Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Campaign challenge

So I'm back on the campaign trail, and I'm NOT removing my post this time.  The challenge is to use a prompt and there were additional challenges that were optional, but since I'm new to this kind of thing, I'm keeping it simple and using only one prompt.
I'm using the picture below and doing a 200 word short story based on it.





Mackenzie was the nine year old daughter of a high-ranking executive at a large tech company.  She lived in a gated community and attended private school, where no one ever said a harsh word to her, despite her sometimes appalling behavior.

On this particular occasion, the executive had traveled to India on business, bringing Mackenzie with him.  As he talked on his Blackberry and typed on his laptop, Mackenzie pressed her nose against the window of the black limo that had picked them up from the airport.  It was a strange world that she saw passing by.  As the limo paused in traffic, she saw a large area of garbage with children her age picking through it.  Grabbing her father's sleeve, she yanked insistently on it until he looked up.

"Papa, Papa, what are they doing."

After a quick glance, he turned his attention back to his computer.  "Just playing, now don't interrupt again, okay?"

Mackenzie gazed after them as the limo pulled away.  They didn't look like they were playing to her, but Papa knew everything.

The shirtless boy looked up in time to see the car with a girl staring after him.  His haunted eyes stared back.

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There you have it!  200 words exactly.  AND, I am open to critiques.  I would love to have your honest feedback!

33 comments:

  1. Love the moment at the end there... great job catching a child's perspective vs an adult's. Great message brought across! :D

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  2. Thank you! I LOVED yours- too awesome:) I can't help myself with the message thing. After seeing extreme poverty in S. America, it changed me. I just feel the need to shake things up a bit.

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  3. I like your take on the challenge, and love stories set in India. It could be the beginning of an interesting story.

    For critiquing, I might change "haunted" to "haunting" in the last sentence, since the words have different meanings.

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    1. Thank you for your feedback, and I think you're right. I switched the words out and it does sound better. Thanks for stopping by.

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  4. I agree with Morgan. You did a great job on the child's perspective. :)

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  5. a simple write that said a great deal - excellent

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    1. Carrie B- Thank you, I guess it's because I'm living it everyday with my kids!

      Sue- Thank you!

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  6. Honey, it's nice to visit your blog again. Thanks for sharing your story and for showing a young girl who is moving towards an epiphany regarding her place in the world.

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  7. This is really interesting and engaging! I wanted to know more about how the child felt about what she saw, which is a good thing :)

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  8. Cynthia- Thanks for your comments!

    Meradeth- Thank for your feedback!

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  9. Love a good story with social conflicts. Well done, I too would like to see more of this childs perspective.

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    1. Thank you for joining my blog and for your feedback! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

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  10. You've painted Mackenzie's world so well with only 200 words, excellent job. I especially liked your line "They didn't look like they were playing to her, but Papa knew everything." This sentence says a lot, especially between the lines and it stuck to me.

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  11. Very well done!
    I definitely think the experiences MacKenzie in India will change her!

    Great job! :)

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    1. Elise F.- Thanks for joining my blog! Your feedback made my day, thanks for the positive review:)

      Ashley N.- Thank you! I appreciate your comments!

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  12. wow..interesting post all around! I enjoyed reading a story in a paragraph!!
    i got to your blog because living a dream blogger referred me here...she is a good blogging friend!!
    I am now your newest follower..pls follow back if you can.

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    1. Thanks for joining my blog! As a rule, anyone who is nice enough to comment here is worth following:) So I'm on my way over. . .

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  13. I find this engaging also and I want more! I would like to know if the two children ever meet???

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    1. I'm glad you liked it! It's very encouraging. Thanks for your feedback:)

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  14. I liked it, and it got better as it went along. Other than the comma splice after 'Just playing,...', the only criticism I have is that you start off with several telling lines and what feels like omnicient POV. Your reader is not going to care much about the info until you make them care about the character - or at least dive deeper into POV first. I would have started with her pressing her nose to the glass, then worked the information in a way that makes us feel like we're in her head. Nice entry, though. Very original. ; )

    Melissa Maygrove #14

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  15. Congrats on posting! I think you had some very good imagery here. Well done.

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  16. Melissa- You made a really good point and I appreciate that. It's a growing experience really, and I want to get to the next level. It helps to have honest feedback. Thank you!

    S.P. Bowers- Thank you! I guess it wasn't so painful after all:)

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  17. Two completely different worlds colliding here. Very interesting scene :)

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  18. Hey Honey, stopping by. I agree with Melissa for the beginning is rather telling, but I love the 'despite her sometimes appalling behavior'. I had to smile and laugh. Unfortunately I know some children in my non-gated, non-privileged community with that exact behavior. :)
    Interesting story.

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  19. Rachel- Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts:)

    Jennifer F.- Thanks for your feedback, and yes! I completely see how I need to start differently. Something to keep in mind for next time.

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  20. Great contrast. It makes me think Mackenzie will go through some change.

    Have a wonderful week.

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  21. Thanks for your thoughts:) Have a great week too!

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  22. reminds me of how many kids see the world, taught to ignore the less fortunate by example. thought provoking piece!

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    1. You got it! That was exactly the point I was trying to make. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts:)

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  23. I love the dichotomy of two totally different worlds... and of course, the innocence and curiosity revealed, telling it from a child's perspective!
    Wonderful piece! (I'm no#103)
    I'm your newest follower.

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  24. Thanks for joining my blog and for your feedback! I'm on my way over to check out yours:)

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