40 Comments

I love that you’re doing this again. I’m building up the courage to dive in, likely Round III. 💛

Expand full comment

Oh come on, Kim! You’re more than capable of this. Don’t make me come over there. 👉

Expand full comment

Gulp.

Interesting to witness the uprising of “but I can’t protests” in my brain. I really do want to play, despite the noise. But I have a hard deadline to submit Dylan’s final, formatted book to his publicist on July 1st and I’m clearing my weeks ahead to make sure I’m not over-committed. Is that a good enough excuse? Probably not, but alas.

Expand full comment

Oh my God, of course Kim. The work you’re doing there more than trumps this little project.

Expand full comment

Do it! Do it! Do it! 🤗

Expand full comment

I don’t know you, Kimberly. But I know me and I wanted to back out this morning almost immediately after my incorrect submission. Wanting to back out made me double down knowing I often avoid things that are good for me. My prompt is about a personal tragedy I was afraid to share so I went all in. Maybe doubling down will break something loose for you too in your writing journey. Oh, also, I’ve never written fiction before either so I just had to make myself try. Either way good luck!

Expand full comment

I saw your new submission, Cori. So glad you’re in. It’s going to be wonderful.

Expand full comment

This is heartening and encouraging to hear! I’m certain I will do it, even if it frightens me to death. But I do need to honor some June obligations/deadlines so you all can hold me to it when round 3 comes around. And if I come at you with an excuse then, slay me.

Expand full comment

I ditto Ben's comment. Get in there 😉

Expand full comment

Hooray! Thank you for making a summer round of this. The idea is brilliant. I couldn't participate last time, but I'm excited to join the hullabaloo this time. The posts I read were just wonderful in round one.

Expand full comment

Yea, glad you’re in, Tara.

Expand full comment

Me, too! :-)

Expand full comment

Yay!

Expand full comment

Oh, I am SO IN.

Expand full comment

I’m so glad you’re doing this again. Round two falls at a bad (busy) time for me, so I’ll have to watch (and read!) from the sidelines. Bravo!

Expand full comment

Exciting! Can we do it again if we took part in the first one?

Expand full comment

Absolutely! Thanks, Amanda.

Expand full comment

Actually looking at the timeline I’m not going to be able to do it this time. Got too many other things going on. Next time!

Expand full comment

I'm in! Thanks for doing this, Ben.

Expand full comment

Ben I was so excited when you said you would run a second volume of these and even though it’s the end of the school year, the worst timing possible for me, I was tempted to squeeze it in anyway.

Right up until you wrote this ;

“If you sign-up and take a prompt but fail to write and publish the story for whatever reason, you are depriving someone of the experience of reading your interpretation of their story which is a big part of the magic of this project.”

I know there is a high chance I would… and I can’t risk that. 😔

Expand full comment

Hi Susie, I’m sorry to have discouraged you. Last time around we had 4-5 people that bailed out halfway through so I wanted to try to avoid that this time around though I’m sure it will. Life is unpredictable and humans are human. 😉

Expand full comment

Ben please don’t apologize, I am discouraging myself simply because I know I won’t have time at the end of the school year to launch myself into fiction writing which is not my usual genre…

I had an idea though… I’ll message you after this round is over if that’s ok ?

Expand full comment

I’ll look forward to that.

Expand full comment

I am sorry I missed this sign-up. Reading your prompt the thing that came to mind immediately was my mom. Making the choice to move from New York to California was a difficult one. It became even more difficult when she passed away 6 weeks later. It's a decision I regret still to this day. It's a choice I have to live with. I was unable to be there in her final moments. The last conversation I had with her before I left still echoes in my mind. "Why can't you just wait..." she said to me. And just like that...she was gone. I am sorry to miss this opportunity but I am glad I was able to read that prompt today because any chance of grace I give myself to think about her and miss her is one I will gladly take. Thanks Ben. And I look forward to the amazing stories that will undoubtedly come from this second walk...

Expand full comment

I’m sorry you missed the sign up too, Erica. This would’ve been a powerful prompt to have received. Thanks for sharing the story and yes, you should forgive yourself. Your mom is the last person who would want you to suffer.

Expand full comment

Oh man. I don't think we had to have our prompts ready at sign-up last time! I will give this some heavy thinking. 💜

Expand full comment

Great you’re doing another round. I have other commitments, maybe next time.

Expand full comment

We’ll miss you

Expand full comment

I think this is a cool idea. I would have liked to take part, but it doesn’t work for me time wise, which is a shame. But, it seems this is the second time you’ve done it, so hopefully there may be a third which I could join you in.

I hope it goes well for everyone.

Expand full comment

Ben this is super cool and I’m thinking about participating but I had a couple of questions: is it possible to make requests not ti get prompts that involve certain topics? I’d really prefer not to wrote anything sexual in nature or that deals with drugs or drinking, for example.

Expand full comment

Hi Noha, I can make a note to screen the prompt that gets assigned to you before I send it out.

Expand full comment

Thank you! I am very tempted but this month is crazy… i will try to get on my submission before you reach the limit, but if I don’t that’s my sign to wait for the next round

Expand full comment

Ok so I need to put my 300 words in that field and someone will be assigned to write a fictional tale around that. Got it.

Expand full comment

This SWDS project caught my attention in December with the introduction. I passed on it because I am not a fiction writer. It's not a curiosity or desire. Then in the description of the writing in Vol II you talk about prompts to write about life experiences. Would you please clarify your design for your writing community as to whether this is for fiction or transformative life experiences? Everything else in your guidelines and expectations was clear. Thank you.

Expand full comment

Georgia, this is still a fiction writing project. It’s the prompts that come from real life. You will submit a 300 word prompt about something you left behind. Another participant will take your prompt and turn it into a fictional story.

Expand full comment

Sad to sit this one out this time, Ben, but looking forward to reading all the creativity that it brings forth. Well done for organising all this. Such a great initiative and vol I was an absolute success.

Expand full comment

Resubmitted correctly. Lol

Expand full comment