Block Buster
Classified Stories Welcome to this week's Today's #TuesdayTip. Since it's still January and you might not be back into the swing of things yet, here is another Block Buster - a short exercise to either bust your writer's block, or just a fun writing challenge to practise your skills.
Listings or classified ads have a long history. Originally found in the back of newspapers, they have now largely migrated online to sites such as Craigslist or Ebay or even Facebook Marketplace. They are a treasure trove of new and second-hand items for sale or even paid for services, such as gardening or decorating.
For today's exercise, we are going to use one as a prompt.
First of all, choose a listings site. When you are satisfied, find three items for sale.
Now incorporate those three items into a short story.
For a bit of variety or extra challenge, why not include a paid-for service?
The exercise is replete with possibilities.
Your characters could simply use those three objects.Or they could find themselves in need of those objects. Why?Alternately, you could turn it on its head and compose a piece about why those objects or services are being offered.What happens if the object they buy isn't quite what they are expecting, or has a hidden past?

PS this exercise gives me the excuse to repeat one of my favourite writing stories.
It is claimed that Ernest Hemmingway once bet $10 he could write a story in no more than six words.
The result is a masterpiece, told in the form of a classified ad. His fellow writers paid up without argument.
For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
Whether or not it really was penned by Hemmingway is unknown. Either way, the author is an absolute genius.
Have fun!
Remember the rules:
Set yourself a time limit.Write without stopping, editing or overthinking.Write whatever comes to mind and don't worry if it doesn't make sense.It doesn't matter if it has nothing to do with the scene that you are stuck on.

If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.
All the best, Paul.