decided to bring it over here. :D
Okay, basically, you post a dare, and you can add extra 'points' to make it even more awesome. Hopefully, this thread can be kept alive and full of fun dares. Who knows? You could find your next NaNo idea in here!
Okay, I'll go first:
Write a steampunk historical novel NOT set in Victorian England or the American West.
Bonus points if the setting is in Asia or an Eastern European country
Double bonus points if the steampunk technology is brought from an outside source.
Triple bonus points if there is controversy about having this type of technology in their environment.
Quadruple bonus points if there is a believable flaw or conspiracy that would spurn your MC and others to take down the steampunk society.
Good luck!
----------
NaNo 2009: Life on Mars
-Write to understand, to read, and to grow. So go ahead, write on, and excuse the lame pun.
45,877 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2009 - 15 06
I love the dares. Thank you for starting this thread in historical fiction!
Dare: Use this Ancient Thai Ayudhaya Kub Bullet money in your novel.
Bonus points: It's actually used as a medium of exchange (and not as a weapon).
Double bonus points: You find some other artifact on e-bay and use it, too.
----------Saipanwriter
http://saipanwriter.blogspot.com
7,326 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2009 - 16 17
Don't think I can use bullet money, but I did see an 1805 teapot commemorating the Battle of Trafalgar. I can sneak it in somewhere!
Sea-story people, how about including a character named Nelson who is actually no relation to the great admiral, but people keep asking him if he is, and it drives him crazy!
BP if character in question is an inept mid.
42,013 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2009 - 16 16
I love dares. I wrote pretty much my entire novel off of them last year.
Insert an actual historical event or thing in your novel.
Bonus points if one of your characters chalks it up as the aliens.
Double bonus points if your character then proves their theory.
Have one of your characters bring about an actual historic event.
Double bonus points if it's completely by accident.
Have a female character wear a Victorian gown for a chapter, regardless of the time period.
Have a character that speaks with thees, thys, and thous.
----------2007: Distant Memories Burned - FAILED
2008: And Sometimes, the Dragon Wins - WIN
2009: Burn - DETERMINATION
42,013 / 50,000
Oct 13, 2009 - 16 22
BP if character in question is an inept mid.
Ah! I love it! If I was writing a sea-story, I would use it! I had a character who was an angel, and his name was Gabriel. Everyone always asked him if he was THE Gabriel, and it drove him nuts. By the way, I adore your username!
----------2007: Distant Memories Burned - FAILED
2008: And Sometimes, the Dragon Wins - WIN
2009: Burn - DETERMINATION
7,326 / 50,000
Oct 14, 2009 - 10 27
Glad you like it!
(Much better than my previous username, which led everyone to think I was male...)
Have your characters play a modern board game long before it was invented.
Better yet, Twister.
37,051 / 50,000
Oct 14, 2009 - 19 28
Have one of your minor characters have a completely modern name, like Nikki or Lexii :]
----------36,153 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2009 - 00 56
Have one of your characters bring about an actual historic event.
Double bonus points if it's completely by accident.
Have a character that speaks with thees, thys, and thous.
......
I totally want to do both of those....
*plots*
(Helps that I'm writing in Tudor England...heh...)
----------Nano 2008 - Sanctuary (Won!)
Nano 2009 - Majesty
67,433 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2009 - 08 42
Bonus points if one of your characters chalks it up as the aliens.
Double bonus points if your character then proves their theory.
I will be trying this (at least the first part), although this assumes you consider the events of Jesus' life to be *somewhat* based in reality. I do believe that there was a philosopher/leader named Jesus who got crucified (I just don't happen to think he was the son of god), so yeah, I'll be doing this.
Also taking the first part of this for sure:
Double bonus points if it's completely by accident.
And *possibly* taking the second. In theory Judas' betrayal is supposed to be an act of revenge, although I may write it so that Judas does not intend for his betrayal to lead in crucifixion - a revenge that goes too far kind of scenario.
And definitely doing this one:
Leaving:
Include in your story the creation of a great literary work that is still prominent today (even something like the dictionary).
----------www.allysonwhipple.com
My Lulu.com storefront
2005-2007: Epic fail!
2008: Winter White Lights (Winner!)
2009: Loveless Gospels
45,877 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2009 - 15 20
Leaving:
Include in your story the creation of a great literary work that is still prominent today (even something like the dictionary).
Mmhhmm. I'll have to think about how I can use this!
Leaving (similar but different):
Include lines from a "contemporary" (to your novel time that is) poem. You could try here, if you need poets. famous poets and poems. It's not complete, so
Bonus points if you include works from a poet who is more obscure (not listed).
Double bonus points if you have a character who identifies with the poet and tries to communicate with the poet in some fashion. Or if you have a character who hates the poet and attempts to prevent any more of the poems from being distributed (attempts in any way).
Triple bonus points if the poet makes an appearance in the novel.
Saipanwriter
----------http://saipanwriter.blogspot.com
Saipanwriter
http://saipanwriter.blogspot.com
41,002 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2009 - 03 15
Ooh, I may do that one. :) My MC happens to adore poetry.
Leaving:
Write a novel set during the Salem Witch Trials.
Bonus points if a family member or somebody close to the MC is accused of witchcraft.
Double bonus points if certain events lead the MC to really think the accused is a witch.
Triple bonus points if the MC is a devoted Puritan who feels that he/she should expose the witch, but is conflicted because that would be betraying the family member or friend.
----------NaNo 2009: Life on Mars
-Write to understand, to read, and to grow. So go ahead, write on, and excuse the lame pun.
13,396 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2009 - 19 16
Sea-story people, how about including a character named Nelson who is actually no relation to the great admiral, but people keep asking him if he is, and it drives him crazy!
BP if character in question is an inept mid.
YES! The other new midshipman now has a name. ...Oh dear... You may have created a monster, Mel. I hadn't planned on having this mid being particularly inept. And with the other new mid being a bookworm who gets in trouble for reading on watch, (something that I had written in another story before reading your rough draft, I swear!) and the twins causing havoc... :) The Eclipse is going to be a rather interesting place this November. ----------
When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on!
NaNo2007:WON!
Frenzy08: Lost
Nano2008:WON!, but novel not finished.
Frenzy09: Lost
Nano09: Do I see a pattern? PLEASE, I WANT TO FINISH!!!
42,013 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2009 - 21 17
Better yet, Twister.
Yes. Oh god yes. Twister is brilliance! This fits so perfectly into my story, you don't even know!
----------2007: Distant Memories Burned - FAILED
2008: And Sometimes, the Dragon Wins - WIN
2009: Burn - DETERMINATION
7,326 / 50,000
Oct 18, 2009 - 06 26
Oh good. I thought someone might get mad at me for suggesting such an anachronism.
22,623 / 50,000
Oct 18, 2009 - 06 35
Double bonus points if it's completely by accident.
I think I can do this. In fact, I can almost certainly do this, but I need to do some research to choose my event. (What happened in 1817, anyway?)
I can absolutely do this. In the future, even! (As in, roughly 2060) Well, I'm excited now!
Choose a book from during or before your period, and include elements from it frequently.
Bonus points if a character has read the book.
Double bonus points if they notice the allusions.
Triple bonus points if they meet the author.
Quadruple bonus points and a cookie if your character is actually the reason the book was written.
The butler did it.
----------Bonus points if "it" isn't a murder.
Double bonus points if he didn't really, because he's not really a butler.
Triple bonus points if he didn't really, he was framed by a little old lady/the hero/the police.
Quadruple bonus points if he did it after all.
2006: Minus Ten (FAIL)
2007: Shinyarat (WIN)
2008: The Witch's Daughter (WIN)
2009: As-yet-untitled soon-to-be win!
7,326 / 50,000
Oct 18, 2009 - 08 19
Sea-story people, how about including a character named Nelson who is actually no relation to the great admiral, but people keep asking him if he is, and it drives him crazy!
BP if character in question is an inept mid.
YES! The other new midshipman now has a name. ...Oh dear... You may have created a monster, Mel. I hadn't planned on having this mid being particularly inept. And with the other new mid being a bookworm who gets in trouble for reading on watch, (something that I had written in another story before reading your rough draft, I swear!) and the twins causing havoc... :) The Eclipse is going to be a rather interesting place this November.
I hope the remaining two behave themselves...wait, the Eclipse? Isn't that last year's ship?
54,445 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 10 04
@thecynicalpixie
Write a steampunk historical novel NOT set in Victorian England or the American West.
-Done, it's set in Japan
Bonus points if the setting is in Asia or an Eastern European country
-Done, it's set in Japan
Double bonus points if the steampunk technology is brought from an outside source.
-Rangaku is a term for outside study; essentially, the Japanese discovered steam technology from England, but perfected their craft and made it uniquely their own
Triple bonus points if there is controversy about having this type of technology in their environment.
-Technology is being abused by the underbelly of society: Mechsuits replacing sumo, difference engines acting as mere gambling machines, geishas threatened by automata
Quadruple bonus points if there is a believable flaw or conspiracy that would spurn your MC and others to take down the steampunk society.
-The Shogunate is turning a blind eye to the mob mentality going on in its own backyard of Edo. It is up to the MC and cast to expose his corruption and take down the yakuza with his own bare hands. if you want a job done right, you gotta do it yourself.
Read my novel info for a neat synopsis, for I have dubbed this subgenre of Japanese Historical Science Fiction, "Steampanku"
----------http://steampanku.wordpress.com
What do you get when you mix steampunk with 19th century Japan? Steampanku, Where the Far Out East meets Wild Wild West!
54,445 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 10 16
Dare: write a novel about a japanese family living in hiroshima the day the bomb dropped.
----------1x Bonus Points: make the novel take place during the span of the 24 hours leading up to it.
2x: write separate storylines for each family member, bringing their stories together at ground zero
3x: include a romance thread from the teenage son or daughter member
4x: have one or more of the family members die in the blast
http://steampanku.wordpress.com
What do you get when you mix steampunk with 19th century Japan? Steampanku, Where the Far Out East meets Wild Wild West!
41,002 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 11 16
Write a steampunk historical novel NOT set in Victorian England or the American West.
-Done, it's set in Japan
Bonus points if the setting is in Asia or an Eastern European country
-Done, it's set in Japan
Double bonus points if the steampunk technology is brought from an outside source.
-Rangaku is a term for outside study; essentially, the Japanese discovered steam technology from England, but perfected their craft and made it uniquely their own
Triple bonus points if there is controversy about having this type of technology in their environment.
-Technology is being abused by the underbelly of society: Mechsuits replacing sumo, difference engines acting as mere gambling machines, geishas threatened by automata
Quadruple bonus points if there is a believable flaw or conspiracy that would spurn your MC and others to take down the steampunk society.
-The Shogunate is turning a blind eye to the mob mentality going on in its own backyard of Edo. It is up to the MC and cast to expose his corruption and take down the yakuza with his own bare hands. if you want a job done right, you gotta do it yourself.
Read my novel info for a neat synopsis, for I have dubbed this subgenre of Japanese Historical Science Fiction, "Steampanku"
Nicely done! *claps* I read your synopsis and checked out your blog on Wordpress, and I'm impressed. Never thought someone would actually combine steampunk and Japanese historical fiction. I hope you can at least post up some of it online once you're finished, because I would love to read your finished product.
[url="officenerdgirl.livejournal.com"]Look, I'm on LiveJournal![/url]
-----------Write to understand, to read, and to grow. So go ahead, write on, and excuse the lame pun.
NaNo 2009: Life on Mars
-Write to understand, to read, and to grow. So go ahead, write on, and excuse the lame pun.
13,396 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 16 31
Sea-story people, how about including a character named Nelson who is actually no relation to the great admiral, but people keep asking him if he is, and it drives him crazy!
BP if character in question is an inept mid.
YES! The other new midshipman now has a name. ...Oh dear... You may have created a monster, Mel. I hadn't planned on having this mid being particularly inept. And with the other new mid being a bookworm who gets in trouble for reading on watch, (something that I had written in another story before reading your rough draft, I swear!) and the twins causing havoc... :) The Eclipse is going to be a rather interesting place this November.
I hope the remaining two behave themselves...wait, the Eclipse? Isn't that last year's ship?
The remaining two are planning on it... I'm not going to give spoilers on their activities, however. :) And yes, the Eclipse will be in the novel for... 1/4th of the novel? Just until after the battle at San Juan. ----------
When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on!
NaNo2007:WON!
Frenzy08: Lost
Nano2008:WON!, but novel not finished.
Frenzy09: Lost
Nano09: Do I see a pattern? PLEASE, I WANT TO FINISH!!!
42,013 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 16
Mad at you? Can I hug you? You've just given me a way to waste a good couple thousand words.
----------2007: Distant Memories Burned - FAILED
2008: And Sometimes, the Dragon Wins - WIN
2009: Burn - DETERMINATION
42,013 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 20
Choose a book from during or before your period, and include elements from it frequently.
Bonus points if a character has read the book.
Double bonus points if they notice the allusions.
Triple bonus points if they meet the author.
Quadruple bonus points and a cookie if your character is actually the reason the book was written.
Seeing as my book is (kind of?) set in the renaissance, I'll be damned if I don't use Machiavelli's "The Prince!"
----------2007: Distant Memories Burned - FAILED
2008: And Sometimes, the Dragon Wins - WIN
2009: Burn - DETERMINATION
40,319 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 34
Well...
----------I'm doing a steampunk/colonial era/Renaissance/Italian/Romanian/English/acting story...
I think I got the non Victorian and American West, as well as sorta the bonus points, not double bonus points, not triple bonus points, and maybe a little quadruple.
:)
-Chocolate
Arguing with myself doesn't make me crazy. Arguing with myself and loosing does.
-
No offense is offensive.
40,570 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 08 21
Wow...I've already planned to include several "dares" without knowing it! (Specifically - literary works, contemporary qutoes/individuals and causing historical events). Now I'm concerned that I'm planning too much...but better to have too much going on than not enough when striving for 50k, right?!
Leaving: write historical fiction about a major natural event (storms, solar eclipses, geological formations, etc. etc.) and explain its cause with your story
Bonus points - if your cause is an accurate one
I don't know...I'm new at this...hope someone can make use of it!
----------7,326 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 09 33
Sea-story people, how about including a character named Nelson who is actually no relation to the great admiral, but people keep asking him if he is, and it drives him crazy!
BP if character in question is an inept mid.
YES! The other new midshipman now has a name. ...Oh dear... You may have created a monster, Mel. I hadn't planned on having this mid being particularly inept. And with the other new mid being a bookworm who gets in trouble for reading on watch, (something that I had written in another story before reading your rough draft, I swear!) and the twins causing havoc... :) The Eclipse is going to be a rather interesting place this November.
I hope the remaining two behave themselves...wait, the Eclipse? Isn't that last year's ship?
The remaining two are planning on it... I'm not going to give spoilers on their activities, however. :) And yes, the Eclipse will be in the novel for... 1/4th of the novel? Just until after the battle at San Juan.
San Juan?
I have an idea for the random-object-found-on-ebay dare I took with the Trafalgar commemorative teapot (I saw it a long time ago, don't know if it's still there)...I was thinking of giving one of my FMCs an unusual hobby: beekeeping! (At least to make her even more different from me than she already is, because I'm scared of bees...) I need to do more research on this, but I have found some tantalizing quotations from later periods that suggest it wasn't all that strange for ladies to keep bees (cleaner and easier to keep than many pets, good for the garden, fun to watch if they don't terrify you, AND they make honey and wax for candles!). The modern bee-smoker hadn't been invented yet (but does look something like a teapot), so maybe she could burn leaves and stuff in that truly hideous old teapot to calm the bees down.
41,000 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 15 57
Create a character who claims she can see the future
DP if people believe she can
TP if she predicts what will happen next
And a million points if she tells everyone who will listen that they are all trapped in a historical fiction
Example scene:
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," the town lunatic sighed wearily. The king looks at her, confused. "King Richard II, with all due respect, if you take away Henry's land, he's going to pair up with the Earl of Northumberland and it will cost you your throne. I'd try to make friends with him if I were you."
"That's ridiculous."
"Suit yourself. Also, grab an umbrella. It's going to be raining soon."
----------25,042 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 20 04
Have a character who constantly speculates about how they'll be portrayed in the records of ages to come.
BP if they worry they'll never be mentioned at all.
TBP if they carry out some desperate measures to ensure they are remember by future generations.
Even more points if they turn out to be a very famous historical figure for something else entirely.
7,924 / 50,000
Oct 22, 2009 - 08 25
Include in your story the creation of a great literary work that is still prominent today (even something like the dictionary).
I'm taking this one! I'm writing Bible times and lots of Paul's letters are written in my story!
----------<><
SHAKESPEARE - don't worry, no one will be reading Stephenie Meyer in 400 years.
Body Count- 4.5
<><
SHAKESPEARE - don't worry, no one will be reading Stephenie Meyer in 400 years.
Body Count- 4.5
40,038 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 08 24
Have someone pull a modern-day prank on Halloween (all hallows eve) no matter what the time period.
2x if it involves paint
3x if it involves a cat and paint
4x if they get caught OR cause a historical event
If it involves some kind of murder:
----------1) have them die because of a falling/flying household object
2) they get hit by a train or truck
3) They wake up in autopsy
30,117 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2009 - 21 17
Wow! unintentionally i added this dares on my novel :)
Include lines from a "contemporary" (to your novel time that is) poem. You could try here, if you need poets. famous poets and poems. It's not complete, so
Bonus points if you include works from a poet who is more obscure (not listed).
Double bonus points if you have a character who identifies with the poet and tries to communicate with the poet in some fashion. Or if you have a character who hates the poet and attempts to prevent any more of the poems from being distributed (attempts in any way).
Triple bonus points if the poet makes an appearance in the novel.
DP if people believe she can
TP if she predicts what will happen next
50,011 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2009 - 08 24
Anachronistically insert Sir John Falstaff into your novel at random points
BP if he only utters Shakespeare quotations but they're somehow relevant
Defame a well-respected figure in history by writing an account that gives all credit to his wife and shows how the real story was covered up
BP if Sir John Falstaff is involved in the cover-up
Have a character with schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder who sincerely believes he is a historical figure such as Julius Caesar or William the Conquerer
BP if the character believes themselves to be a historic figure of the opposite gender
Double BP if they think themselves to be Sir John Falstaff
Triple BP if they commit some act that is then recorded by a historian or newspaper as having been committed by the historical figure