[Image: screen shot of my little form for generating random story ideas from a database of over 46 million possibilities]
This past Friday night, at midnight, I got my first-round assignment in the 2020 NYC Midnight 100-Word Microfiction Challenge: a romance (aaaiiieeee…!), featuring roller skating in some way, and including some form of the word forget… to be written and submitted electronically by midnight Saturday. I did that, and so now the wait begins: Round 1 results will not be announced until the last week of June.
While this seems like a long wait to hear back about such a short bit of writing, the reason is obvious: they received over seven thousand six hundred entries. I don’t know the back-room details of the round’s judging; I do know they’ve probably got dozens of judges. Each judge will be assigned to assess the stories in one or more groups (a/k/a “heats”: entries sharing the same genre, action, and required word). I don’t yet know how many groups there might be, but I can tell you I’m in Group 66…
At this point in the cascade of numbers, the mindset of the former database guy kicks in and I start to wonder about all the data. Here’s what I can tell you so far, based on the list of first-round assignments:
- Number of genres: 11
- Number of actions: 80
- Number of words: 80
Multiply all that out and you get 70,400 possible combinations. (That many possible assignments, divided by the number of entries, works out to just a little over 9 — i.e., most groups have nine entries, and the rest have ten.) Which is a lot of ideas, right?
Well, yes. But then of course we could also factor in that, for last week’s practice sessions, I already had a list of 50 randomly generated words, and a list of 37 “actions” brainstormed with a subset of Facebook friends. So, let’s see… 11 genres * 117 actions * 130 words… yikes: 167,310 story ideas!
So then I started to think about the NYC Midnight short-story challenge I entered a couple of years ago. The criteria were slightly different: a slightly different list of genres; almost 300 “subjects” (very similar to this contest’s “actions”); and almost 300 characters: a factory worker, a magician, a blind person, etc. Suppose…
To make a long story short, I rolled this year’s (Round 1) microfiction options together with the old list of characters to come up with a possible 4,182,750… plus the 11 genres… for a total of over 46 million story ideas.
Yes, I did consider including the previous list of “subjects” as what this year’s contest calls “actions.” But the numbers were already getting out of hand: I ran into hardware, software, and simple time obstacles which made it not worth carrying out. One of these days I’ll spend some time learning how to build and maintain databases online, and then those obstacles become more manageable.
So what could I do with all this data? Easy (well, as such things go): I could generate one or more random story ideas — and never again whine about not knowing where to start!
What I came up with isn’t easily shared with other writers (unless they too have the same version of the database software I used for this proof of concept). But it does give me these options:
- Generate a single random story idea. For instance, just now it spat out: “ACTION/ADVENTURE: a pawnbroker/abandon/drawing a map,” followed by “ROMANTIC COMEDY: a live-in nanny/gentle/climbing a mountain.” Here’s what the form I built for doing so looks like:
OR
- Generate a batch of story ideas. Most recently, here’s what that produced (setting 100 as the number of ideas to churn out):
| Genre | Character | Action | Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a humanitarian | balancing the books | alternative |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a live-in nanny | tying a shoe | card |
| ROMANCE | a farmer | sleepwalking | gift |
| COMEDY | a chocolatier | sharing food | protect |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a ne'er-do-well | wearing a mask | lip |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a child with dwarfism | writing a letter | neighbor |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a fighter pilot | breaking a window | company |
| SCI-FI | a competitive eater | tying a shoe | plod |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a waiter | knitting | announce |
| HORROR | a cancer survivor | righting a wrong | board |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | an explorer | robbing a bank | immense |
| HORROR | a hero | teaching a class | respect |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a journalist | babysitting | focus |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a repairman | drinking champagne | stir |
| DRAMA | a paramedic | dancing | attention |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a line cook | drawing a map | stir |
| GHOST STORY | a humanitarian | digging | gold |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a gardener | dropping something into the ocean | ambition |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a child with dwarfism | sanitizing a doorknob | active |
| COMEDY | a loan officer | planting a seed | fame |
| SCI-FI | a line cook | wearing a mask | home |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | an apprentice | visiting a zoo | bright |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a loan officer | toasting toast | encounter |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a fashion designer | righting a wrong | bright |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | an interior designer | whispering | gainful |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a sushi chef | dancing | invisible |
| COMEDY | a gatecrasher | posing for a photograph | geese |
| COMEDY | a reporter | paying a ransom | boss |
| COMEDY | an accountant | climbing a mountain | focus |
| COMEDY | a beauty queen | cooking a steak | announce |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a heavy equipment operator | dancing | strange |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a dolphin trainer | paying a ransom | bright |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | the wife of a prisoner | tying a shoe | precious |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a linguist | visiting a zoo | owner |
| DRAMA | a man with a facial tattoo | buying toilet paper | appetite |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a sidekick | shooting a gun | accurate |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a camera operator | lighting a fire | acoustics |
| DRAMA | a nemesis | placing a bet | fame |
| DRAMA | a barista | winning/losing a duel | begin |
| GHOST STORY | a landscaper | cleaning a pool | organ |
| DRAMA | a coal miner | shutting a door | virtual |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | an insomniac | cooking a steak | card |
| HORROR | a pediatrician | teaching a class | stir |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | an emergency dispatcher | watching the traffic | discover |
| SCI-FI | a stewardess | applying sunscreen | credible |
| HORROR | a runaway | knitting | unkempt |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a biologist | hammering a nail | better |
| DRAMA | an accomplice | making a parachute | tawdry |
| COMEDY | a vegetarian | splattering coffee on the floor | promise |
| COMEDY | an assassin | walking upstairs | accurate |
| HORROR | a stepmother | walking upstairs | gainful |
| HORROR | a gang member | organizing a closet | swell |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a curmudgeon | making a promise | superficial |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a ne'er-do-well | dropping something into the ocean | ambition |
| HORROR | a ne'er-do-well | applying sunscreen | coordinated |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a gatecrasher | walking a pet | company |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a pickpocket | wearing a mask | company |
| SCI-FI | a veterinarian | painting the ceiling | strength |
| HORROR | a dolphin trainer | baking a cake | inflame |
| SCI-FI | a stenographer | reading a book | protect |
| COMEDY | a war veteran | drinking champagne | underwear |
| ROMANCE | a doll maker | placing a bet | strange |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a great-grandmother | cutting a ribbon | internal |
| COMEDY | a jester | making a promise | ghost |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a fugitive | riding a horse | attention |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a mayor | reading a book | career |
| DRAMA | a student | renovating a home | polish |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | the wife of a prisoner | sanitizing a doorknob | polish |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a school principal | meditating | inseparable |
| DRAMA | a programmer | giving birth | freezing |
| COMEDY | a live-in nanny | drinking wine | million |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a half-sister | hitting the skids | switch |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a supervisor | making hay while the sun/moon shines | protect |
| GHOST STORY | a pirate | climbing up a fire escape | tense |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a hostage negotiator | yanking my chain | celebrate |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a chocolatier | licking an envelope | gift |
| ROMANCE | a humanitarian | hitting the skids | underwear |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a repairman | riding a horse | stir |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a cartographer | toasting toast | quixotic |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a hostage negotiator | avoiding a question | gold |
| SCI-FI | a tour guide | locking a door | gainful |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a war veteran | walking a pet | awkward |
| SCI-FI | an editor | robbing a bank | gainful |
| SCI-FI | a drug addict | making tea | family |
| HORROR | a hypnotist | shaving a head | puncture |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | an intern | finding a lost puppy | family |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a line cook | digging | encounter |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a stepmother | winning/losing a duel | married |
| COMEDY | a fighter pilot | enlisting an ally | swell |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a dolphin trainer | tripping over your own/someone else's feet | begin |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a copycat | baking a cake | respect |
| HORROR | a pirate | dancing | family |
| GHOST STORY | a live-in nanny | sawing | square |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a prisoner | baking a cake | alternative |
| COMEDY | a pawnbroker | knitting a sweater | discover |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a biologist | climbing up a fire escape | bulb |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a mother-in-law | building a snowman | desperate |
| HORROR | a schoolteacher | buying toilet paper | stitch |
| SCI-FI | a prodigy | dancing on the roof | bright |
| COMEDY | a busser | walking the floors | custom |
OR
- Generate a batch of story ideas in a single genre. (The idea here is that most writers tend to specialize in a particular genre.) Doing so just now for science fiction produced this list of 30:
| Character | Action | Word |
|---|---|---|
| a mathematician | babysitting | appointment |
| an anesthesiologist | hitting the skids | ferry |
| a tutor | placing a bet | active |
| a son-in-law | splattering coffee on the floor | quixotic |
| a physician | killing a spouse | attention |
| an insomniac | drawing a map | company |
| a volunteer | polishing silverware | tense |
| a dentist | changing a diaper | quixotic |
| a schoolteacher | killing a bug | bright |
| a swimming teacher | planting a seed | betray |
| a fiancée | cutting a ribbon | forget |
| a tourist | placing a bet | board |
| an accomplice | polishing silverware | strange |
| a chef | renovating a home | acoustics |
| an astronaut | ringing a bell | plod |
| a camera operator | hiding | cover |
| an astronaut | running in circles | industrious |
| a doctor | avoiding a question | married |
| an art curator | milking a yak | career |
| a speech therapist | driving a car | better |
| a zookeeper | shredding paper | begin |
| a busser | baking bread | accurate |
| a supervisor | digging | dreary |
| a healer | climbing up a fire escape | jealous |
| a son-in-law | building a snowman | quixotic |
| a paramedic | drinking wine | stitch |
| a clown | baking bread | ferry |
| a princess | breaking a window | celebrate |
| a pirate | walking a pet | fortune |
| a mother-in-law | milking a yak | shut |
Granted, some of this is pretty arbitrary. I mean, in a sense, there’s no need to include a genre at all: if you’re just looking for a story-writing prompt, you can ignore the genre — or any other specification — and/or plug in your own preferred genre. But I was trying to look at this (in the case of the first table above) as a way for a writer to challenge him/herself to “write outside the box” of any preferences… as the NYC Midnight challenges all do. The second table, I think, is how most writers might want to use the tool; they tend to specialize in one genre or another.
And I have to admit I found some of the randomized options much more entertaining — stimulating — when regarded through a particular genre filter. “A swimming teacher… planting a seed… betray” might serve as the (haha) germ of a good story; but add science fiction to the mix and things get genuinely interesting, with or without a 100-word limit!
Update, 2023-08-31:
Author George Saunders has a Substack newsletter called “Story Club with George Saunders,” in which he often discusses various aspects of writing fiction. A recent post there mentioned the idea of using random writing prompts in order to avoid the trap of writing fiction only to satisfy your preconceived ideas of what a story “should” be about…
[Aside: I don’t know if Saunders’s newsletter is entirely for paid subscribers, or only partially so. The “PromptBuilder” post, alas, does require a subscription. Apologies to any of you who might not be able to take advantage of it. I myself don’t have any way of making it available to everyone!]
This, in turn, made me think I could revisit this post to share a fuller set of prompts than the examples above. (Granted, I also wanted to know if the database tool I’d built even still worked!)
Anyhow, here’s a freshly-generated batch of 200 prompts. (Note that I did not add any more criteria — genres, actions, etc. — just reran the program.)
| Genre | Character | Action | Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a scholar | a picnic | enflame |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | an art curator | a fad | awkward |
| GHOST STORY | an ex-wife | an infatuation | surprise |
| DRAMA | a poet | drinking champagne | plod |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a scientist | dropping something into the ocean | attempt |
| SCI-FI | a carpenter | sawing | dream |
| HORROR | a volunteer | a rumor | pregnant |
| COMEDY | a competitive eater | a fallout shelter | ferry |
| ROMANCE | a milkman | a disguise | improve |
| DRAMA | a chiropractor | dancing on the roof | extend |
| GHOST STORY | a consultant | putting on a disguise | bright |
| DRAMA | a transient person | avoiding a question | trust |
| SCI-FI | a great-grandmother | making a promise | announce |
| SCI-FI | a bachelor | an invitation | superficial |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | an executive chef | a scandal | superficial |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a salesman | an audition | risk |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a mother-in-law | a deadline | industrious |
| GHOST STORY | a travel agent | a school for gifted children | focus |
| HORROR | a fiancé | making a parachute | nap |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a single mother | a secret | strength |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a schoolteacher | yawning | sleep |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a bike messenger | babysitting | understand |
| COMEDY | a photographer | shredding paper | acoustics |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a hypnotist | a houseguest | active |
| ROMANCE | a photographer | mountain climbing | trust |
| COMEDY | a fortune teller | looking through garbage | ferry |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a camera operator | a circus | dreary |
| ROMANCE | a healer | an eviction | celebrate |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a gang member | a power outage | inseparable |
| COMEDY | a psychologist | an apology | wrong |
| GHOST STORY | an assassin | hiding | bold |
| DRAMA | an x-ray technician | a raffle | tense |
| GHOST STORY | a hospice worker | a medical diagnosis | wide |
| SCI-FI | an immigrant | comfort food | appliance |
| GHOST STORY | a twin sister | a video game | lip |
| ROMANCE | an accountant | a secret mission | gainful |
| GHOST STORY | a salesman | digging | inseparable |
| GHOST STORY | a paramedic | a pageant | promise |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | an arsonist | polishing silverware | ambition |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a school principal | bait and switch | bee |
| COMEDY | an ex-husband | lighting a fire | geese |
| GHOST STORY | a theatre director | a scam | freezing |
| GHOST STORY | a divorce lawyer | sharing food | board |
| GHOST STORY | a tutor | sawing | gold |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a nutritionist | a delivery service | attention |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a nihilist | an angry mob | encounter |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a chef | breaking a promise | married |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a nutritionist | an anniversary | organ |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | an assassin | splattering coffee on the floor | polish |
| HORROR | a negotiator | hitting the skids | locket |
| GHOST STORY | a linguist | an exotic pet | career |
| HORROR | a student | meditating | tasty |
| ROMANCE | a dentist | a career change | price |
| ROMANCE | a scholar | witnessing a crime | awkward |
| HORROR | a dentist | a donation | appointment |
| SCI-FI | a vegetarian | a live broadcast | married |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a career advisor | vacuuming | break |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | an executive chef | opening night | encounter |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a vegan | organizing a closet | gentle |
| DRAMA | a seamstress | a legally binding contract | geese |
| SCI-FI | a stepmother | a written contract | abandon |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | an impersonator | an exotic pet | career |
| ROMANCE | a salesman | a maiden voyage | acoustics |
| ROMANCE | a programmer | ringing a bell | appointment |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | an emergency dispatcher | a secret | lip |
| SCI-FI | a 99 year old man | an arranged marriage | strength |
| COMEDY | a heavy equipment operator | sanitizing a doorknob | precious |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a croupier | giving birth | risk |
| ROMANCE | a blind person | home repairs | accurate |
| SCI-FI | a psychologist | riding a bike | gift |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a dentist | reading a book | blind |
| HORROR | a fugitive | hammering a nail | immense |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a war veteran | chopping wood | shut |
| DRAMA | a motorcyclist | treasure hunting | ghost |
| DRAMA | a groundskeeper | applying sunscreen | family |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a poet | an infestation | overjoyed |
| ROMANCE | a motivational speaker | home security | dinosaurs |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | an intern | cutting a ribbon | fame |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a fruiterer | drinking champagne | relax |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a sushi chef | receiving an award | swell |
| ROMANCE | a milkman | mistaken identity | internal |
| COMEDY | a historian | an angry mob | abandon |
| GHOST STORY | a line cook | an inheritance | accurate |
| ROMANCE | a speech therapist | robbing a bank | puncture |
| GHOST STORY | a sick toddler | a blood-drive | cover |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a volunteer | avoiding a question | relief |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a scholar | a secret mission | cover |
| ROMANCE | a photographer | an audition | sunshine |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a chocolatier | a fallout shelter | begin |
| SCI-FI | an intern | breaking a promise | card |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a sommelier | mopping | credible |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a hero | a culinary school | attention |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | an ex-husband | a power struggle | children |
| ROMANCE | a physician | making a parachute | puncture |
| SCI-FI | a baby | a family tree | industrious |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a dentist | an anniversary | radar |
| HORROR | a gardener | an abduction | betray |
| ROMANCE | a hypochondriac | a going out of business sale | career |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a school principal | the demolition of a building | promise |
| GHOST STORY | a hospice worker | writing a letter | active |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a doll maker | a funeral | consider |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a prisoner | breaking a window | pat |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a princess | a new year's eve party | gift |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a school principal | winning/losing a duel | pat |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a camera operator | sewing | dinosaurs |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | an assassin | robbing a bank | begin |
| SCI-FI | a billionaire | a dinner party | underwear |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a linguist | a computer virus | married |
| SCI-FI | a tour guide | a prescription | underwear |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a tour guide | muttering imprecations | consider |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | an organ donor | a school for gifted children | bait |
| SCI-FI | a sick toddler | a live broadcast | married |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a seamstress | a school for gifted children | plod |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a passerby | home security | bright |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a fortune teller | a pageant | begin |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a very tall woman | wrapping a gift | underwear |
| DRAMA | a bank manager | an evacuation | begin |
| HORROR | a photographer | shredding paper | awkward |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a geneticist | a secret mission | family |
| GHOST STORY | an ironworker | voting | focus |
| COMEDY | a schoolteacher | a picnic | square |
| GHOST STORY | a half-sister | a threat | daughter |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a composer | polishing silverware | ethereal |
| DRAMA | a healer | a legally binding contract | gentle |
| GHOST STORY | a negotiator | a eulogy | protect |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a gardener | licking an envelope | lifetime |
| HORROR | an organ donor | doing laundry | gentle |
| HORROR | a stockbroker | a playgroup | abandon |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a hypnotist | dancing | geese |
| ROMANCE | a social climber | a new year's eve party | cover |
| COMEDY | a repairman | shutting a door | home |
| GHOST STORY | a pickpocket | vacuuming | strange |
| SCI-FI | an obstetrician | an infestation | bother |
| COMEDY | an understudy | a rite of passage | industrious |
| ROMANCE | a strongman | a tournament | sink |
| HORROR | a professor | a walking tour | risk |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a pawnbroker | a tax lien | break |
| COMEDY | a supervisor | a secret | focus |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a fixer | walking a pet | sleep |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a fiancé | riding a bike | realize |
| HORROR | a line cook | an experiment | forget |
| HORROR | a grandmother | treasure hunting | appointment |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a drummer | trash or rubbish collection | discover |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a yoga teacher | watching the traffic | board |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a restaurant critic | sewing | dreary |
| DRAMA | a hotelier | pen pals | relax |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a sommelier | a scam | blind |
| COMEDY | a restaurant critic | a nomination | enflame |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a bike messenger | spoiling a child | immense |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a scholar | avoiding a question | dinosaurs |
| ROMANCE | a sushi chef | a one-way ticket | wall |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a drummer | a written contract | pregnant |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | an apprentice | doing laundry | ghost |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | the wife of a prisoner | home repairs | credible |
| HORROR | a paddleboarder | a labyrinth | sore |
| COMEDY | a chemist | a checklist | bait |
| GHOST STORY | a bachelor | trophy hunting | card |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a sidekick | making a loaf of bread | risk |
| ROMANCE | a mother-in-law | a roll of undeveloped film | cover |
| GHOST STORY | a baby | living the dream | company |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a half-sister | a burial plot | improve |
| HORROR | an eye doctor | opening night | geese |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a 99 year old man | brushing hair | board |
| COMEDY | a farmer | home security | fortune |
| COMEDY | a sidekick | a secret club | recess |
| SCI-FI | a line cook | riding a horse | precious |
| GHOST STORY | a paddleboarder | a stockpile | price |
| HORROR | a twin sister | a second chance | improve |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a psychologist | a ransom | understand |
| GHOST STORY | a gunslinger | a rumor | active |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a gang member | a terminal illness | immense |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a locksmith | a stockpile | wall |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a fundraiser | a business trip | underwear |
| DRAMA | a cartographer | making a parachute | appointment |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a war veteran | driving a car | dream |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a hypochondriac | a threat | announce |
| COMEDY | a perfectionist | a scam | surprise |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a biographer | visiting a zoo | appetite |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a motorcyclist | a photo shoot | board |
| ROMANTIC COMEDY | a hunter | a boat race | family |
| SCI-FI | a baby | comfort food | million |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | an impersonator | a raffle | bundle |
| HORROR | a perfectionist | a betrayal | puncture |
| SCI-FI | a theatre director | a graduation | tawdry |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | an illiterate man | whispering | stir |
| DRAMA | a busser | roller skating | announce |
| COMEDY | a sushi chef | home security | ferry |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a window washer | lighting a fire | married |
| COMEDY | a gatecrasher | counting money | credible |
| COMEDY | a carpenter | an insurance scam | gainful |
| GHOST STORY | a teaching assistant | renovating a home | trust |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a gatecrasher | comfort food | sleep |
| HORROR | a flower shop owner | a walking tour | switch |
| HISTORICAL FICTION | a schoolteacher | a time capsule | relax |
| ROMANCE | an x-ray technician | faking a death | portrait |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a half-sister | a roll of undeveloped film | bundle |
| SUSPENSE/THRILLER | a social climber | an invitation | bundle |
| FAIRY TALE/FANTASY | a strongman | a fallout shelter | locket |
| ACTION/ADVENTURE | a homicide detective | a scandal | acoustics |
| HORROR | a seamstress | drinking wine | industrious |
[…] it here; the, er, post-mortem post — as of the first round’s completion — is here.) That contest’s organizers will announce the results of the first-round judging process on […]