This month I’m encouraging you to write stories in non-narrative forms. Last week was a story as a list, this week we’re back to one of my favorites: letters!
The Prompt
Write a story in the form of a series of letters/updates
Tips
- The ‘letters’ can be anything really: letters, journal entries, log entries, found documents, Tweets, Facebook updates…
- The letters might come from only one person — in which case we hear only one side of the story.
- The letters might come from various sources and in various time periods.
- You might mix letters with documentary evidence (school report cards, obituaries clipped from a newspaper, a termination document from an employer).
- Your writing might be in the form of a ‘gospel’ for a new religious or political cult.
- Your story might be the log entries left behind after a disaster.
- Your updates might show the slow unraveling of an online scam on GoFundMe.
- There are so many ways you can tell a story that don’t involve expository writing. Have fun with this!
- This might grow to be a bigger project than you can handle in one day…
This is amazing and just the confirmation I need. I’ve written a series of Children’s adventure stories, set in a missionary family in Africa… all in the form of letters to their friends back home. (Adventure, suspense, culture, and lessons learned) I’m now compiling them into one book.
Oh, that sounds so fun!
This was written for a 100 word story challenge
The Last Expedition of Mavis Richter
Day 1: Equipment arrived safely. Spent the day assembling telescope and yurt. Should have requested extra blankets. Nights are below zero now.
Day 2: New telescope is powerful – felt like I was floating among the stars last night. No unusual activity noted. Should have requested back-up generator. Old one is on the fritz.
Day 3: Strange lights in the sky after midnight. Generator died. Should have requested kindling. Tried to build a fire. Not much here will burn.
Day 4: Lights were back. Seemed to be a dozen. Should have requested rescue flare gun.
Day 5 : Help ……..
I love this format!
What an interesting story – well done
Thanks 🙂
Intriguing. I wonder where she was…and where she is now…
There was a photo for the prompt and you know how writing goes, you get the initial idea and then the story just takes over. With only 100 words, I think you must leave much to the reader’s imagination.
PS Did I see a story by you on 50words.com? Congrats!
Taht was me! I try to send a story every month. I’ve had a pretty good acceptance rate so far. It’s quite a challenge.