This weekend the tireless editors at the Trifecta Writing Challenge are prompting us to write 33 words to make them chuckle, chortle, smile or something of that nature.
“This weekend we’re asking you to write 33 words that will make us laugh or smile. Even a chuckle will do. We look forward to the communal spirit lifting. Good luck!”
Through The Bleary Eyes of Wretched Weariness
Oh to make the mind to squeeze
Something funny to appease
Insatiable Trifectan Masters
Without incurring word disasters!
Never do they rest or sleep . . .
Haven’t they ever heard of sheep?
The entries! They just keep coming and coming and coming . . .
This weekend’s 33 word Trifecta Writing Challenge is to come up a very short take on how sometimes it’s best to be careful what you wish for!
We are asked to write about three wishes that come as a high price to the wisher:
Herman’s Plan to Get More Girls
Herman woke up on a raft at sea with seaweed sticking to his head indicating something had gone horribly wrong with his wish for a deck, an ocean view and a new toupee.
“Well at least on a clear day I can see forever, I suppose.”
The original challenge was to write 33 words in which the word “lost” appears in the title but not in the story. Today’s challenge is to add 33 more words to the original story.
The Day Frieda Flerf Got Lost in a Bag of Skittles
While eating Skittles, Frieda Flerf suddenly found herself inside the bag, pinned between a red one and a yellow one. As she began gnawing her way to freedom, she heard mama calling, “Frieda!”
When Mama Flerf heard Frieda Flerf’s screams coming from the Skittles bag, she carefully lifted Frieda out, chastised her firmly, then made her clean Barbie’s entire Dream House for eating between meals again.
Oh how Frieda hated her Hoarder Barbie Dream House
The Rule of Three is a writing principle that asserts that, in writing, groups of three have the most impact. This week’s Trifecta challenge is to write 33 words using the Rule of Three somewhere among them. It is up to you to interpret the rule, just make sure to use exactly 33 words.
This week’s Trifecta Writing Challenge is to take a beautiful piece of writing and “move it along” with our own 33 words. Well, OK, but it isn’t going to stay as pretty I’m afraid!
The last strains of sunlight lingered in the corners, grasping every available point of refraction. She slid her fingertips along the glass wondering if this was all there ever was. Or could be.
Suddenly three burly men thundered in.”We’ve come for the last strains of sunlight — F. Scott Fitzgerald is having a literary emergency!” And they began prying sunlight’s fingers from all available points of refraction.
“Oh good! Here come the guys with the sunlight! We can go swimming now!”
So here’s the beginning sentence to my imaginary novel:
The Life and Times of Spinkz Mccoy
Spinkz Mccoy
Used car salesman Spinkz Mccoy figured the key to his success was due to the fact that he was as honest as the day is long on the shortest day of the year.
And here’s this weekend’s challenge — writing the closing line:
“You could even change the name from Brooklyn to Betty Ann,” Spinkz Maccoy suggested as he pocketed $27,000 of Betty Ann Spindlemyer’s money while she gazed out the window at her new purchase.
You take a knife, you use it to cut the bread, so you’ll have strength to work; you use it to shave, so you’ll look nice for your lover; on discovering her with another, you use it to cut out her lying heart.
He uses one object, a knife, to flesh out a character and to tell a story in a basic three-part dramatic structure. We want the same from you. Give us 33 words (exactly) that tell us three different uses for one object
I am so happy and delighted, Dear Readers, to announce that My Brain Peanuts wrote a story called Henny Zoots Meets an Enigma that won this week’s Trifecta Writing challenge!! YAY! My Brain Peanuts will be celebrating by eating three huge pieces of Trifecta Writing Challenge Triple Chocolate Cake!
Now for the weekend challenge: write a 33-word story incorporating the word mother.
A Very Special Mother’s Day Gift
Father outdid himself the year he arranged for Mother to square off with Sonny Liston for Heavyweight Champion of the World. The fight lasted seven seconds. Pity she didn’t remember any of it!
The Weekend Trifecta Writing Challenge is to take a scene that involves (or affects) at least three people and write this scene from the point of view of three of the characters, using 33 words for each character. — HA! Just realized after writing my story I didn’t follow these directions . . . oops!
Poindexter’s Birthday
“I hate my name,” little Poindexter Hepatitis remarked to his mother, Roberta.
“Which one? Poindexter or Hepatitis?” Roberta asked absently — for her mind was more agreeably engaged with the placement of the candles on Poindexter’s birthday cake.
Poindexter was about to answer when he was interrupted by his father, Vladimir Hepatitis.
“Nonsense!” Vladimir Hepatitis harrumphed. “Vladimir is a good enough name for me and it’s a good enough name for my son.”
“But father, you didn’t name me Vladimir, you named me Poindexter”
“No kidding? What was I thinking?”
The Hepatitis’s couldn’t stop laughing as they ate their cake.
“As you know, children, we always observe National Rubber Spatula Day here at Connie’s Kindergarten Cuisine Academy and–” Miss Connie’s announcement was interrupted by a collective moan from the classroom.
“And,” Miss Connie continued unfazed, “I therefore will be reading to you from Scraping By — the autobiography of Ted Flerk who you will remember is credited with inventing the rubber spatula.
Miss Connie calmly opened to page one and began reading in a clear, strong voice as several students rushed for the door that Miss Connie had had the presence of mind to bolt.
“The story of how it came to pass that fateful day in Mother’s kitchenette, when I, Ted Flerk, invented mankind’s most important baking utensil, the rubber spatula, is, I suppose, a tedious tale, or, more precisely, a thorough recounting, if you will, of—“
Suddenly a loud boom erupted from the back of the classroom. Miss Connie looked over the top of her reading glasses. Charles was out of his seat.
“If you’re thinking you’re going to bust down that door, Charles, you’ve got another thing coming.” Miss Connie said mildly. ” Now, put down that battering ram and return to your seat immediately!” Miss Connie continued reading.
” . . . the events leading up to the day I thought of inventing the Rubber Spatula, including what happened while I was physically inventing the rubber spatula, itself, in addition to a detailed accounting of my life up to that point– “
Suddenly there was a mighty crash and a tinkling of glass. Miss Connie calmly put her finger on her place in the book and looked up. Several girls were helping each other climb through the jagged glass of the broken classroom window. A line of students was quickly forming behind them. Miss Connie chose to ignore the interruption and continued reading.
” . . . and exactly how I, Ted Flerk, was able to scrape every type of bowl known to man leaving no detail undocumented. . . “
At 3:00 sharp, Miss Connie bookmarked her place in the book, turned out the lights of her now empty classroom and went home.
Ted Flerk, inventor of the rubber spatula and the Author of Scraping By
