Hello, and, again, welcome to the *simplyprose writing enrichment center. We hope your brief exposure to April writing prompts has been a pleasant one. Your submissions have been processed and we are now ready to begin the newsletter proper. Before we start, however, keep in mind that although fun and learning are the primary goals of our writing activities, serious inspiration may occur. For your benefit, and the benefit of others, please be sure to read as many of the prompts as you can.
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Most Creative Response

‘Zoomamminals’ by =AngeliqueAlene


When offered a challenge to make new and interesting a prompt which has been used before, this author put a slight twist on it. The way in which she carefully depicts the emotions of a captive creature is particularly engaging, while concealing exactly which animal is held in the cage makes the surprise ending to this piece that much more enjoyable.

I reach out and take hold of the bars and pull myself close, close, closer still, till all I can feel are the bars against my chest. I hear the shout of a child, I open my eyes, a cub points in glee at me, pulling at it's mother.

Scenario Prompt

An April fool’s prank goes badly wrong

‘Death Sleep’ by *LatteBleu


LatteBleu has a talent for mixing the everyday with the extraordinary to create amusing and entertaining situations. Once again, she visits the crew of Mt. Olympus, making use of the personalities of various mythological figures to weave a domestic comedy of godly proportions.

It was early in the morning of the first day of April when Hermes came upon his father lying in fitful slumber beneath an old oak tree.

Dear Mr. Editor by ~kazmiz


Kazmiz displays a good sense of comedic exaggeration in her morbid tale. By pushing the boundaries of suspension of disbelief to the extreme, this story leaves open the question of what the real April Fool’s Day prank was.

They will also tell you that I murdered thirty-six people and a small dog. Out of those thirty-six I only killed one man, though. Oh, and the dog.

Character Prompt

The Character is an Animal In the Zoo

‘Cheetah Tears’ by ~demon-polecat


This story takes an African folktale and breaths contemporary life into it through relocation. It is emotionally powerful, telling the tale of a character torn in between a need for gratitude over what she has and a sense of loss over what she was meant to have.

The savannah-that-was-not-a-savannah stretched out below the heated rock.

Gold and Black Death by ~Leonca


I’ve always been fascinated by human ego. The ability to visualize yourself as being king of the world in the face of all evidence to the contrary is both amazing and amusing. With this story, Leonca embodies that ego and uses it to fill the story with humor.

The tiny creature’s mother was not paying attention. Now it has wandered off and will soon be delivered into my waiting jaws.

‘Martian Bacteria at the Zoo’ by ~boaste


Although bacteria is not technically an animal, this piece is another demonstration of Boaste’s ability to write convincingly in the news article format. Her talent lies in her ability to use little details to construct a believable scenario.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have partnered with NASA to build a one-of-a kind exhibit to engage and educate the public about bacteria, viruses, and other microscopic organisms.

‘Fly Away’ by ~sagalisela


A short and simple story for a short and simple message, yet it is one with great meaning and majesty. Well worth the thirty seconds it will take you to read it.

I am the Eagle and today I fly away in search of freedom.

‘Escape From the Zoo’ by ~Brookyms123


You may have been told that the key to good writing is details. While details are an important part of writing, the key to good writing is more is in evoking images. In this piece, the author demonstrates that lots of descriptions are not the only way to evoke imagery.

"Gonna poke it," said the little boy. " Gonna poke the dragon."

Word Association Prompt

Queen, Squirrel, Unique

‘Woodlands’ by ~random-kumquats


RK’s careful selection of words for each description fills the story with meaning and emotion, making it a gripping read.

She spoke tapestry poetry to the trees, flowers, birds, and bees of the wood behind her home.

‘OCD and the False God Gillese’ by *brassteeth

Common side effects of Simplyprose prompts include shifting of perspective, paranoia, and perceiving inanimate objects as having human characteristics. If you experience any of these symptoms, you may be reading an interesting submission by an author who has worked hard to construct the frame of mind for a character that is not quite right in the head and succeeded fabulously.

The Doctor has kept me waiting. No doubt the he has been hypnotized and encased in an invisible atomic shell that will render him powerless.

‘Casual Thursday’ by *Tyrobia


Some responses provide considerable difficulty in choosing what detail to highlight as the best part - in these instances, I roll dice. One thing that stands out about this piece is how well it captures the difficulty in breaking out of routine and the thrill of success.

Jeremiah always looked both ways before taking a step forward.

‘Remnants’ by ~augusttempest


If you should happen to experience any powerful emotions due to images evoked by wonderfully constructed sentences, be sure to leave a comment telling the author how good a job she has done. Failure to do so will result in a negative mark on your test, followed by death.

I’ve got a lump about the size of my fist in my throat, and my eyes are welling up.

‘The Eternal Dance’ by ~helekri


In certain, semi-rare instances, responding to prompts may result in the creation of stories featuring fascinating descriptions told through flashes of stream-of-consciousness writing. This is the case with this story.

a light yellow eating away screaming baby blue, wind teasing the young leaves adamant to grow, small crystals of passing snow floating across grey roads.

‘Chancy's Gamble’ by *LatteBleu


The world outside is strange and strange things are frightening. Or not.
‘Chancy’s Gamble’ is a brilliant introduction of a strange character that is engaging and amusing to read.

"A kingdom for an adventure," he said, and then chattered nervously. "Tis not my kingdom, but I'm sure I can find one.”

Miscellaneous Prompt

Write about a ride at a fairground, theme park or similar

‘The Thrill’ by ~samjo989


The author builds up a strong atmosphere of intensity in the piece, one that plays with our love of being afraid, our morbid fascination with danger and death. Admit it. You wanted them all to die, didn’t you? We both know you did.

The queue was fairly short, and before long Peter was strapped into his seat, right at the front.

‘Ole Betsey’ by ~NamelessShe


Ole Betsey is an excellent example of personification in an object. Every description of the ride and the things around it evokes a sense of malignant personality and is an excellent demonstration of how to use tone in writing.

“That ride” was an abomination. A cage of rusted metal that groaned and creaked didn't belong among the clouds.

‘15 Summers Ago’ by *ddrcoke21


It takes no creativity to follow the rules, but there is no finesse in simply breaking them. A show of real talent is when a person breaks the rules by following them. This piece uses double-meanings to write a story that follows the prompt to the letter without being about the subject of the prompt at all.

The smell of cotton candy and vomit wafted through the air. Ah, summer.

‘Charnel House’ of Smiles by ~heart-mojo


From the first line, I knew exactly what I wanted to say about this story. Metaphors. This author knows how to use them. You will be blown away by how this story gives a dark overtone to the fair.

Sprawled and gangling by her side, the Mirror Maze drools, follows the motions of the little lost things that scurry through his veins, leering maniac that he is.

‘EGNACIO’ by =AngeliqueAlene


Personification must be the “in-thing” for this prompt. The author gives each ride a distinctive personality, giving the whole traveling fair the feel of an old community. What is impressive about this piece, however, is how it is able to create such a wide range of characters with so few words.

I chose the name Egnacio. I thought it was dashing at the time.

‘The Singing Train’ by ~anotherfirename


You meet a lot of interesting people in lines and interesting people can make for interesting stories. The author tells a simple story of waiting in line and introduces us to some unique characters. The way she works the details into the story is really good.

It's sometime around noon. The sun is at its peak, or close to it, and is unmerciful in its scorching.

The Simplyprose Writing Enrichment Center thanks you for your participation in this month’s prompts and hopes that you enjoy reading each submission. The Enrichment Center staff would like to remind you that following completion of the writing process, cake will be served.
The Simplyprose Writing Enrichment Center cannot be held responsible for the loss of fillings, tooth enamel, or teeth that result from any attempt to eat your computer, as this is not a part of the writing process.
Thank you.