The general idea of this challenge is to make us write. Poems, stories, subtitles, tales, jokes, haiku, crosswords, puns, ... you're the boss.
Use all Words, some Words, one Word, or even none of them if that makes your creative juices flow. Anything goes, only please nothing rude or vulgar.
It is also a challenge, where the old saying "The more the merrier" holds true.
So Please, remember to follow the links, go back and read other peoples' stories. And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement. And we ALL need encouragement.
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The Words for the Wednesdays in Mach are provided by River, who has decided to use fewer words in the hope that more people might be tempted to join us.1. poised
2. reef
3. crashing
4. bridge
5. wrecked
6. turquoise
7. glitter
As usual I wrote a small piece of Susan's story, as usual I used the words in the order they were given, as usual the story is too short, and as usual it is a continuation of last Wednesday's story.
The Green team was gathered in their school room and Thora was poised on the edge of a chair. Now Susan knew that a spell held her suspended, and was not afraid that she was going to topple like that frst day.
Thora spoke: "A part of our magical creatures of the sea here are in danger. We had counted on the reef to keep out the worst of the winter storms, but some of it seems to have given way under the crashing waves.
This forms so to say a bridge from the sheltered waters of the inlet out into the open sea."
She turned to the wall and pictures rose as she spoke on: "When the reef was wrecked, some of the sea horses and riverbeasts escaped." Pictures of both arose from her hands. The sea horses looking just like the statues Susan had seen in Rome, horses in front and aquatic beasts behind. The riverbeasts looked like a cross between an armadillo and a hippopotamus, but with turquoise bellies and glittering scales. They were pretty, half as big as a sea horse, and Susan could not help calling for them in her mind.
Thora sent her a sharp look and Susan concentrated on the pictures from Thora's hands and listened to her words.
"We'll have to go out there in the cold today. We'll work in shifts, short ones, so that none of you overstretches your snow magic. We'll split up too, Gilvi, ML and Jon will be tackling the Seahorses, while we are to catch the shy Riverbeasts."
She let the picture of the Sea horse fade while the riverbeast grew larger and more distinct. "Riverbeasts are likeable creatures, but totally unused to human beings. They are shy and fast moving. The best way to make them follow you is to call them to you." She looked at Susan once again. "This is our special ability as green magicians, the ability to call creatures to us, as well you know. But you also need their Name, and in Icelandic Riverbeast is Árdýr!"
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Today is also the first Wednesday of the month. Time for the monthly Question from the Insecure Writers' Support Group
March 6th question: Have you "played" with AI to write those nasty synopses, or do you refuse to go that route? How do you feel about AI's impact on creative writing?
My answer: I tried AI for both synopses (which I btw. do not find nasty), structuring of a text, and I even asked it to write one of my Words for Wednesday posts for me.
I asked: Write me a story about some students of magic. You'll have to use these words: Rusk, Spindrift, Troubadour, Killick, Mantra, Tuckamore, Whirlpool, Catamaran.
Down below you can read the result, and HERE is a link to the story I wrote, as I was not satisfied with the AI's story al all.
I find the AI's story generic, two-dimensional, and sterile. I get no kick whatsoever from reading it.
The AI did even not perform as requested, as it did not use all the Words.
For these reasons I think AI is not a substitute for creative writing, for translations or for any other art form concerning languages for a long time to come.
But for structuring a PowerPoint show, a text, or a lecture, and any such "non-creative creative tasks" AI can be quite helpful.
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A story about students of magic - According to an AI.
Once upon a time, there were three magic students called Anna, Ben and Clara. They were all friends and went to the same school of magic. One day they went on a boat trip out to sea when they suddenly saw something mysterious in the water. It was a large piece of spindrift that looked like a small island.
Anna, Ben and Clara were curious to see what it was, so they rowed their boat to it. When they got close, they saw that there was a troubadour sitting on top of the sea foam. The troubadour was an old man with long white hair and a long white beard. He was dressed in a colourful suit and he was playing a guitar.
Anna, Ben and Clara got out of their boat and walked up to the troubadour. They said hello to him and he smiled at them.
"Hello," he said. "What can I do for you?"
"We were just curious to see what you were," Anna said.
"I'm a troubadour," the man said. "I travel around and sing for people."
"It's a beautiful place you've chosen to live," Ben said.
"Yes, it is," said the troubadour. "I like the peace and quiet here."
"Can we hear you sing?" Clara asked.
"Of course," said the troubadour.
He picked up his guitar and started playing. He sang a song about a young man travelling to find the love of his life. His voice was soft and melodic and his song was beautiful.
Anna, Ben and Clara listened with their mouths open. They were enthralled by the troubadour's singing. When he finished, they applauded.
"That was a beautiful song," Anna said.
"Thank you," said the troubadour. "I'm glad you liked it."
"Can you teach us how to play the guitar?" Ben asked.
"Of course," said the troubadour. "I'd love to teach you."
The troubadour taught Anna, Ben and Clara how to play the guitar. They practised for hours and soon they could play simple melodies.
One day, while they were practising, something strange happened. A whirlpool appeared in the water next to them. The vortex was so strong that it started to suck their boat in.
"Help!" Anna shouted.
The troubadour grabbed their boat and started rowing towards shore. But it was too late. The whirlpool was too strong. It sucked their boat in and carried it out to sea.
Anna, Ben and Clara were scared. They didn't know what to do. But then they remembered what the minstrel had taught them. They began to sing the song he had sung to them.
"A young man travelled to find the love of his life," they sang. "He travelled far and wide, but he never found her."
As they sang, the whirlpool began to fade. It got weaker and weaker until it finally disappeared completely.
Anna, Ben and Clara were happy. They were happy that they had been rescued and they were happy that they had learnt to play the guitar.
They said goodbye to the troubadour and rowed their boat back to shore. They were now better magical students and they had a new friend.
