Dabbling in Drabbling

Leyla

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So... what's all this about? Drabbles!

Beau nd I were having a little chat about writer's block today and in trying to cope with it, we drifted onto the subject of drabbles.

What, you may ask, is a drabble?

Well, I'm glad you asked!

A drabble is a piece of writing one hundred words in length... no more... no less. It's usually set around a single theme, or idea, or even emotion. Drabbles are good for challenge writing too, as they're short, quick to read and write, and often have a really interesting core idea. For those who find 100 words too restricting, there are also double and triple drabbles of 200-300 words respectively.

So, what am I babbling at you about this for?

Well, I'm glad you asked that too!

Beau and I thought it would be fun to start a drabble thread, where writers (and there's oodles of you out there) could post and answer challenges. Now, I wouldn't put a limit on how many drabbles you could offer up for a single challenge, or limit who could post a challenge when... follow your heart's desire!

So.. as a beginning challenge, and as an example, I present:

A moment of understanding between an unlikely pair

"Refining Fire"

“Quiet! The show’s starting!”
“Oh, how did I get myself into this?”
“You’ve made Waldorf suffer for years! You owe us!”
“I wish Kermit was here.”
“Soon enough. Try to look more curmudgeonly… it’s hard enough using you as Waldorf.”
Fozzie swallowed. “I don’t want to be a heckler. Why are you two so mean, anyway? It’s hard to get up there in front of everyone!”
Statler paused, and gave him a solemn look.
“Theatre demands excellence. The only way to get pure gold is to put it through the furnace.”
“So, you two are my furnace?”
“No, you’re ours!”

...and, with the same challenge, a completely different mood:

"What's Easy?"

“Well, hey, mama! She sure can’t bake, but she can bacon!” Piggy glowered at the guitarist, before turning her attention back to the sketch.
Meanwhile, Scooter dumped the huge stack on Kermit’s lap and bolted off, safely out of the line of fire.
“Thank you SO much, Scooter,” the frog grumbled without any real heat. “Let’s see… light bill, heating bill, replacement drum kit bill…”

That evening, Kermit dropped beside Piggy on the porch step, sighing wistfully. “You know… it really is not that easy being green.”
“No,” she agreed, eyeing Floyd thoughtfully. “But just try being a pig, sometime.”

Alright, there you have it! Knock yourselves out! (And, yes... I think Kermit and PIggy do qualify as an unlikely pair.:stick_out_tongue: )
 

Beauregard

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Yes, this is a fabulous idea, and I have been dabbling in drabbling this evening. Hopefully it will help with one of the worst cases of Writer's Block I have ever had. I present my Drabbles:

Muse

Dark glinting eyes scan the abandoned theatre. Round eyes glance up from sheet music. Sharp claws click against natty flooring. Furry brown paws brush over black and white keys. Blue hands settle onto the piano lid and cold dragon features adjust into an unnatural smile. "Rowlf."

"Deadly." The dog's smile brightens in greeting. "Nice to see you."

"I wanted to…tonight's music…it was…"

"I know." A brown paw on a blue shoulder. "…at your funeral."

"Yes." A pause. "But no, also…It was beautiful."

A clawed finger touches a key, pinging a note that echoes off the boundary walls of the theatre.


Brush

Annie Sue Pig panicked. Her hair was tangled in a brush she had 'borrowed' from Miss Piggy and if she couldn't get it out, fast, the queen of the theatre would be upon her. She took a breath, held it, and tugged "Ow oww ow!"

The door opened with a nervous tap, revealing a tall, red creature with tall, red roses.

"Mee, mee, me meme!" Beaker gushed, shocked at her tear-stained face. He approached, warily, and began unlacing her hair.

"Ow ow oww!"

"Me me mee!"

"Ouch!"

"Meeme!"

He presented her the freed brush, and she presented him a smile.
 

The Count

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Nice... Liking the extremely short stories. And maybe this'll help you update your major stories as well. Thanks for the amusing anecdotes.
 

Beauregard

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Two new drabbles from me. One I'm not sure if it quite works, but I enjoyed the concept, and the other a unique take on the "Ulikely Pair" topic.

Teacher

"Oops!"

"Look out!" The taxi-cap span around three times and shuddered to a stop halfway up the curb, tires digging into a perfect law fringe.

"Better back out of here," Fozzie said, tightening his seatbelt.

"O-kay." Whoosh! The taxi bumped down off the curb and shot backwards into a bush.

Fozzie clung onto his hat, hyperventilating. "Oh good. Forward a bit."

The tires rolled down into the road.

"Now…try going straight."

"O-kay." Beauregard spun the wheel, rushing the car into a 180 and heading towards an imposing truck. "What next?"

Fozzie bit his fingers. "Next time take a correspondence course."

Anti-fruit

"Oschi! Buchki!" the Swedish Chef fumed, slapping a flyswatter at the destructive piece of pale green fruit that was hopping from dish to dish, waving its antenna-like stalk at him in mockery before diving into the sink. "Schum peargy!" Chef grabbed a net and fished hopelessly.

"I know what you need!" a voice implied, and a yellow finger poked the Swed's arm. "A multi-dimensional anti-fruit slot-machine!" Bunsen grinned and wheeled the devise into the kitchen.

Later, Kermit was supping wheat-soup when, with a plop, a piece of fruit appeared in the bowl. Kermit frowned. "What an unlikely pear…" he muttered.
 

theprawncracker

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Very nice, very nice. I'll have to get one scribbled up myself. But later, when it's not 6:30 in the morning.
 

redBoobergurl

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Very nice! Interesting challenge, I might see if I can come up with one later....anyway, great stuff guys, thanks for sharing!
 

theprawncracker

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Death Messaging

"So, you’re telling me that I can send word messages to anyone?" Fozzie asked.

"Anyone vous want to dear," Miss Piggy closed her cell phone.

Fozzie opened up his new cell phone and examined it carefully. He pressed a button that said "message", then searched through his contacts list until he found Kermit’s name and phone number. He pressed select and stared down his new opponent, the text message box.

The cursor blinked while Fozzie thought out loud. "My first text message has to be poignant, and smart!"

Piggy huffed. "Good luck with that." She strolled away.

Fozzie stared back at the text message box. "Hmm... What to say... Oh! I know!" He typed the four key, and then the five key, then pressed one.

Fozzie stared at his masterpiece. "Hi!" it read. "Perfect!" Fozzie pressed send, and closed his phone.
 

redBoobergurl

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Cute Prawnie! I wish I could come up with one of these....
 

The Count

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Christmas Past.

Oh-hoh! Vhat's this?
The vampire collected the mail, unravelling a card stamped with a spooky little bat.
Mmm, a Christmas card. That's 1 vonderful card. Vonder who it's from, he spoke while taking great care not to undo the card itself.

1 lone light...
The moon shining in darkest night.
2 fangs sharp as wit.
Rising out from an unearthly pit.
3 candles' burning glare.
Leave their scent in eeriest air.
Hang these all up on the tree...
Merry Cryptmas, from your old fiend, Uncle D.

Ah-ha! That's 1 card from one fiend of mine!
Organlike music punctuated the scene.
 

Beauregard

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Oh! That vas vonderful Countus! I wondered if you would come up with one of these since your enjoy your vonderful counting vays.
 
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