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Writing Challenge

Iconic

For some of us, blogging is personal. Others are trying to educate or entertain; many more are hybrids. Yet we’re…

For some of us, blogging is personal. Others are trying to educate or entertain; many more are hybrids. Yet we’re all storytellers. Creative Writing Challenges help you to push your writing boundaries, show off your blogging chops, and, hopefully, spark more post ideas.

To participate, tag your post with DPchallenge or leave a link to it in the comments. (It would also be great if you could link to this post to encourage people to take part – the more the merrier!) Please be sure your post has been specifically written in response to this challenge. We’ll keep an eye on the tag and highlight some of our favorite posts on Freshly Pressed on Friday.

Every city, every culture, and every religion has iconic symbols that embody its essence. For New York, it may be the Empire State Building, Katz’s Deli, or those ubiquitous I ♥ New York t-shirts. For rock and roll fans, it may be leather jackets, vinyl records, or some oversized headphones to capture every bit of musical glory. Either way, certain items take on the persona and symbolism of particular cultures and places in our lives.

The Obelisco de Buenos Aires

The Obelisco de Buenos Aires

On a recent trip, I snapped this photo of the Obelisco de Buenos Aires. While it looks quite a bit like the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, an icon in and of itself, the Obelisco is a symbol of Buenos Aires, along with tango and the Casa Rosada. Coupled with the surrounding architecture, this photo will automatically scream Argentina to me any time I look at it.

For this week’s challenge, we want you to snap a photo of something that is iconic to you. It can be a local pizza joint in your town that is unlike any other and conjures up memories of home whenever you’re away. It can be a photograph of a religious statue that’s been handed down from generations in your family that symbolizes your beliefs. Or it can even be a picture of your favorite pair of shoes that you wear nearly every day and has come to personify your personal style.

Then, pull some inspiration from our previous “1,000 Words” challenges and write a story using your picture. Of course, you can give us the real story behind your icon, but if you’re itching for a more creative challenge, try these ideas on for size:

  • Make up a legend about the origin of your icon of choice
  • If your photo is of a place or monument, tell a story with your symbol as the setting
  • Revisit your icon as an archeologist 500 years in the future, and try to discern its significance
  • Personify your symbol and tell its story from its own perspective

We’re wrapping up our Phoneography Month, so put your newfound tips to the test and take your own picture to accompany your post. However, if you’re not able to capture your own photo this week, don’t forget to check out Krista’s fantastic tips for finding and attributing Creative Commons photos.

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  3. OMG Erica this is too funny! Just over the weekend we have launched a blog on WordPress to help to raise attention and finds for a semester of high school aboard a tall ship. Bethany’s inspiration and where she got the travel bug was from a driving tour of Alberta (our home) and all the unusual big things… ummm ICONS.

    Just last night she put up a series of entries of all of them. Mostly I just wanted to point out the coincidence but if it drives the interest and sends more people perhaps it will help us with our crowdfunding efforts… too funny!

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  23. The tall white building is the Martial Law Authority amulet. It symbolizes keeping Martial Law Authority contained.

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