Today’s morning prompt is ladder. Come join us in Second Life® or work from home at 6am PST for 15 minutes of writing inspired by the word.
Please feel free to add your dash piece to the comments section of this blog post below.
FAQs
I found #dailydash/#writersdash on Twitter, what is it?
The Writers’ Dash (#writersdash or #dailydash on Twitter) is a 15-minute free writing exercise held on Twitter, Facebook and Second Life® every weekday. At 5:30am & 5:30pm PDT we share the word prompt on our social media channels; the live event begins in Second Life® at 6am & 6pm PDT. Write whatever comes to you. Don’t fixate too heavily on what you are writing and disengage your inner editor – the key is for you to get the words on the page first; you can worry about editing later. If you are attending the live event in Second Life® there will be an opportunity for you to show your work to the other participants after the 15 minutes are up. If you are unable to attend the live event you can share your work on our blog. Just look out for the prompt post and leave your dash piece as a comment.
Do I have to do the Writers’ Dash in Second Life®?
No, you can do it at home, if you prefer. We share the prompt word at 5:30am & 5:30pm PDT on Twitter and Facebook and start the timer in Second Life® at 6am/6pm PDT every weekday.
How do I join the live event in Second Life®?
You will first need to join Second Life® through the Second Life® website. Go to http://www.secondlife.com to start the process. It’s free to join.
Click on the JOIN NOW button and this will take you to the Registration screen. Here you simply fill in your personal details and choose a name and look for your avatar. Don’t worry too much about your avatar’s appearance as there will be plenty of opportunity to tweak it once you are inworld.
Once you have completed your Registration, you’ll be asked to download and install the Second Life® viewer to your computer. You will then be taken to a screen that allows you to choose which community gateway to enter. This is important as we want you to go through as smooth a transition as possible. Please choose the Caledon (Victorian Steampunk) Community Gateway. Once you have chosen the gateway you will find yourself appearing inworld at the University of Oxbridge in Caledon. Now begins your brief induction.
Follow the signs and read the information boards as you come to them. There is also a brief Second Life® tutorial provided on screen. Try and absorb as much information as possible but be mindful that you can always return to Caledon at a later date if there is something you feel you missed. At the very least try and understand the most important concepts such as how to move, how to talk and your camera controls.
Once you have completed the Orientation Tutorial you will need to find your way to Milk Wood. This is the sim that is home to Virtual Writers, Inc. At the bottom of your screen you will see a search tab. Click on this and look for Milk Wood. Now the teleporting fun begins. Click on ‘Teleport’ and you will be moved from your present location to our welcome area. Make sure you save the landmark so that you can easily return there.
We look forward to meeting you at one of our various daily writing events. Don’t forget to click on one of the group joiners so you can stay abreast of happenings in the writing community. You can also join Virtual Writers, Inc. through the search facility. Simply put Virtual Writers, Inc. under group search, click on the group name to bring up the profile screen. Then click ‘View Full Profile’ followed by ‘Join’.
About Virtual Writers, Inc.
Virtual Writers, Inc. is a free online writers’ community first established in 2007 and committed to showcasing established and emerging writers in a range of interactive and immersive environments. Here we learn to experiment with digital, social and virtual world platforms to push the creative envelope and develop a strong, unique voice.
We provide a wealth of opportunities for writers to meet other writers, share resources, access new markets, attend online writing events, workshops and interactive readings, and discover the best writers’ conferences, competitions, colonies and literary organisations.
If you want to become involved in an active writing community then visit us on Second Life® , our writers’ network, or our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and Google+) and get interactive. To learn more about our services please contact us through our online contact form.
Whether you are dashing in Second Life®, on Twitter or Facebook we welcome your dashes in the comments section below.
He moved slowly along the rough hewn passage of granite, all the clues over the last week had led him to believe the kidnappings were not related in any way. That then gave him the conclusion of a hunter of prey, but what kind of hunter? He was sure the answer would be forthcoming at the end of this passage.
The slope down was gentle and clear of debris, well kept, either a fastidious hunter or one of intelligence. Turning a bend he found a ladder down to the next level, examining it closely it appeared in like manner of the passage well maintained. He did not see any signs of traps but none-the-less decided to hop down rather than climb.
He spun his short sword in his palm and laid it against his arm and slipped over the ledge bracing with his free hand. He landed on the balls of his feet and dropped immediately into a low crouch, listening. He heard muffled groans to his left and slowly moved that way.
Edging through an arch he found his quarry dinning on a victim. The creature was six feet tall and a blotchy mauve. Where the mouth should have been were four long tentacles and one of them was embedded in the skull of an orc.
The being turned its octopus shaped head in his direction and quickly disposed of the now brainless orc. The tentacles flaired out as though reaching for him. A wave of psychic energy passed him; he spun the sword in his hand and stalked forward.
The mind flayer was taken aback by the failure of its attack. To its left was a wooden pen, its pantry as it were. Kidnap victims to be sure, they coward back. The mind flayer tried to dissuade the approaching human.
“I see you are a powerful being as well. We should be allies you and I. the cattle are to be fed on by those strong enough to do so. We could forge a compact between us, wealth power and glory can be yours. Just bring the sheep to my one and I shale sheer them.”
As it spoke the man moved closer, not taking chances. As the creature finished speaking he reached with his free hand and grabbed the tentacles pulling the mind flayer forward and down.
“My name is Elgin Slen, Sentinel of the Empire, and I represent the sheep.” His other hand, the hand with the short sword in it swung forward and down, the mind flayer had but a brief glimpse of the arc of the blade before it was buried between its milky white eyes.
©2012 Doyle Slen
Ladder
The path ran through Sherman’s Field and the thoroughfare to West Chester
A seemingly ordinary path
Nothing special
No signs indicating a diversion
No fanfare
No patches of bluebells or standing stones
And yet…
I detected a subtle change in the wind
Birdsong fell silent
Rabbits stopped foraging and sat on hind legs
Ears erect and listening
.
A feebleness grew in my legs
and I began to shake
Sitting down on a patch of clover
I viewed the scene
Nothing appeared different
And yet…
I was different
Different in the way knowledge changes you
The ladder sat against an old oak tree
Its leaves spreading out against the cerulean sky
Like hands beseeching heaven
So I climbed..
.
©2012 Harriet Gausman
The warning stated “Don’t go up the ladder. It’s slippery. Also there seems to be an angry entity up there that is very territorial.” Of course, she went up the ladder to see the entity forgetting all about the slippery floor. The entity did not like the invasion. It was extremely territorial, and “that was in the warning,” the entity thought aggravated. She came down, oh yes she did, but not down the ladder… While falling, she couldn’t help but wonder whether it had been the slippery floor or the entity…
©2012 Lizzie Gudkov
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