The Prompt
Correct an injustice in a story someone else wrote
Things To Consider
We’re writing fan-fiction today, which is, technically, a derivative work.
There are legal issues around playing in other people’s worlds, for profit, but most artists and creators (and Intellectual Property owners) have learned to be cool with people writing fan fiction for fun.
For example, if you grew up reading a series of novels and felt strongly that the hero ended up with the wrong person as their life partner, take that as the starting-point for your story. Write the story of how they encounter the right person and realize this is their soulmate…and what steps they take to make that happen.
If you loved a particular film but one of your favorite characters is killed off, write a story of how that death was actually a sham and give your favorite character a new adventure, after that moment.
If you watched a long-running TV show and had a ‘head-canon’ idea about what happened to a side character later in life, only to have the show writers bring that character back and give them a different outcome…write your version!
With all of these ideas, you do not have to start the story with backstory about the original. Just put your character in an interesting situation and, at some point in the story you may choose to have them make an allusion to, or offhand comment about the ‘wrong’ that this story is ‘righting’.
Or you may not. Likewise, all of these ideas will be rich with novels’-worth of potential, but what you are trying to write today is a short story. Remember everything you’ve learned about short stories so far:
• Center the story on one incident
• Limit the scope (in characters, settings, time) and choose your details for maximum impact.
• Aim for an emotional impact, not an immersive, novel-like experience.
If you discover that you love writing fan fiction and haven’t yet discovered the site Archive of Our Own (AO3) you might want to check it out. It might, of course, massively distract you from your other writing, so treat it with care 😉
Leave a comment and let us know how it went!
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Here’s your next Game Piece. save the image and share on social media with #storyaday
Prefer paper crafts? Here’s the cut & paste version
Playing catch-up – Posting my Day 26, a day late – I’ll still do Day 27 today as well.
https://afstoryaday.blogspot.com/2024/05/day-26-backstory-undertakers.html
I love everyone’s fanfic choices!
I’ve been using Story a Day as a break from my novel-length wip, which is a sequel to a famous detective series (now in the public domain!), and totally counts as fanfic. Inspired by today’s prompt I went back into the manuscript and reread the opening scene, edited a little, and generally looked forward to diving back in on June 1st.
“It was nice of the fairy godmother to set up the carriage for me to go to the ball and have the mice sew me that beautiful ballgown, but after conversation with the prince, I have decided he is too bland for me,” said Cinderella to no one, as she was back scrubbing floors. He was at present questioning her unattractive stepsisters in the other room. She could hear them saying ouch as the prince was shoving their ugly feet in the glass slipper, then saying, “See? Your big ugly foot with the bunions is never going to fit into that shoe! Now where is the pretty sister I met last night? Tell me!”
But they wouldn’t and that was fine with Cinderella.
Walking through the woods later that day hunting for truffles to feed her horrible stepsisters and their evil mother, a young man wearing a strange cap came riding horseback through the forest and stopped when he spotted her digging around out there.
“Looking for truffles?” he stopped to ask. As she looked up at him warily, he noticed even through the rags she was wearing and her dirty fingernails in need of a manicure from clawing the earth that at first nearly made him continue to ride off, he could now see the cutest young woman he’d ever laid eyes on. She looked about 16. He jumped from his horse and went right to work with her, soon locating a treasure trove of truffles right beside a tree stump.
“How did you spot them so fast?” Cinderella asked him, amazed.
“Oh, I just have a sixth sense about truffles,” he said. “I often feed them to the poor.”
While loading up a huge bag of the costly truffle treasure, he told her how his mission was to steal from the rich to give to the poor. When Cinderella heard this, she told him she knew where he could find some pearls, diamond jewelry and stuff, and agreed to hop on his horse with him, since he was even more handsome than the prince and vastly more interesting, and they rode to her home. Galloping on the way there, she felt a warm rush like she’d never felt before while sitting on the horse holding onto this adorable guy.
Arriving at the mansion, he helped her down from his horse and they tip-toed quietly to where the action was. The stepmother and her girls were sitting in the kitchen grumbling about how long it was taking Cinderella to find truffles. “What in the world is taking her so long?” one said, just as Cinderella’s hero ran to the clothesline outside and ripped it apart, saving the rope part for something.
“We’re going to tie up the ugly women,” he said.
“OK with me,” Cinderella replied, as they rushed inside to surprise the women.
Once they had them tied up, the daredevil and Cinderella sat in the kitchen enjoying some truffles he had just prepared as the ugly women sat begging for their lives.
“Now we have to decide,” her champion said. “Should we live here, or in the tent I have set up out in the forest?”
This was an easy decision for Cinderella to make.
That was a nice variation of the original, Valerie. Cinderella’s Knight not exactly in the shining armor, may have been modelled after Robin Hood or someone similar, though I am not sure if the great Champ of the poor, had a sixth sense for collecting truffles or not.
I also like how the women, Cinderella’s Stepmother and her daughters – got their dues in the end.
I have no doubt that Cinderella will eventually end up with her companion in the tent in the woods.
Good one. Keep writing. Best wishes.
Thanks Rathin, and it was Robin Hood with the truffles. Of course he was a master at finding truffles.
With all the fictional world to choose from I did the predictable, and wrote a Star Trek TNG fan fic. My initial idea was that it’s unfair that the Ferengi are always treated as both laughable and despicable because of their unrelenting commitment to profit, when in our society we reward and often admire people like that. But the story got away from me when Nicholas van Rijn (from Poul Anderson’s Polesotechnic League stories) arrived, argued on their behalf, and ultimately outsmarted them.
And while I’m nerding out, one of my favorite bits of fan fiction was when Terry Pratchett introduced a character in his Discworld series who was clearly Robert Howard’s Conan the Barbarian.
Walter,
Right? He barely even changed the name!
Damn, I miss Sir Terry…
The turtle moves!
-Andy
Cohen … do you think he was Jewish?
And in case you missed it, here is the Ankh-Morpork National Anthem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya9MK4y3R3w
Here is my take on Cinderella. I am not sure how much of this version is the actual story because I can’t remember the actual story from my childhood. Hopefully, there is something new in here.
https://tessadeanauthor.com/2024/05/26/fan-fiction-storyaday-2024-day-26/
Teresa, I have just read your blog-story. It is extremely well-crafted. The language – superb.
But I’m sorry to say that your version is not much different from the original one. Would have been if the shoe had fitted one of the sisters or something like that happened. But then that would have taken the charm away from the original story. Don’t you think so?
Keep writing to inspire. Stay blessed and all the very best wishes.
Thank you for your kind words. I was afraid it was much like the original because like I said I couldn’t really remember the story and was afraid the original had influenced my take on it. I needed more time for that one I think.
I did not follow the prompt. The characters from the last two days are still in my head, and I couldn’t come up with one story I’d want to rewrite(with as much as I read, I’m sure there’s *something*, just couldn’t think of anything when I sat down to write). Instead, my thoughts came out in poem form(a rarity for me). Just 59 words today.
(I have recently finished reading Freida McFadden’s “The HouseMaid”. I’ve enjoyed going through it immensely and my story today is based on the last scene before the epilogue. Nina and Andrew’s mother, Mrs. Evelyn Winchester have a one-sided conversation going on. One-sided as Evelyn, is mostly doing the talking.
“If you don’t take care of your teeth, then you lose the privilege to have teeth.” She tells Nina at one point.
“Andrew knew that.He knew that was my rule. When I pulled out one of his baby teeth with pliers, I thought he understood.” She continues.
Nina is too afraid of what’s coming out of her mother-in-law’s mouth to think properly of a reply.
“It’s such a shame that he never learned.” Nina heard her continuing. “I’m glad you stepped up and taught him a lesson.” She goes out, leaving Nina behind, awe-struck!
Though I liked the way Andrew was tortured by Millie, the housekeeper in the dingy attic room and murdered in the end, I felt Nina, the main plotter of the murder, the one who put the idea of ‘teaching Andrew a lesson’ in Millie’s head, got away scott free.
As I believe no criminal or criminal offence deserves to go scott free, I’d have liked Nina either to be put behind the bars or murdered in the end as well. My present story is written based on that presumption.)
MONEYLUST
Andrew’s funeral is finally over. All the mourners, including the Winchesters, Robert and Evelyn, are gone. Nina has played her part of a heart-broken widow to perfection.
Now, only one thing remains. The Winchester House has already been put on auction. She’ll make sure that Enjo, the handsome hunk and Millie each got a year’s salary deposited in their banks. She owed it to them.
“Good riddance,” she murmurs to herself as she hails a cab.
Now, all she has to do is to pick up Cece, her daughter Cecelia from the Hotel. Enjo called her just a while ago asking her what was keeping her for so long.
The thought of spending the last night together with Enjo makes Nina break into a smile for the first time since the morning. She won’t force him if he isn’t willing. But a last, maddening ride in the bed together (Cece, by now, will be sound asleep in their room, she’d made sure that the little angel, had no inkling of what was to happen between the big guy Enjo and her in his room) would make it up for the last few days’ of immeasurable anxiety, pretensions and fears.
Enjo looks darned sexy in his usual T-shirt showing off his muscular physique. As he rolls up the sleeve of his left arm casually, the tattoos show thorough.
“Hi,” he greets her giving her an appreciating look. “Even in black, you look gorgeous. By the way, Cece won’t be awake for hours.”
Though his English is flawless, his tone rings a bell somewhere!
That was the hint she needed from him. The next moment they were undressing in a hurry, hungry to feast on one another.
In bed, Enjo’s a sheer joy.
“You’re rich now, Miss.” He whispers in Nina’s ear afterwards.
Lying beside him, Nina cradles her head on his chest. “I won’t forget you. I’ve already made arrangements for money worth your 1 year’s salary to be deposited in your bank….” She respons dreamily.
There was a quizzical look on Enjo’s face as he leaps out of the sheet, into his suit lying on the floor.
“I’ve one last request though. I want you to accompany me to The Winchester House for one last time for a reason. Coming?”
Nina smells danger at the mere mention of the haunted house. But she knows she owes it to him. Didn’t he accompany her when she made a similar request last time.
“But what about Cece?” She queries looking up at him with her pale blue eyes, reluctant to leave the bed.
“Be back in half hour, I promise,” he replies, kissing her gently on the lips once more.
As Enjo wants to get inside the house, they leave the car on the driveway and Nina still has the extra key luckily. They both step in the dark house holding on to one another. He seems in a hurry. So they race up past their master bedroom, past Cece’s room to the thick wooden door at the end of the hallway, up the narrow, dark stairway to the frightening attic room.
Enjo stops and fumbles with the door knob.
“I’ve to show you something inside for the last time.”
Nina stands like a statue as the door creaks open. Once inside, she is too panicky to switch the powerful flashlights on.
“What’s it, Enjo? Why did you bring me here?”
Those horrible memories are too painful and fresh.
But Enjo is not beside her anymore! She realises too late once again what has happened. He has locked her from outside!
From where did he get the key? How?
“Enjo. What’s this? You can’t act that monster even if you try,” Nina stiff, whimpers from inside.
“Wrong dear. We men are all the same in a lot of ways.”
Nina finds terror streaming through every fibre of her being.
“What do you want!” She asks feebly.
“A larger share of the booty?”
“The booty! The inheritance is rightfully mine. I’m still the moron’s legally married wife!” She retorts on her quaking legs.
“OK, then. I left all that I withdrew from the bank in my bag on the table. Let me out and I’ll hand over all the cash.” She please, realising immediately her mistake of talking about the withdrawn money.
“Please let me out.” She is about to pound on the door but withdraws her hand at the last moment, thinking of how her hands hurt for days even after all the medicine.
“I’ll, on one condition. I know you still have the whole bunch of the $100 bills in your pocket. I want you to take out the lot and swallow the first one on top down your throat. Remember, one at a time.”
(God! Did he ever sneak up to overhear Andrew, in his sober voice, trying to put the Fear of God in her? He must have, otherwise, how come he’s adopting a similar tone now?)
“The moment you finish swallowing all the notes, I’ll be back and let you out…” He says politely backing away from the door.
Nina’s heart jumps to her mouth as she finds herself leaning against the door and kneeling down – all her strength drained! She doesn’t have an ounce of energy left to fight anyone anymore.
“Why Enjo? Why? Didn’t I treat you right all along?” She hears someone wailing from inside her.
“Nope. You wanted to jab the lion’s share and leave the country after giving us the eyewash.”
“Eyewash!” Is he forgetting his English? He must be. Otherwise, what is this loony talking about?
“I’ve to go, Love. I’ll be back in an hour or two. Cece might need me you know…” says he with a finality as his footsteps start receding in the distance.
Painstakingly Nina takes the whole bunch of the hundred-dollar-bills out of her pocket. President Franklin looks askance at her from the centre as the bill gleans in the dim light coming from the small window in the opposite end.
She has to do it for Cece’s sake….
The end
Rathin, I’m a little lost about who Enjo is. There are a lot of characters involved which made some of it hard for me to figure out but I think the jist is Nina is a sick person and the only thing she cares about besides money is her daughter Cece. The reason Enjo is mad at her is only because she tried to take most of the money for herself so he makes her pay by eating money. I can’t understand the teeth pulling either. Probably Andrew will figure it out and post what I’m not picking up.
Lovely, Valerie. You got it all right. Enjo in Freida McFadden’s novel is the gardener of The Winchesters.
I enjoyed reading this thriller a lot. You can give it a reading if you have the time.
Best wishes.