Fun Friday Challenge…for Writers…and a Giveaway

Courtesy of Edgar Allan Poe. Seriously!



I’ve spent the better part of this week brainstorming my new writing project. You know, lining up my characters—this is the third volume of a series—making sure I’ll tie up things in the previous two volumes, and taking everyone and everything through a What If journey.

At the same time I worried over what to write for my blog post today.

Around midnight, I shut the computer down and crawled into bed. Of course, though I turned off the computer, I could not turn off my brain. My mind was still awhirl with thoughts of my story, images of my characters and setting, and on and on. I tossed and turned trying to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.

I’m obstinate enough to refuse to get back up and boot up the computer, convincing myself I’d fall asleep soon. Eventually I did, but somewhere in that ‘not-quite-asleep’ haze came the thought for today’s blog. How, from where it came, I have no idea. I can’t explain it. Usually, in the morning, those random thoughts are gone.

Usually. Not this morning. The idea was still there, pulling at me.

So, I followed through, and this post is the result. Probably a product of my restless night.

Whatever . . . here we go.

Edgar Allan Poe was the master of the macabre, frequently dipping into horror. Some considered him mad. Others thought him genius. Whichever way the opinion pendulum swings, his work has endured the test of time. And I’m not here to challenge that.

I’m here to challenge YOU.

Below is a link to Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, one of his stories, written in 1839, one I’ve never quite been able to forget.Some of his phrases/descriptions intrigued me, such as: A deep dank tarn. or, a barely perceptible fissure. They fascinate me.

Anyway, here’s my challenge: Click on the link which will take you the the story online. Unless you want to, you don’t actually have to read it, though it is short. What I’m asking you to do is skim through the writing and see if you–as writers–can spot how many of today’s writing rules we’ve been taught he has broken.

Then leave a comment below listing the things you caught and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $5 Amazon Gift Card.

I require a minimum of FIVE entries to hold the drawing. Ends one week from today, Friday, Aug 7. 

Are you game? Here’s the link:

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/POE/fall.html

And, have fun with this!