Prompt #51 — Write Like Josh Maday

By revisiting the traditional Pinocchio story (view here), Maday embraces a pre-existing narrative and its conventions. In doing so, he gains some advantage—readers are likely to be familiar with his characters and their backstory. However, there is also a risk of a sort in this project, as authors must work closely enough to the traditional story that the characters remain familiar, even as they depart from the prototype. It’s a balancing act of sorts, to help readers look at the characters in fresh ways.

PROMPT

For at least as far back as Biblical times, authors have been lamenting that “what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Using an existing fairy tale plot line as the basis of your story, embrace that sentiment. Populate it, however, with new and strange people playing the characters. Perhaps your Sleeping Beauty is a heroin addict in Miami, or you consider the tale from the villain’s perspective. Create new sympathies for characters that readers thought they had already understood completely.