Today, we're heading to the dictionary for a creativity boost. Here's what I want you to do:
You're going to select six words and use them to write a story of less than 250 words. You will select your six words from:
- page 52, 11th word down
- page 111, 2nd word down
- page 144, 1st word down
- page 199, 9th word down
- page 255, 12th word down
- page 243, 6th word down
Now, that you have your six words, open the dictionary at random, close your eyes and select a word. That word will provide the subject of your story.
Use the first three words in your opening paragraph. The last three words may be sprinkled throughout the story.
So, with far more important things to be doing- like finding a job- I decided to accept this challenge instead. A 250 word piece of flash fiction is tricky enough, but add into the mix the most ridiculously random collection of words and you've got yourself quite a task. What I managed to come up with is by no means perfect, and I'm well aware that the end is slightly rushed, but with the words I found I'm pleasantly surprised with the results.
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words: anisomeric, bargain hunter, blacklist, calcium chloride, caterwaul, checkroom.
subject: menopause
Standing on the roof of my high rise council estate, a few seconds away from eternal Catholic damnation, I contemplated my anisomeric existence. Although there had been brief spells of promise, they had quickly dissolved in debts, blacklists, accusations and divorce. I had gone from being the perfect family man with a 60K payslip, to a regular car boot-er, desperately flogging my possessions to seasoned bargain hunters. And it had all started with the onset of my wife’s menopause.
June 2004. My wife’s 50th surprise birthday party was supposed be getting underway in less than an hour. I was putting on my dinner jacket and practising my “our reservation’s at eight and we need to leave time to put our coats in the checkroom” speech, when I heard a horrendous caterwaul erupt from the bathroom.
“Jennifer!?”
“Who is she!?” came back the scream as she threw the door open, brandishing a bottle of fabric softner.
“What...?”
“Tell me or I swear to God I’ll drink this entire bottle!”
“I don’t...”
“Cationic Acrylate, Calcium Chloride Dihydrate... pretty sure it would kill me, don’t you think!?”
We never made it to the party. Her paranoia increased, I lost my job due to depression, and I was served divorce papers within the year. My wife's hormones had marked the start of my demise, even though I had talked her out of suicide.
And as I flew off the roof, I only wished she'd been there to talk me out of it too.
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It's a bit of fun for anyone who considers themselves as 'having a way with the words.' Plus it's a great time waster that still manages to make you feel productive! If you feel like giving it a go, I'd love to see what you come up with so post it in the comments below :)
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