FLASH CHALLENGE: August '08

[kailhofer]

The "Reluctant Superhero" Challenge:



Maybe you're great at plots. Perhaps you're a whiz with settings. It could be that you write snappy dialog. Or maybe you can come up with outstanding conclusions. Every writer has his or her own gifts. Each of these are good skills to have, but none of them will be enough if you write lousy characters.

It's tragic, but some writers never grasp that characters need to be rounded out, filled with both good and bad traits, and must want something. They need something in their basic makeup that drives them, preferably something the audience can identify with. Maybe they want to win the girl. Maybe it’s all about the money to them, to the exclusion of all else. Maybe they really miss their sled, Rosebud.

Without that rounding out, readers won't care what happens to your character. They might as well have been redshirts on classic Star Trek episodes. Nobody cared when one died.

The quickest way to reach a reader's heart and avoid coming off flat is to give the character a flaw, some part of themselves that is damaged physically or mentally. This is flash, so we'll also take the shortcut of making the main character a superhero to help highlight and contrast the flaw.


I challenge you to write a story using a superhero that doesn't like to use his or her powers because of their flaw. See the story at the end of this post for an example.

Come on, give it a try.


REQUIREMENTS: (1) Your main character must be a superhero who doesn't want to use his or her superpower(s) because of a physical, psychological, or mental flaw; (2) The hero must be capable of using the power(s), just doesn't want to; (3) 1,000 words or less; (4) This is a Rated 'PG-13' challenge; and (5) Give your story a title and include a byline for when I post the list of authors. Do not bother sending me a bio. I won't use it.

If, in my judgment, any requirement is missed, I won't post the story for voting. Sorry, but rules are for everyone.

HOW TO ENTER: Stories should be submitted to me by PRIVATE MESSAGE, and NOT posted into the thread. If you've never sent a PM, all you have to do is log into this forum and click the 'PM' button at the bottom of this post. That will take you to a special message board, a kind of Aphelion-only email, where you paste your story into the body of the message and then send it to me. You are responsible for doing your own formatting, and for the sake of uniformity, leave an extra line between paragraphs, just like when you see them in the 'zine. I'm allowing different colors for now, but I'm not going to allow changed fonts or sizes, artwork, or any other embedded or external links. I want all the stories to display the same on everyone's computer. DO NOT send a regular email to me--I don't want to risk a spam filter blocking someone's hard work.

NOTE: ONLY REGISTERED MEMBERS who have posted at least one message may submit a story. Without that one post, the system will not let you send a PM. So if you wish to join the challenge, post a hello or introduction, or just put your two cents worth in on any of the discussions going on anywhere in the Forum. We'll be glad to meet you.

DEADLINE: Stories should be in by 10 p.m. Central Standard Time, Thursday, August 21, 2008. The stories will then be posted for voting. Voting will close at 10 p.m. C.S.T. on August 27.

VOTING: Stories will be posted "blind"--without the author's name on them, and the vote results will stay hidden until the poll is closed. This is to make things as fair as they can be, without favorites to be played, and allows for anyone to enter, from newbies to editors. Names won't be on the poll for voting, and all the story titles are literally tossed into a hat and chosen at in random order. When I close the poll after the voting week, I'll post a list of the stories and who wrote them.

If more than two stories are tied at the end of voting, there will be a succession of one-day runoff votes until a single winner is chosen or the number of winners is reduced to two.

If you feel a second story deserves a vote, you may legally vote again as a guest, but you'd need to do it from a separate network, say from a library or your workplace. Votes are tracked by IP address only, so a guest vote from your same network will change your previous vote to the newer one. Voting for yourself a second time is just tacky, so don't do it.

WHAT YOU WIN: Pride and the knowledge that your story was voted by your peers the best against strong competition--there are some outstanding stories each time. Writers get improved short fiction skills, increasing their chances in the marketplace, without the lengthy investment in time a longer story would take.

If the challenge can stay in good graces, winners will once again be published in the annual "Best Of" issue in February. Many thanks to the Editors for that.

GUEST ACCESS: Guest votes will be allowed again, so feel free to tell friends and neighbors about the contest and encourage them to read all the stories, not just yours.

An example of what may be done follows.


Example story, not eligible for entry:



[center] Reluctant Hero

By:
N.J. Kailhofer[/center]



"Hey, remember Baron Monsoon?"

Mike looked sideways at his best friend. "What about him?"

"Well," Larry drawled, "Everywhere he went, it rained. Indoors or out."

"Hence the nickname. So?"

Larry paused. "He musta hated it. Always wet or damp. Skin all wrinkly. But he was a superhero for a long time."

Mike sighed. "And what happened to him? Remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Larry said. "Suicide. But still, he had a gift, like you, and he didn't give up."

"Until he killed himself."

Subtlety was lost on Larry. "Right! So, no more talk like this. C'mon! No other superhero has the powers you do."

Mike snorted. "I can't run worth a damn."

"You can fly. Catch 'em that way."

"They duck into buildings."

"So just crash through the wall after them. It'll be messy, but after you do it a few times criminals will stop trying."

"You know, it hurts doing that."

Larry sighed. "It's not like you'll break something. It would take a surface to air missile to crack one of your ribs."

Mike winced. "Don't remind me."

"Come on. What's this really about?"

Mike pointed up at the billboard above the building across the open square from where they sat. It showed Mike's smiling face beside the logo they always showed for him. A round circle bisected by a lightning bolt with the initials 'BF' over it all. The words at the sign's edge read, PROTECTING US ALL.

Larry shrugged. "It's nice. What about it?"

"That's not my logo."

His friend's eyes rolled. "Can't you let go of that? People want to call you--"

"Hey, Bigfoot!" called a woman's voice from across the square. Mike looked up to see a group of women in their twenties waving at time. "Woo! Show us those feet, big guy!"

Mike sighed, then gave a practiced PR smile. He lifted one of his size 36 shoes and waved.

Larry shrugged again. "You know, they figure, big feet, big--"

"I know what they think! All any of them can see is a guy with big clown feet. A laughingstock."

Mike pushed away from the table and flew out of sight.

Larry grumbled, "Getting chicks should be a perk."

[center]***[/center]

It was one of those perfect days. The sun was warm on his shoulders as he flew over the surface of the water.

"Ha!" he shouted. "Who needs water-skis?"

His bare feet sprayed water everywhere as he skimmed the surface.

"Yes!"

Mike saw some of his friends around the next bend. He recognized Larry, Randy, as well as some of the girls from school. He hoped Mary Fulsom would be there. She was the hottest girl in town. Time seemed to stand still whenever he looked into her eyes.

[center]***[/center]

The heart monitor quietly flashed its green light like it always did. Most of the lights were off, so it cast an eerie tint across the room. Mike flipped a lock of hair off the face on the pillow.

"Is that you?"

Mike replied, "You know it is. Do you always have to make it so dark in here?"

"What do I need lights for? I can't see. Now, what did you do today?"

Mike frowned. "I stopped an armored car heist and caught a train car full of people when they fell off the tracks. They would have died."

"Good." The voice was sharp, not friendly. "Now, help me roll on my side."

[center]***[/center]

"Hey, Mike," Randy called. "Think you can do that water-ski thing faster than my dad's speedboat?"

"Hell, yes."

"Prove it," Mary said. "And I'm coming along."

"Come on, then." Randy jabbed a thumb toward the boat.

"No." Mary pointed her finger at Mike. "I'm riding with him."

Mike stood up and looked at her. "How are you going to do that?"

She stepped over to him, placed her feet on top of his, reached around his waist, and pulled herself tight against him. Her body pressed tight to his.

"Like this."

His jaw flopped open for a moment. Seeing the amused stared of his friends, he said, "You'll be safe with me."

Her eyes burned into his. "But will you be safe?"

[center]***[/center]

Mike tumbled headlong into the lake, end over end. Water filled his eyes, his lungs. Sand from the bottom dug into his scalp as he dug a long trench with his head.

Looking up, he saw the surface through a red haze. In the center of the cloud, the body floated.

He pushed himself up through the water. He cradled the body in his arms, lifting her as gently as he could. Her face was a bloody mess, smashed in. Her eyes... He winced at the sight of them.

She gurgled, spitting up water. "Mike? Is that you?"

"Y-Yes," he stammered, his heart in his throat. He brushed away some of the blood and felt his whole body go cold. Across her face were marks from each of his toes.

He had done this.

He didn't hold on tight enough. He didn't look where he was going. He didn't watch were his damn big feet went.

"M-Mike." She gasped. "Promise me you'll never stop saving people. Promise me--"

Her body slumped.

"No!"

[center]***[/center]

Mike said, "It's time for me to go. Do you need anything?"

Her laugh was caustic. "Everything I need you took from me. Remember why you're here."

"Because I promised to take care of you."

She threw up her hands. "No, idiot. You're here because you hate this. You hate me. You hate using your powers because you might kill some innocent person. I know how much it hurts you to keep using them, and I'm glad it hurts. I won't release you from your promise to keep saving people. You owe that to the memory of my daughter until the day you die."

"Yes, Mrs. Fulsom."

"Now, get out."

On his way through the door, he heard sirens in the distance. A tear rolled down his cheek.

"For you, Mary."


[center]The End[/center]

[kailhofer]

Guilty as charged. I fixed it.

Good catch.


Nate

(Yeah, this is what I like to hear. Never "Great (or terrible) story." Not "Good (or bad) example." Nobody said, "Man, that's sad!" I didn't even get "This idea really sucks. Where do you get this crap from?!" Instead, I get "You spelled that wrong." * S I G H *)

[kailhofer]

And so, GentleSapiens, there in less than 1000 words is the anguish the lead characters of Nate's challenge feel when engaging their ability. If the Power carries not with it the Glory, why invoke it at all?

So, you're saying my personal superpower is writing flash, but my flaw is that no one will ever notice?

Dang. :)

[kailhofer]

Thanks. (Relaxed, contented sigh.)

See? Feedback really is like drugs! :)

[kailhofer]

2 entries so far.

Don't wait. Enter today! Operators are standing by.

[Robert_Moriyama]

Hi All,
This looks like a fun Idea. I will have to try my hand at it!
Chris

Chris,

Welcome to the playground. It's always recess here. Watch the monkey bars, though. They can get a bit crowded.

Bill Wolfe

Especially during monkey happy hour. And some of those monkeys are MEAN drunks...

RM

[kailhofer]

W O W ! !


You folks out there are really coming through in the final hours! There are now 8 entries!

I'm so proud of all of you.


Nate