Writing Prompt: Choose a book, write a spoof and submit to Writer’s Digest Reject a Hit.
“In each issue of Writer’s Digest magazine, we ask one reader to step into the role of the unconvinced, perhaps even curmudgeonly or fool-hearted editor. . .
If you’d like to be the one doing the rebuffing, channel the most clueless of editors by humorously rejecting a hit in 300 words. . .
Reject a Hit is humorous, but not mean-spirited. It is not the place to list all the reasons you hate a particular book. To help you understand the spirit of Reject a Hit, browse through the archives of published rejections.”
Books that have been spoofed in the Writer’s Digest Magazine, Reject a Hit column (last page of the magazine):
Note: Amy Marincik (March/April 2013) and Daniel Ari (July/Aug. 2014) are Sonoma County writers (home of The Write Spot Blog). Amy has participated in writing workshops facilitated by Marlene Cullen (host of The Write Spot Blog) and Daniel has been a Writers Forum presenter twice. We liked him so much, we asked him back.
2013
January Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
March/April Great Expectations, spoofed by Amy Marincik
May/June Burning Down My Masters’ House: My Life at the NY Times
July/August The Exorcist
October The Lorax
Nov/Dec The Hobbit
2014
January The Road
February The Old Man and The Sea
March/April Good Night Moon
May/June Tess of the D’Urbevilles
July/Aug Tulips & Chimmeys, spoofed by Daniel Ari
September The Shining
October Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy
Nov/Dec Runny Babbitt: A Billy Sook
2015
February Our Mutual Friend
Mar/April Middlemarch
May/June A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning
July/August First Blood
September The Bonfire of the Vanities
October Inferno
Nov/Dec Winnie-the-Pooh
2016
January The Scarlet letter
Your Turn: Come on now, you can do this. Choose a book, write a humorous rejection and submit to Writers Digest Reject a Hit.
