Evening! I bring this year`s Round 2, open until the 20th. Late fics are accepted!

Theme: Vocalists. Explore the connection of voice and words.

---Can the voice exist independent of words? Where is the voice - in the sound or the meaning?
---Where is the voice produced (physical/technological)? Where does the voice come from (conceptual/mythological/religious/philosophical)?
---What can be done with the voice? In English, one "gives voice (to)," one`s voice "drops," etc.
---What happens to words/the voice once it`s written down?

Address one question, all, or take your own approach. Form is up to you.


Exercises:
1. DRABBLE. Everyone has this knee-jerk "short=easy=crap" reaction, so I dare you to do it, and do it well.

A) Free-form: you have exactly 100 words (I expect a word count), + up to 15 for a title. These 100 words must be self-sufficient, no snippets of a longer fic. If there is redundancy in your drabble, I will eat your babies. This is where you explore characterization, style, setting, culture. To drabble (well), you must THINK, and examine that thought.

B) Box: you have 100 words only, INCLUDING the title. The key to a box drabble is to build it around a central concept, and name that concept in the title. The other 99 words should lose half their meaning if read without the title. Here, especially, your language has to be tight. The key to creating meaning in a box drabble is through juxtaposition. Use homophones, use balanced pairs in your sequence of action (i.e. open/close, up/down, light/dark, etc.). This is where you explore characterization, style, setting, culture, and LANGUAGE.

C) Cycle: write a series of three or more linked drabbles. The link can be sequential, thematic, chronological, surprise me.

D) I invite you to volunteer your drabble draft to be work-shopped. If interested, respond in the comments!


2. Theme and Variations. Structure your fic like a theme and variations composition. This is pretty much what it sounds like.


3. Dream Sequence. Incorporate a dream sequence. I`m hoping for some mind-bending horror here. No badfic, please. XP


4. Band-of-the-Fortnight. Happy Birthday, Ryuutarou!! Plastic Tree.


Process:
Write a fic in response to one or more challenge, post a link in the comments, request a fic from me! Participation is open to all. Don`t hesitate to ask for any clarification. Good luck!


Tagging: If no one claims it by the 20th, I guess it`ll bounce back to mimei. ? Hai Mi-chan douzo.