As mentioned in a previous post there's a social writers' group that I attend, this is the outcome of one of the writing challenges/games.
Parameters: Story had to start with the piece of dialogue “You did what?”, be made up of primarily dialogue and for extra challenge not use the word “said”.
In jotting down ideas to start writing this I wrote out a few key words / ideas to give myself something to start with these were; cake, politics, cane sugar, oven, import/export and genocide.
As I wrote I decided to try and make genocide funny. Not in a way that devalues it as a concept, but to try and bring humour to it without going down an expected path with the subject.
I think, taking a second look at it, it almost works. There’s a few bits here and there that don’t work and didn’t go in the way I was intending and as one of the people who attended you can see where I was going with it. It’s a little too much not subtle, but for 15 minutes work I don’t think it’s too bad.
--//
"You did what?"
"I don't think it's a big deal, it's not something amazingly complicated." She complained of the situation.
"You don't think this is a big deal, we're surrounded by cake and the UN is making the suggestion of rights violations." He exclaimed to the woman who was looking around the space with a mixture of annoyance and impatience.
"Who we should really be blaming is the cane sugar lobby, they're why we're here in the first place. We shouldn't be worried about a little bit of genocide." She mused.
Lyle watched the woman opposite him to see if she was joking. "There's nothing little about a bit of genocide!" She exclaimed.
Sarah shrugged. "It's not as though it's a big deal, this is something we've been working on for a while. The genocide is just an unintended consequence of these matters."
Lyle hoped she hadn't told the press that, he asked her as much.
"Of course not. YOU haven't prepared a press release, that's what you're always talking about, needing to keep the press informed." Sarah paused and smiled, flicking out a finger to one of the iced cakes beside her. "But if we do, we have plenty of cake to keep them satisfied."
"Yes, let's not talk about the messy subject of genocide." Lyle commented sarcastically.
"I thought we might lead with that, it's a boon for the economy that we've managed to do this when everyone else has failed." She argued. "I don't know why you're up set about this Lyle, I've done something, that's better than most of the politicians you've managed in the past."
"Yes." He paused. "Lead with that, not the genocide." He felt like he needed a drink. But the closest that was around in this space was some sugar cane left by the growers' federation.
"So, now I'm writing my press release, instead of you; my press officer, Lyle, what is the matter? It's like you've never wanted to commit genocide before. Think of all the possibilities if we managed to do this with other problems." She said looking around frowning. "This is the problem, they take all the chairs with them when they leave."
"You think that's the biggest problem, we're casually standing around surrounded by cakes talking about genocide."
"The great sugar cane grower’s federation bake off was the crowning achievement of the mass destruction that we achieved. "
"'Mass destruction', that's what you're calling it?" Lyle was almost hysterical.
"You sound distressed."
"I'm just trying to work out how to sell this to the press. Is there any alcohol in this kitchen?" He wondered, pausing to look around. "Hang on you said 'mass destruction'."
Sarah raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes."
"What about this genocide?"
"I thought genocide sounded better, punchier than 'mass destruction', that's rather clinical."
"But.” Lyle felt himself relax as the hysteria passed into annoyance. "Mass destruction is the code phrase for our cane toad eradication service." The rage was now building in his mind. "And you wanted to call it a genocide?!"
Parameters: Story had to start with the piece of dialogue “You did what?”, be made up of primarily dialogue and for extra challenge not use the word “said”.
In jotting down ideas to start writing this I wrote out a few key words / ideas to give myself something to start with these were; cake, politics, cane sugar, oven, import/export and genocide.
As I wrote I decided to try and make genocide funny. Not in a way that devalues it as a concept, but to try and bring humour to it without going down an expected path with the subject.
I think, taking a second look at it, it almost works. There’s a few bits here and there that don’t work and didn’t go in the way I was intending and as one of the people who attended you can see where I was going with it. It’s a little too much not subtle, but for 15 minutes work I don’t think it’s too bad.
--//
"You did what?"
"I don't think it's a big deal, it's not something amazingly complicated." She complained of the situation.
"You don't think this is a big deal, we're surrounded by cake and the UN is making the suggestion of rights violations." He exclaimed to the woman who was looking around the space with a mixture of annoyance and impatience.
"Who we should really be blaming is the cane sugar lobby, they're why we're here in the first place. We shouldn't be worried about a little bit of genocide." She mused.
Lyle watched the woman opposite him to see if she was joking. "There's nothing little about a bit of genocide!" She exclaimed.
Sarah shrugged. "It's not as though it's a big deal, this is something we've been working on for a while. The genocide is just an unintended consequence of these matters."
Lyle hoped she hadn't told the press that, he asked her as much.
"Of course not. YOU haven't prepared a press release, that's what you're always talking about, needing to keep the press informed." Sarah paused and smiled, flicking out a finger to one of the iced cakes beside her. "But if we do, we have plenty of cake to keep them satisfied."
"Yes, let's not talk about the messy subject of genocide." Lyle commented sarcastically.
"I thought we might lead with that, it's a boon for the economy that we've managed to do this when everyone else has failed." She argued. "I don't know why you're up set about this Lyle, I've done something, that's better than most of the politicians you've managed in the past."
"Yes." He paused. "Lead with that, not the genocide." He felt like he needed a drink. But the closest that was around in this space was some sugar cane left by the growers' federation.
"So, now I'm writing my press release, instead of you; my press officer, Lyle, what is the matter? It's like you've never wanted to commit genocide before. Think of all the possibilities if we managed to do this with other problems." She said looking around frowning. "This is the problem, they take all the chairs with them when they leave."
"You think that's the biggest problem, we're casually standing around surrounded by cakes talking about genocide."
"The great sugar cane grower’s federation bake off was the crowning achievement of the mass destruction that we achieved. "
"'Mass destruction', that's what you're calling it?" Lyle was almost hysterical.
"You sound distressed."
"I'm just trying to work out how to sell this to the press. Is there any alcohol in this kitchen?" He wondered, pausing to look around. "Hang on you said 'mass destruction'."
Sarah raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes."
"What about this genocide?"
"I thought genocide sounded better, punchier than 'mass destruction', that's rather clinical."
"But.” Lyle felt himself relax as the hysteria passed into annoyance. "Mass destruction is the code phrase for our cane toad eradication service." The rage was now building in his mind. "And you wanted to call it a genocide?!"