Monday, July 9, 2012

Writing Prompt #22: Jonah and the Whale

Well, since I accidentally posted tomorrow's prompt last night, here's back-up.

A friend of mine is judging a writing contest for an online magazine, for entrants ten to fourteen years old. I'm a little over that age limit, but the prompt she gave sent my mind spinning.

She is challenging you to re-imagine, in a modern setting, the story of Jonah and the whale.

Whoa.

There are so many spins you could take on this. Is it a story about running away from something you know you should do, or about not wanting to help people who are "too evil?" Do we put in a human face to represent God or is there a way to make prophecy accessible to readers who've never encountered it? Are we keeping the life-and-death stakes? What are we using in place of the whale (or are we using a whale)?

My favorite version that my family has cooked up was my dad's re-imagining of the story as the tale of an eight-year-old. I love my dad.

Well, there you go. And if you happen to know anyone (yourself?) between ten and fourteen who writes really fast, here's the link to the contest site. I wish you bon voyage.

www.songsfromtheword.com/NewChristianBooks/invitation

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