TL;DR Try your hand at writing. Read some stories in here, let your imagination wander. It's not that hard. If you can write, you are a writer. You might worry you are not a 'good' writer, but that's subjective, and can change. The challenge is to write that first draft without editing and second-guessing your every word. Flash Fiction is... Read more →
This is another repeat prompt, dealing with structure this time. I see writers in various forums talking about churning out 170,000 word drafts. These are touch typists I assume,. or fans of speech to text apps, and an admirable accomplishment. But then I often hear them complaining that the plot is stuck, or characters are messed up, or they just... Read more →
I did this a few years ago, let's try again. Write in the present tense, as in simple tense, "Bob clubs the seal". Or present progressive, "I am chopping a cord of firewood". It's a bit of a challenge to focus on it, but it makes the action seem immediate and intimate. It forces the reader to see everything through... Read more →
I like this prompt. It was originally from the Blog Terrible Minds, for this prompt in 2012. Let's try the idea again. This time, follow this link, for nine 'interesting' photos at a time from Flickr. From those, pick three, and use those as inspiration for a short story, 1000 words max. By noon, September 29, or your best shot.... Read more →
Many moons have passed since I first set this challenge, back in 2020. I've re-started my FFF prompts, a few times, but am stuck here . This was a prompt from ages ago, from a friend and an Instagram site. Originally from a writing prompt channel on Reddit. Thousands of responses on Reddit to the idea. Prompt - It's 3... Read more →
It's been a while since I wrote something, other than a lot of posts on The Facebook and The Twitter. I'm not sure why, but I'll try again. This was a story idea I had back in November of 2019, as I considered the upcoming stress many feel over Christmas. Ah, those stress free pre-COVID days! Unfortunately, one side affect... Read more →
Yes, it's been a while. Christmas trauma, this COVID thing, landlord renos, yada yada. Whatever. Here's a prompt a friend passed on, via an Instagram site , although the original seems to be via Reddit. It's 3 AM. An official phone alert wakes you up. It says "DO NOT LOOK AT THE MOON". You have hundreds of notifications. Hundreds of... Read more →
Edit - did this in April, 2022. Holidays are approaching, and the days are getting shorter, the weather colder. At least here, in Canada. It's a time of year to stress our character, and our relationship with others. For better or worse. Write a story examining a character, and the way they manage their stress. Use this random generator to... Read more →
You're sitting in an old school tavern, not your usual hang-out, but an interesting place. Some people may not be who/what they seem to be. Of course. Give us a story, your choice of genre. Oh, and you need to incorporate a random object. Throw the dice, pick your object from here. I'm late with this prompt, but I'll back-date... Read more →
I need a newer and more complicated prescription for my glasses, so have made several visits to the optometrist already. In the future, we may never need to wear corrective lenses, but in the meantime, the prompt is to use glasses in a story. Special glasses, whether through science or magic, but they will be no ordinary pair. Image by... Read more →
This week, with Halloween approaching, I'd like you to write about the holiday. Not from the point of view of kids, teenagers, or even suburbanites. Try some pensioners - in a home, on a beach, lost in space - your choice. 1000 words max, due next Friday, November 1st, the day after All Hallow's Eve. Image from here. Read more →