Here are the stories that were created in a little more than 10 minutes at the Collab Writers Launch at London’s Century Club Soho on the evening of November 8, 2018.
It was here that we launched our Kickstarter campaign to fund our ambitious plan to connect writers, artists and filmakers with each other. See how we do it here:
Here’s how we did it:
- pick a genre
- write an opening line
- continue the story
- pass to a collaborator – and voila!
1.CRIME
Jodie looked at the knife in her hand and wiped it clean, she regretted picking it up. It all started when…
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They (she and her husband) allowed a stranger in their house. He looked like George Clooney, but he believed he looked like John Goodman, it confused everyone.
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Jodie had decided to nod along – no point arguing with someone with that level of internal conflict.
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After a heated argument lasting over 15 minutes, they decided to settle the ‘look-alike debate’ over a game of snap. Winner declares all (including the name).
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Then John Goodman’s son came along, looking for his long gone father. They told him it was all a misunderstanding but he refused to leave and kissed Jodie instead. She told him she had a boyfriend right after.
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Suddenly, out of nowhere, Britney Spears jumped through a window to settle this debate once and for all.
2.ROMANCE
Unrequited love, he thought, that’s what they call it. He wondered what to do next, maybe he could…
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Grab his butt nonchalantly after his yoga class and see what happens.
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He spun around in his stealthy way. You know that self-assured yoga way.
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I am sorry, are you looking for your mat?
3.VICTORIAN MELODRAMA
He was richer than a church mouse, but only just. Now that he had managed to secure passage from York to New York, he would show them. The first thing he planned to do was…
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Change his name. Then he would start looking for a room where he could finish his novel. But who would publish the memoirs of a disgraced former archbishop?
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Who would dare to enter a stand-off with the Vatican by helping to expose its deepest and darkest secrets?
4.DYSTOPIA
The clouds obscured the sun, they had for days, and people were starting to worry. Ben looked at his watch as a man hurtled past him and nearly knocked him over, dropping a scrunched up piece of paper. Ben picked it up and…
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…couldn’t believe his eyes. An address, he dind’t recognize it, but then again, why would he? He dind’t get out much. A question mark. And Blood. The address was written over…
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Another superimposed but clumsily one. A definite rush. He squinted to make out the first address: it was his and he di not recognize the handwriting, leaving a sudden sinking felling at the bottom of his stomach.
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Suddenly a flashback, a memory occurred to him regarding the note, but he didn’t remember anything else proceeding or following that event. What else did he forget?
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His trust in himself started to slip away at the crucial moment. The time to decide which address to go to, and to work out, or at least half-anticipate what he might find there.
5.ADVENTURE
She swerved to avoid a pigeon in the road and nearly hit a lamp post. There was only one thing for it, she thought as she…
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Saw the pigeon turn into a turtle that looked like Jodie Foster, and spoke with the voice of Morgan Freeman. Too many coffees. She shook her head. A hit and run would have sufficed, she would have forgiven herself eventually, she supposed.
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That was until the pigeon decided to launch an attack on the windshield of her car. After remembering a similar scene from the movie ‘Jumanji’ she had only three seconds to decide on a course of action.
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She decided to hit the pigeon; she came out of her dream at the last minute, a split second, in fact, before the inevitable. Too much coffee…
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6.ROMANCE
Unrequited love, he thought, that’s what they call it. He wondered what to do next, maybe he could…
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…wait it out, maybe he couldn’t. He wasn’t sure. A quick shrug and it might be over with; love on both sides or on neither. But balance was crucial.
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Could he wait? Would it change anything? If the loved one doesn’t love he can’t enforce it. He didn’t believe in love potions either, despite the attractiveness of the ‘Love Potion No. 5 Film.’
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And then, out of nowhere, she appeared, as if by magic, glowing at the entrance…
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…wearing a pigeon costume and a Batman mask. She tried to fly but couldn’t, then she went into a pharmacy believing there would be medication that would allow her to fly.
7.ADVENTURE
She swerved to avoid a pigeon in the road and nearly hit a lamp post. There was only one thing for it, she thought as she…
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…reversed and suddenly halted. She’d hit something.
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She opened the door to find a large, blue rabbit conversing with a chipmunk who said.
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Have you seen my latest film? I play a large woman with a collection of outstanding hats. They’re mostly made from the hide of rare beasts. I wear them to…
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Do the gardening and bring the bins out, but my neighbour says…
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It’s time for me to reveal a secret – you don’t know this but…
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8.VICTORIAN MELODRAMA
He was richer than a church mouse, but only just. Now that he had managed to secure passage from York to New York, he would show them. The first thing he planned to do was…
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down a cosmopolitan and find a salt beef sandwich but…
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It was the handsome Irishman who captured her attention because of his wicked smile and the feather in his hat.
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Which was glowing; with alarming green light.
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Sadly green was a colour that caued our her to scream with delight and run for the hills as quickly as his tiny feet could carry him.
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And that’s how they became the Brady Bunch!
9.ROMANCE
Unrequited love, he thought, that’s what they call it. He wondered what to do next, maybe he could…
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Walk away and never think of her again, but instead he…
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…called her and confessed he cheated on her repeatedly while…
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…he was in bed with another man..
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Dad! He said; what are you doing here?
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Oh blimey, said dad, not again Tommy, I’ve told you about this before.
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Tommy had issues far beyond this moment. Maybe if he took his naked form to another room he could pretend away the whole affair.
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Life on the Martian space station was weird mused Tommy as he opened the locks.
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Think you can do better? Why not add this into your regime. It will banish writer’s block forever!
Collab Writers 