It has been far too long since I've written a story, and even longer since I've written a story that I don't get a sense of regret, disgust, or failure after I've handed it to someone. I have two stories in the brainstorming stages that blossomed during the same day, though I hope to evaluate them as separate entities. Here goes.

Idea: "Happiness is finding your favorite song on the radio at 4am. Sadness is realizing there's only 20 seconds left." - me

Early Notes
Possible reasons for being awake at 4am:
can't sleep
sick/depressed
work graveyard shift
inventory (job with situational shitty hours)
deadline next morning
early shift
morning person

are all these people connected? Through one song? (good song for some, not for others)

*How would they connect?
car crash
work in same building
not all connected but flow together?
should they connect?

Song should represent theme...do they all hear the same part or would it be too cheesy to have them hear sequential parts?

Song affects mood
interconnectivity - are we all really that different
- can one song brighten/ruin any day?
- can just 20 seconds?

Is life a bittersweet symphony of interconnected people and events? should the song be revealed only at the end (cause no one knows the artist/title)?

Summary
The story so far is about a group of people affected by a few seconds of a semi-recognizable song. At this point the song is Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve but could change. The characters will hear the song through different venues such as a loudspeaker, radio, random humming, someone else singing, etc. The plot carries them through their routine but the song makes them stop. Each character will have a conflict affecting their daily routine, and the song, of course will change the way they perceive the conflict and corresponding routine.

Big areas of development
Will the song ultimately change anything? If they change their routine, what happens and is this change good?


Idea: God's Paperwork

Initial thoughts
Everyone "supposedly" is judged at the pearly white gates and given a luggage tag destination for either heaven or hell. (research who guards this gate (God, Peter, Joseph, Mary, Me?)) This story is an evaluation of the paperwork or rather the job title of being God's secretary. (much copy/fax machine humor can be had here)

Is this offensive? Should I care?

Potential funny aside: There are individuals who don't make the cut... the powers at be create a diversion during the flight down by causing a bird to excrete matter in "your" proximity. This sort of event distracts the living to the point that they miss the soul traveling downward.

Potential conflicts:
Paperwork is lost or filed incorrectly resulting in some souls going to the wrong location, someone getting sent back to earth, wrong section of heaven maybe? etc
Candidate(s) fall into a gray area and present labeling trouble
Heaven/Hell no longer has vacancy
New Heaven occupant has trouble fitting in
Secretary shows up late, or not at all (for a day) or goes on vacation
Secretary runs out of necessary office supplies
God (corporate) calls a meeting and it doesn't go well
Angry, upset clients have heartbreaking sob stories


So there we have it. Preliminary thoughts on two recent story ideas. Til next inspiration.