Saturday, November 21, 2009

Brainstorming Resources for Writers at Generator Land

In addition to its ridiculousness, GeneratorLand.com offers some valuable writing resources for writers who need a little brain kickstart.

Character Name Generator
Not only does it provide a name (pulled from census data), but it also provides an occupation and location. Some examples:
  • Benny Davis, fearless mountaineer from Saint Louis
  • Dwight Coppin, lonely drummer from Arlington
  • Amalia Westrick, exhibitionist street vendor from Columbus
TV Show Pitch Generator
Helps you come up with a fairly complete TV Show concept, including cast. While some results a clearly ludicrous there are gems to be found. Some examples:
  • A nun with a heart of gold stalks a zoologist who cries uncontrollably. Stars Mary Tyler Moore and Christopher Lloyd. Genre: Mini-Series
  • A marijuana farmer who can't find happiness reviews bad theater with a pro football player who is accused of a murder. Stars Steven Wright and Marg Helgenberger. Genre: Action
  • A perennial bachelor who can't find happiness competes for a prime job against a rapper who runs a chocolate shop. Stars Chevy Chase and Nancy McKeon. Genre: Sci-Fi
Soap Digest Generator
Looking for a plot twist? Need to keep things fresh in an ongoing story? This might be just what you're looking for. Many of the plot devices were taken from actual soap operas. Some examples:
  • Michael rescues the stalker. Todd warns Malibu in the ladies room. Bradley toys with Lucky.
  • Dylan suggests a wicked plan to Dolf. Jared foils a plot with Chloe at the bonfire party. Kelly questions Baldwin.
  • Brit urges on Olive. Greenlee has a drink and a discussion with Kayle at the farmer's market. Lulu crumples into a whimpering pile at the feet of Bliss.
Subdivision Name Generator
Need a name for your story's location. If it's in the suburbs, this tool will be invaluable. Some examples:
  • Rustling Swan Springs
  • Sandy Quail Bay
  • Golden Brothers Farms
First Name Generator
If you want your characters to have unique first names or you're writing fantasy novels you can get them here with a few clicks. Some examples:
  • Phernix
  • Nalvael
  • Philaver
  • Christaigeal
Newspaper Headline Generator
Want to write a story around a specific event? While some of the "news" generated by this tool is best left for The Onion, you may stumble across a few very interesting situations. Some examples:
  • Brodhead Homecoming Queen Makes Hay About Hunter At Brothel
  • Tar Junction Man Steals Squirrel Secretly
  • Waco Hippie Vandalizes Piano At Crawfish Boil
Horror Movie Title Generator
Need a B-Movie title? You're sure to scare up a few perfectly ridiculous ones here. For example:
  • The Sinister Insane Hiccup of the Undead
  • Beware the Self-Involved Chicken Part VII
  • Attack of the Gruesome Freak from Hell

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Best Free Windows Mobile Apps

There are some great apps for Windows Mobile out there, although you wouldn't know it these days and a lot of them are free. Here's a list of some of the great free apps I've downloaded to my AT&T Tilt. Note: Check out pocketpcfreeware.com for a huge library of free WM apps.
  • AgileNotes: Great note-taking app.
  • Google Maps: The best mobile mapping app. If you have GPS on your phone it's even better.
  • Klaxon: I simple and effective alarm app.
  • MyTravlr: Surprisingly robust travel companion with weather, international clocks, and more.
  • Opera: The second best mobile browser.
  • Skyfire: The best mobile browser. Includes great social networking features.
  • Viigo: A very full-featured RSS/Podcast client. Amazing it's free.
  • PockeTwit: A full featured, polished Twitter client.