You need someinput on your world-to-build or story-to-be? You enjoy writing or solving mental riddles and thought experiments? You would like to brainstorm to get a little kickstart to get you going? You just want to get in touch with creativity loving like-minds? You are sick of "votes to close" and "too opinion based"? - Then Creative Challenges is the place for you!

Scope

This community is focused on creativity and the journey of the mind. Training, challenging, inspiring, share experience and advises to help those who feel the lack of some inspiration and need a little nudge to get forward.

Examples (details to those Specials follow):

• I am stuck (in my story), can someone advise?
• Brainstorming (with rules)
• Little riddles (scenario riddles)
• What's my Preydator? (scenario thinking/riddles)
• Alternative-Combinations (connect the dots)
• Absurd Scenarios & Funstuff (recreational)

Overlaps and Scope limits

Creative-Challenges could well be seen as a complementary part for Worldbuilding and Storytelling ans Writing but still would add considerably different categories/content types.

So there is no reason for excluding Creative Challenges per se just because there are overlaps. Listing the possible touching points here just for reference:

• Worldbuilding (there is a proposal for that)

  • Speculative Science has a subcategory "Worldbuilding" - but as the name implies is heavily focused on the science side, not that much on creative results

• Puzzles (is currently in proposal state as well)

  • Even if Puzzles would exist, their focus there would be on different kinds of riddles, "exact solution riddles" in a "what-is-the-only-answer-to-this" kind of style. Not so much coming up with creative, sometimes absurd solutions and witty ones.

• Writing (maybe; decisive would be if Writing allows asking brainstorm-y things)

  • Writing is probably not meant to include solving "scenario riddles"
  • Writing certainly would not endorse questions like "If Santa would use motorbikes instead of reindeer..." (and Speculative Science probably also doesn't?),
  • but would maybe also accept things like "How can I stop my blocking phase?".
    • But Creative Challenges would be more focused on something like a training ground to train losing such blockades (no guarantee; there is no scientific proof for this; the intent is still entertaining and recreational, not medical)

Who/Where

• I think it would be complementing to the existing communities while also adding new categories to delve into. Meaning, people in Writing or Speculative Science might also join Creative Challenges.

• Creative minds mainly: writers, authors, scenario builders, worldbuilders, storytellers, connecting the dots conclusioners, sharp minds and witty ones. Thus authors of all kinds and sorts and creativity craving enthusiasts.

Specials

In my mind I have certain categories which would create kinds of "subrealms" or "activities" you can join in. But each of them have some conditions and rules for the "creative games". Some examples:

• Brainstorming

  Important is that there is no obligation for answers to be infinite while also (nearly) complete. The point is, that the questioneer maybe just needs a hint into the right direction not a full list of things.

  • A question sets up a scenario and asks for brainstorming on an aspect that would be needed to achieve X in the story.
  • Answers are meant to be short! Bullet points of three, not more (well, if you know 4 or more then nobody will behead you adding them; If you just know 1 also nice!).
  • After each answer, the questioneer has to give feedback as an answer himself:
    • If this already was "good enough" for him - then the "game" is finished
    • Specifing one of the bullets (or two like in something between A and B) to be detailed/focused on for subsequent answers.
    • Alternatively he is allowed to ask for 3 more, different, bullets. But additional info what would be liked or should be focused on is welcome of course.
    • If answers come in quickly and overlap, well, that's the game then. Either the answerers adapt their text or they don't. In this case the questioneer still has the opportunities like mentioned above.

• A-B-C or Connect The Dots ("if A and B how C?")

  • The questioneer sets up a scenario (very short). Then gives 2 aspects. One is the starting scenario. The other is the target scenario.
  • Answerers then try to find a (optimally minimal), but in the context of the world, plausible way of getting from A to B.
  • Alternatively check "Absurd Scenarios and Funstuff" below.

• Little riddle or "Blueprint construction"

  • The questioneer pictures/describes a small scenario. Then he describes an obstacle that is to overcome. It also states what materials there are available or other restrictions and (technical) details.
  • The answerer describe their machine or blueprint or actions they propose to overcome that obstacle.
  • There is one example question for this to be found in the Incubator already.

• What's my Predator/What's my Prey ("Preydator" riddle)

  • The questioneer describes a creature in like 10 bullet points. Nothing is known about the scenario, this has to be infered by the aspects given by the creature description (maybe this rule is too strict, can be removed).
  • A helping template structure can be provided, to not forget important aspects. Like: head form/size, eye sight/position, etc.
  • This can be simplified like: The overall size is like a horse, it is the head of an elephant or boar with sharp teeeth and tusks but ears of a rabbit, with hind legs like a rabbit (implied is always: scaled to the rest so that it fits). What is my prey?
  • The answerers try to construct a creature in a similar manner that is focused on the role needed.
  • There is no need that this creature is part of any story (but they can be). The riddles are just recreational.

• Absurd Scenarios & Funstuff

  • The questioneers describe a scenario and ask a question about it.
  • The answerers are invited to get "witty" on solutions
  • This category is mainly for fun&recreation. Not so much focused on "real stories or scenarios". The scenarios can exist purely to entertain and having fun with the answers.

• Q&A / Roundtable

  • The normal Q&A section meant as a safe-space to ask about creative topics without any limits to rules (meaning: questions of personal interest maybe not fitting each and everyone else, tailored to a special situation at hand are allowed and welcomed here).
  • Asking about experiences by others, or advise on a certain point where some creative input is desired
  • Could also be a place where to construct riddles and have others to help them with it making it fit for their purpose or to be posted in the other categories.

posted 3 months ago

3mo ago

Antares‭

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