Chicken?

Chickens at my local county fair

Chickens at my local county fair

I spent much of yesterday writing a short story for a competition. Not only is the competition FREE (and you know I like free), but the concept is exciting: craft a story in response to a photograph. Seeing how much I enjoy photography, the competition was right up my alley.

So, I thought I would challenge my readers similarly today! The assignment: think up a story in response to one of my photographs. Your story doesn’t really need to have anything to do with the photo itself, but it does have to be inspired by it.  I dare you to try.

Presenting…

That’s right, chickens. Aren’t they beautiful? (check out the eye of the chicken closest to the camera!)

Come up with a story yet?

If not, let me give you a tip, a process I used yesterday to discover my story for the competition. One way to approach the task is to write down some of the elements of the picture and do word associations. Let your mind roll along. Here’s my attempt with two elements:

Cage – captive, fugitive, freedom, 4th of July, fireworks, hot dogs…
Chicken – running despite cut-off-head, ruffled feathers, clucking, birds of a feather…, are you chicken?, cowardice…

Other observations: The head comb and the wattle (the fleshy growth under the beak – had to look that one up…) look a little like a mohawk and beard, respectively.

My story idea: On a dare, motorcycle gang member Carl Muffler – recently escaped from prison -enters the annual 4th of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in Brooklyn without knowing it will be televised nationally, finding fireworks and redemption as he saves Minna Minh, the ruling female hot dog eating champion, from choking on her twenty-ninth hot dog.

Take a wild guess what Carl Muffler looks like?

I know, it needs refinement…(the tag line AND the story)

What did you come up with?