Another "Ideas for the next workshop theme" Thread

The polls for the last workshop have been closed for quite some time so I think it may be good to start thinking about the next workshop theme now. It may not be clear which one (GeekSeven or JKIJ) gets to choose the next theme, but this shouldn't affect the suggestions.

It feels kinda weird to open up this thread while not having participated in a single workshop so far, but this actually brings me to my suggestion:

Missed Opportunities: SGI Workshop Themes reloaded - The themes from the earlier workshops have little chance to be reused as a theme, although it's still possible to find new ways to implement these themes. My idea is to let these themes be reused, meaning that every entry has to follow at least one of the old themes. This also gives the authors a lot of freedom.

There have been 15 long story workshops so far, and ignoring the two workshops of last year that used the SWM Name, this still leaves 13 themes:

SGI Workshop 1.1: short story based on any of the twenty (20) "I Wish I Was Super Too" gallery pics (or a similar situation with a comic book character).
SGI Workshop 1.2: Ubergirl vs. Army
SGI Workshop 1.3: Ubergirl vs. Ubergirl
SGI Workshop 1.4: Someone gets superpowers and this makes someone else upset
SGI Workshop 1.5: An individual/group/organisation possesses/creates/obtains a weapon which he/she/they believe can bring down an ubergirl.
SGI Workshop 1.6: A Superwoman changes sides Good <==> Bad
SGI Workshop 1.7: Sibling Rivalry
SGI Workshop 1.8: In a world of superheroes and villains (original or published comic universe, your choice), an ubergirl obtains even more power than anyone else.
SGI Workshop 1.9: To Be Continued! Try your hand at writing a sequel/continuation to an SWM or ubergirl classic piece of fiction -- whether it be your own or someone else's
SGI Workshop 1.10: Tales of the Transformatrix ... stories set in the world of SWM's interactive saga "Transformatrix 4000."
SGI Workshop 1.11: "If YOU were hired as a writer to fill-in during the strike, spin YOUR favorite ubergirl tale in any series you like"
SGI Workshop 1.12: Villainess Month
SGI Workshop 1.13: National Supergirl

Another idea I just had would be "I want you to write ____" - This is loosely inspired by the villainess month of SGI WS 1.12 where everybodys villainess had been known before. First everybody willing to submit a story has to anounce it, then each participant decides the theme for another participant.
I don't really think this would work out in practice though.

I'll take a shot and give my two cents.

Some types of stories I love reading is origin stories. When a womans life is completely changed once she is transformed into the ubergirl of the story. Perhaps maybe a workshop titled "Choosing their path" where its about learning what they could really do and decide what to use their powers for, being a heroine, villainess or perhaps just having fun.

The "family" theme sounds interesting, as it also covers the "secret legacy" scenario (woman disovers on of her parents are/were super and her powers emerge shortly after).

The "Choosing their path" theme is a bit too similar to last years "New beginnings" theme where every story was an origin story of sorts. Don't get me wrong, I love origin stories, especially when the origin includes physical transformation and of course the most common superpower. It's just that it was used recently and pretty much every theme makes it possible to include an origin story by default.

If it was a shortstory workshop (the last one was over 5 years ago) I'd be all for "Woman gets super" - just to see how creative the reasons for a woman getting super powers can get.

Another idea from me would be "Nice girl runs out of patience" - So this is the woman that's nice to everyone and thinks that even the most evil person on earth deserves a second chance, or a third, fourth, fifth... until one day someone really crosses her line. Now she's pissed, which means no Joker immunity for anybody. At the end of the day she'll still be the good girl, but whoever pissed her of won't live until then.

Anon wrote:

njae wrote: Another idea from me would be "Nice girl runs out of patience" - So this is the woman that's nice to everyone and thinks that even the most evil person on earth deserves a second chance, or a third, fourth, fifth... until one day someone really crosses her line. Now she's pissed, which means no Joker immunity for anybody. At the end of the day she'll still be the good girl, but whoever pissed her of won't live until then.

There are already some stories with this theme (G7's Selene cames to mind), but I agree it will be agood workshop theme.

To clarify: This theme does NOT include the "Nice girl gets treated poorly, gets super powers and then takes revenge" scenario. If she gets her powers over the course of the story, then it has to be part of her revenge or at least she always had the option to gain them.

Thinking about it, this might work just as fine for a short story workshop...

As Co-Executive-Vice-Joint-Winner of this workshop, I'm happy to concede all of the topic-choosing power to JKIJ. I'm really happy to have come near the top of the poll given the strength of this workshop - seriously, not a single weak story in the bunch - but I think JKIJ's story was better and more in harmony with the theme.

Also, I had a hand in coming up with the topics for the last two workshops. So this time around I will keep my mouth shut, other than to say that I love every idea that has been mentioned in this thread so far, and I will probably love any more ideas that come along.

I've hardly written a word since wrapping up my workshop story, but I hope that I get back in the groove in time to participate in the next workshop.

Anon wrote:

njae wrote:

Anon wrote:

njae wrote: Another idea from me would be "Nice girl runs out of patience" - So this is the woman that's nice to everyone and thinks that even the most evil person on earth deserves a second chance, or a third, fourth, fifth... until one day someone really crosses her line. Now she's pissed, which means no Joker immunity for anybody. At the end of the day she'll still be the good girl, but whoever pissed her of won't live until then.

There are already some stories with this theme (G7's Selene cames to mind), but I agree it will be agood workshop theme.

To clarify: This theme does NOT include the "Nice girl gets treated poorly, gets super powers and then takes revenge" scenario. If she gets her powers over the course of the story, then it has to be part of her revenge or at least she always had the option to gain them.

Thinking about it, this might work just as fine for a short story workshop...

This explanation confuse me a little. Are you saying that the theme is not getting revenge because the character is treated poorly, but rather because she can't tendure the endless ballet between good and evil anymore?

Actually both interpretations fit here. I just wanted to make sure that her revenge is caused by the villains behavior, not the fact that she suddenly has superpowers and CAN take revenge.

In my concern, I would love reading stories based on "jealousy" theme... Ok it's pretty weird, but I really like de the idea of unfairness! Some examples:
- among two sisters, only one of her become a superhuman goddess (the youngest)
- same with two girlfriends
- a girl who should have been super watch someone else getting super by mystake or any other reasons
- etc
Any times I've begun a story, I've always used this theme (but I've never finished my stories...)

SophiePortmane wrote: In my concern, I would love reading stories based on "jealousy" theme... Ok it's pretty weird, but I really like de the idea of unfairness! Some examples:
- among two sisters, only one of her become a superhuman goddess (the youngest)
- same with two girlfriends
- a girl who should have been super watch someone else getting super by mystake or any other reasons
- etc
Any times I've begun a story, I've always used this theme (but I've never finished my stories...)

This has actually been done before in

SGI Workshop 1.4: Someone gets superpowers and this makes someone else upset

so it would be also covered in my original suggestion of reusing the old themes of the SGI workshops.

I can't say that I'm in any position to pick a new topic at the moment. I never thought I'd get close to winning, so I haven't thought about it at all. I'd be more than willing to open up the choice to a vote. What I think I would like though, if other people agree, is for the next workshop to be a short story workshop. I hadn't realised the last one was so long ago and I think I'd like to try my hand at writing something that I'm forced to keep from growing to be longer than I'd expected.

Keep the suggestions coming; the more the merrier.

I also like the idea of opening a new shortstory workshop, but I think it's better to open a separate thread for it and keep this thread only for themes for full-length stories.

Here's a list of what has been suggested so far:
Missed Opportunities: SGI Workshop Themes reloaded
"I want you to write ____"
Family
Origin story (similar to Spring 2011)
Nice girl runs out of patience
Jealousy (similar to SGI 1.4 and therefore contained in the old themes reloaded suggestion)
Blowing off the steam

Any other ideas?

I really like the Missed Opportunities idea. Already know what I'm doing if that's the route we're taking.

How about a desperate plan to stop a rampaging Ubbergirl? Like the govern doesn't know how to deal with her, the society is afraid of her powers, the other super persons don't want deal with her fearing for their lives... so it is time to a desperate measure to stop her, but what is it?

I like it

eavatar wrote: How about a desperate plan to stop a rampaging Ubbergirl? Like the govern doesn't know how to deal with her, the society is afraid of her powers, the other super persons don't want deal with her fearing for their lives... so it is time to a desperate measure to stop her, but what is it?

I like it! If it ends up being the theme, I'll submit a story.

I'm not really a writer of Ubergirl fiction, more of a reader, though I do try at times, but the 'Rampaging Ubbergirl' idea sounds fun, and I think I'd like to see and read about that.

Seems like this topic is growing more and more. Perhaps its time for a poll to decide what it will be?

Nicochara wrote: Seems like this topic is growing more and more. Perhaps its time for a poll to decide what it will be?

Actually, the winner of the current workshop decides for the next theme.

njae wrote:

Nicochara wrote: Seems like this topic is growing more and more. Perhaps its time for a poll to decide what it will be?

Actually, the winner of the current workshop decides for the next theme.

Ah, right right. My mistake. Mixed this up with the short story thread.

SophiePortmane wrote: In my concern, I would love reading stories based on "jealousy" theme... Ok it's pretty weird, but I really like de the idea of unfairness! Some examples:
- among two sisters, only one of her become a superhuman goddess (the youngest)
- same with two girlfriends
- a girl who should have been super watch someone else getting super by mystake or any other reasons
- etc
Any times I've begun a story, I've always used this theme (but I've never finished my stories...)

I've read both of your stories and I agree, a jealousy theme would be pretty fun to read and in my opinion, there aren't many stories with said theme except
A select few I've seen.