Here’s how the publisher suggests using Jason Sacher‘s The Amazing Story Generator:

The Amazing Story Generator creates thousands of different story prompts! This flipbook for writers and other creative types allows users to randomly combine three different elements to generate a unique story idea. With hundreds of settings, characters, and plots to mix and match, the possibilities are just about endless. Packed with colorful, wacky, and engaging prompts, this is the perfect tool for jump-starting fresh new short stories, novels, scripts, screenplays, and improv sessions.

Nicole Rivera of Story Dam demonstrates:

When I came across a copy of this curious little binder-book for sale at the Chronicle Books booth during the LA Times Festival of Books earlier this month, I snatched it up with the thought that it could inspire some blogging creativity. This is what it’s led me to:

Here’s what I have in mind:

On Thursdays (when I’m not posting a Throwback post or a book review), I will put up a photo of a prompt from the ASG. Based on that prompt, I’ll write:

• the catalog/jacket description for the book that would tell that story (as suggested by Kim)

or

• the first paragraph of that story

or

• a description of the principal character in the story

or

• a blurb from a review of the book telling that story

or whatever comes to mind inspired by that prompt. It could be anything, silly  or serious or in-between (but it probably will not be poetry–at least not if I’m writing it). And that leads me to one more thing:

If enough people are into this I’ll create an official linky. In the meantime, you may either respond to the prompt directly in the comments here, or leave a link to your own post that uses it. If you choose to tell the story on your own blog, please copy and paste the prompt into it…and help yourself to that “Tell-a-story Thursday” badge, too! Also, Thursday is the day that I will post prompts here–if you respond in your own space, it can go up any day you like.

–Publisher catalog copy, The Mail Drop (Winter 2015):

Jason Jacobs might be able to get arrested in this town. In fact, it might be all he can get, especially once word of that last catastrophic audition gets around. The one-time tween favorite has had more than his share of growing pains in the years since his popular kid-com was cancelled–but this one could have been a tryout for Murphy’s Law. 

Jason’s got to get Hollywood behind him in a hurry, and the last thing he’s thinking about is that promise he made to send off that letter his neighbor gave him. He hasn’t even got time to figure out where the post office is. (And anyway, doesn’t that woman know we have e-mail now?) 

But that forgotten envelope could do a lot worse than burn a hole in Jason’s pocket, and looks like he’s taking his troubles along for the ride.

So, that’s my story of a story. If you want to tell one, I want to read it!

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