A Story Told in Index Cards

So, I’m doing this: http://daisyyellow.squarespace.com/vividlife/index-card-a-day-icad-1.html

One of the folks I follow on Twitter, @diysara, mentioned it a couple of weeks ago and asked who’d be game to attempt the challenge with her. I’ve got stacks of index cards on my desk — I’ve been using them to plot books and stories, remember? — so I figured why not? Sounds like fun.

Most people are doing sketches or doodles each day, and some of them are amazing. You can check them out on Daisy Yellow’s Flickr group, or search #icad on Twitter. I’ll be posting my index cards here, with links posted to Twitter and Facebook.

I like drawing, but I’m better at words than pictures, so I thought I’d try to write a story in an index card a day. This’ll be a bit dicey for me since I can’t plot it out beforehand. Well, not all the way through, at least. So the story could fizzle out, or it could really take off.

To keep from completely hamstringing myself — or forcing you to read a story that’s little more than a disconnected, truly crappy first draft — I’m pre-writing the story a few pages at a time. That should hopefully give me a bit of a buffer, which I’m really going to need since I’m still under contract to finish two other projects for publishers by August, and a third by October. Two books and one shorter piece of 10,000 words. Not to mention other writing and editing projects in between. So, yeah, pre-writing my #icad story is a must.

That said, I’m really enjoying this story so far. It’s got faeries (the not-so-nice kind), and a creepy old forest, and a picnic in the English countryside, and a truffle-hunting pig. It might or might not get a derelict train dining car and a man folded as origami.

But, once a day between now and the end of August — with one day off allowed each week — I’ll be posting an index card with at least one paragraph of the story on it, and maybe some pictures. Starting with this one:

A Victorian streetlamp in the forest next to a mushroom ring

2011 ICAD Story Card #1

 

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9 Responses to A Story Told in Index Cards

  1. Annie Lord says:

    Love it! Waiting for more cards as the characters sound wonderful. You had me at “creepy forest” & English countryside.

  2. Wren Emerson says:

    That’s a really cool idea. I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

  3. Tammy says:

    Andi, This is fantastic. Brilliant. And also quite good. I’m excited that you are playing along!

  4. Rita A. says:

    I LOVE your idea and I’m so happy to have found your blog. I’m all of the above too, especially the fountain pens, but I have a dog. So looking forward to seeing more of your work.

  5. MJ says:

    Brilliant!!! I too look forward to your writing and your story:). Jumping over from the icad challenge. Cheers!

  6. Hi Andi!
    Thanks for stopping by my blog! I’m happy to have discovered you as well through ICAD…I await your next index card installment with bated breath! Cheers! Michelle

  7. ooooooooouuuuu! luuuuuuve it! great job- glad i found ya!

    http://www.adventurezinchildrearing.com/2011/06/5-minutes-4-creativity.html

    – link to my first 3×5 project completed with my 5 yr old- he has some talent! 🙂

  8. Andi Newton says:

    Thanks, everyone!

    Wren, I’m looking forward to seeing how the story turns out, too — and I’m a bit nervous, trying to do this without a safety net (aka step outline). Fingers crossed it doesn’t fizzle!

    Rita, it’s always great to meet another fountain pen person! So, what’s your favorite pen? I’m an Estie gal myself, although I’m starting to build a collection of Lamys and Pelikans, too. (And I do like dogs. But the cats veto me on getting one. 😉 )

    And I just want to say how much I liked all of your ICADs, too! Great work! I look forward to seeing what everyone does throughout the rest of the challenge.

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