Our Mission: To Seek Out, Find, and Screw Up Every Civilization in the Galaxy (Saturday Writing Essential)

When I was a neophyte at posting SatWE challenges, I mentioned that I once had an English teacher tell me that there were only three basic forms of comedy: pun, parody, and pathos.

After all these years I still don’t know if that’s true or not, but we’re going to explore one of those this week and, from the title, you should be able to figure out what we’re doing.

I want you to write a parody.

This Week’s Challenge:

Pick a movie, book, play, song, or TV program and, using prose or poetry, write a parody of it.

Ideas:

The UBS (United Banking System) starship Undertaking is sent out to infect all neighboring star systems with adjustable loans that escalate in rates until each planet is broke.

The captain leads a mutiny aboard the H.M.S. Reward. How can a captain mutiny against himself and what happens next? I dunno, it’s your story.

From dawn ‘til dusk, the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders run roughshod over a small bar on the outskirts of Dallas. But -- what happens once the sun goes down?

Watch Out For:

This is not fan fiction. In fan fiction, you use the same characters and/or settings. In a parody, you change things so that the reader can figure out what the original story was, but everything is changed around.

Space Balls, in my mind is one of the greatest parodies of all time. Even though you know who the characters are supposed to represent, they all have different names.

Recap:

I told you. This challenge brings out some of the best writing. You owe it to yourself (and the writers) to check out each of the following responses.

Be the ball. satwe July 28/12  by karen vaughan

"I am the 1994" - SatWE  by Becca J.

North Wind vs. East Wind (Saturday Writing Essential)  by G.M. Jackson

SatWe Challenge: Telephone Call  by Patrick M.

SatWE Prompt (inanimate object talking)  by Deborah A.

What Size? (Saturday Writing Essential)  by Len Maxwell

Response to a Previous Challenge:

SatWe...(A New World) LAND OF IS....07/28/2012....Barbara H....  by Barbara H.

Weekly reminder: Don't forget to recommend an article that you like (to learn why, read Ann Marcaida's article Attract More Writers and Artists to Gather!). Also, try to place a comment on at least one article and say more than you liked the piece. Tell the author what worked and what needs work.

The Rules:

• Put this challenge statement at the beginning or end of your submission so readers will know what you’re supposed to do.

Challenge: Pick a movie, book, play, song, or TV program and, using prose or poetry, write a parody of it.

• There is a limit of three submissions from each member per day. If you’re extremely prolific, spread out your work and post only three submissions per day.
• Post to Gather Writing Essential.
• Tag your submission with SatWE.
• Include (Saturday Writing Essential) as part of your title.
• I ask that you make your submission(s) by next Friday afternoon.

Good Writing!