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The Prompt
Tell a story of an inanimate object in 100 words
Things To Consider
You may want to anthropomorphize the object, giving it a personality and desires and a level of agency that makes sense for your story OR how about telling a story about why it’s important in the life of a character — or more than one character?
(Top tip: if you have a novel on the go, or other stories you have written before, use this as a chance to deepen an existing character’s backstory.
Why do they care about this object and what can it tell you as you write more stories about them?
These details don’t need to turn up in your 100 word story, but probably will inform your future writing.)
100 word stories are a great chance to practice ‘show, don’t tell’, the art of putting the reader in a scene and not over-explaining. Drop us right into the situation and hint at either the problem or the resolution.
Remember: the more specific a detail, the more realistic and universal a story seems. Odd, but true.
A story this small may be easiest to write by describing one moment, but I bet some of you are going to greet that suggestion with a cocked eyebrow and an ‘oh-ho, watch me tell a four-century story in 100 words’. Good for you. I can’t wait to read it 🙂
Leave a comment and let us know how it went!
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There is something so satisfying about checking the 100 word story box. I need to get better at showing not telling, so this goes in the polishing pile, but it’s cathartic to pour the words on the page, keep an eye on the count, and cut it off at 100. I’m not sure why. Anyhow, thank you.
She’s lying on me, the spaces between her curvy body accentuated by the taut, flat shape of myself. This is the first time we’ve been together like this. She moves her hips up and down and with each move I become more excited. Now she’s put her hands flat on my chest and her knees further down my body and she’s moving her torso back and forth. When she brought me home from Walmart today, I heard her say that I’m the chaise lounge of her dreams. I’m very lucky to have this beautiful woman practice yoga moves on me.
True story. 100 words
I picked a meadow, which is technically kind of an object maybe? But hey, I did it, and I am 3 for 3 on days. Woo!
3 out of 3.
Like so many of you, I chose an object hanging on the wall – in this case my guitar, which has developed a severe case of envy over the computer, which I seem to lavish more attention on, these days. Poor jealous six-string.
This one checked all my boxes! Love 100 word stories and have had an idea for writing the stories of some antiques I inherited. Each piece has a paper attached underneath with its history – purchase date, who owned it and addresses it lived at. I’ve always wanted to write the stories that go along with each owner and address. So to fit the prompt I wrote a flash version of the 3 owners of The Hutch. I edited it to 100 words exactly, but I will probably return and expand it. This got ideas flowing about writing the other stories too.
I wrote about slime =) My kids love it, and I hate it, so I gave it a say this time.
Love this idea!
lol. That sounds fun. 🙂
Day 3 done for me! Came out at 109 words, but thats okay. I chose to write about an antique clock hanging on the wall & overseeing many important events in a families history! It was fun to give character to something in this way (:
Oh, I like that idea!
I’m three for three! I even got today’s story to exactly 100 words.
Superstar!
With only 100 words, I went with a poem. I didn’t have to think about what object to use, as one sprang directly to mind, an MC’s hockey jersey, now hidden in the back of a storage room but once loved so very much! And quite a melodramatic garment, as it turns out.
The poem wound up at 113 words, but I deem this Close Enough. (I could cut 13 words, but then I’d need to restructure the rhythm, and, well, the point of this project isn’t to revise things.)
Close Enough is definitely an official StoryADay Win Condition!
I loved this! I wrote about the watercolour fan brush in the paint brush jar on my desk . Pick Me! Pick Me! and then he eloquently explains why. May turn this into a poem later.
Here’s a nutty little experiment in 2nd person:
You know she’s going to ignore you again. Oh, she’ll look you over, worried eyebrows raised, lips pursed. You know she’s thinking she ought to clean you and use you. Daydreaming, you remember her hands, wet and warm, cradling you every morning. On your lucky days, she visited you at night, too. Drawn by your blinking light, she held you close, gently letting you inside. And, oh, you can’t forget those rare noon interludes. You shudder, treasuring those blissful times, before the pain. She must realize you didn’t cause the cracked tooth. Why else would she keep you here, waiting.
I actively adore this.
Thanks, Andy B!
Love this!
Thanks, Julie! It was fun to write.
The wind-up duck that sits on my desk, who rides his trike in a circle while the propellers spin on his hat. I wrote it in the second person because I never do. Usually, no matter who does it, I think second person narrative winds up feeling forced, and pulls the reader out of the story, but I think it worked in this bit of micro, which is short enough that you don’t get tired of it. The narrator looms large, even though “I” is never written. Backstory and resolution are both implied, not explicit.
This description is 100 words.
That is very meta. You may win Day 3, Walter.
Your last line about a 4 century story made me giggle. The first time I did a 100wd challenge it really did span 500 years. Still one of my favourite shorts (it was a challenge to write but came out beautifully.)
I love the warm up exercises. It gets my mind going. The story does not seem to relate to the exercise, so that’s weird. But whatever works!
That’s fantastic!
MMM, not 100 words, 99 one short. I took the idea of a story on a different path and wrote a limerick/poem.
https://afstoryaday.blogspot.com/2024/05/day-3-dice-goblin-and-me.html
Insane – I just added the letter ‘a’ and now I’ve got 100 words. 5d20’s there.
And don’t you feel smart, now?
Done. Exactly 100 words. Kind of silly. I may need to drink more coffee. 😉
I sit on the counter, dripping wet, waiting for you to return to me. The clock tick tick ticks each second away as the light fades and then slowly returns. I cannot count how much time passes, only know that it does. Until a light flips on down the hall and slow footsteps approach. Light fills the room once more, illuminating my position. A hand wraps softly around me, cradling me in your soft embrace. A long sigh as warmth fills me and then you bring me to your lips. “Ah, coffee, how I have missed you, my old friend.”
Omg. I love that story. That’s exactly how I feel about coffee. Great job
Perfect!
There’s so many reasons we get along… 😉
This is great!
I hope I got the prompt right this time. Here is my 100-Worder :
The Story of A Naked Purse :
I’m a Lord Govinda Deva believer now!
Integral part of my master, I know him inside out – his forgetfulness plus unshakeable faith.
Boarding the bus that day, he handed the fare in coins. He realised my naked state while plucking me out of pocket at the terminus,
Putting Lord’s picture tucked inside me to head, he called missus, told the minibus Conductor :
“My wife’s gonna pay when I get off. May I get in?”
“Nice bloke. Most cheaters indulge in daylight robbery cooking some lame pretexts. In, Man.”
He travelled miles that day with an empty me, in full faith!
The End
Day 3 done. 112 words. My story is about a sunflower that a little girl goes to visit. Inspired by a coworker that past away in 2022. Her favorite flower was the sunflower.
What a lovely way to remember her.