[Writing Prompt] Twitter Fiction

OK, so that was a fairly large story you wrote yesterday and you’ve probably got some ‘life’ that you’ve been neglecting while you wrote. So today you’re getting a bit of a break.

(And remember, the prompts are always optional)

The Prompt

Write a story of no more than 140 characters

Tips

  • Bonus credit: post it on Twitter and follow up with a Tweet explaining to everyone that you’re taking part in StoryADay May and that they should really think about joining in, yes, even now, even though they’re late to the party. That’s when all the people who like to think they’re cool turn up anyway…
  • Remember that with a story this short, most of the story is untold, implied, imagined by the reader.
  • This story will not be quick simply because it is short
  • Use one of your favorite story sparks for this tiny story. Yes, I mean it. Use up a really good story idea on this. That way you’ll be forced to look around today, for more Story Sparks.
  • Are you starting to notice that, after five days of writing, you’re seeing Story Sparks all around you? Are you listening harder to what people tell you? Are you reading more carefully when you get the chance? Are you starting to do that wonderfully creative thing and see connections all over the place?
  • If you’re having second thoughts about writing (especially if you’re drawing from your real life) remember that you don’t have to show these stories to anyone. Even if you write a blistering portrait of your boss, no-one has to ever see it — especially not in the first draft. Worry about disguising your sources later, when we talk about revision next month!

Go!

Post about your writing day in the comments below or join the Victory Dance group in the community for more accountability.

[Writing Prompt] 2000 Words

It’s Sunday, but it’s no day of rest for we writers.

The Prompt

Write A Story of Around 2,000 Words

Tips

  • This is a common length for editors to request from new writers in fiction publications. It’s a length that allows you to display some style and character development, without getting too carried away and lost in the woods.
  • Remember that, even at this length, you’ve only got a maximum of around 1600 words to tell the actual story. Try to get to the first really interesting event by the time you’ve written 500 words.
  • At this length, it might be helpful to do some planning. Take your idea, think of a character and their defining characteristic, pop them into a setting and think about how you might give them some conflict (that relates to their character strengths/flaws).
  • You have room for some supporting characters at this length, but remember that word ‘supporting’. They are there to teach the reader something about the main character, not so much about themselves. This isn’t a novel, with subplots and fans who’ll create a wiki…

Post a comment below to let us know you’ve written today, or join the community and post in the Victory Dance Group, for extra support and accountability!

Don’t forget you could be receiving these prompts every day by email, if you’re not already. Sign up here.

[Guest Prompt] Heidi Durrow – Passions

[Ooo, I’m particularly excited about this one. This is a challenging prompt but one that should yield some great stories, since character and conflict are at the heart of the story – JD]

The Prompt

The Energy of Passions & Obsessions

You become what you think about all day long.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Passions and obsessions are great starting points for stories. So what if a character has a passion or obsession but the character has extreme difficulty fulfilling that dream. For example, a character could have an extreme passion with exotic birdwatching, but he can’t fulfill his greatest wish because he is a poor child living in a big city. What does the character do to fulfill his obsession? What happens to the character when he can’t? What does the fulfillment of the obsession or passion mean to the character?  


Heidi Durrow is the New York Times best-selling author of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky (Algonquin Books) which won the PEN/Bellwether Prize. She is the founder of the Mixed Remixed Festival, an annual film & book festival in Los Angeles.

[Guest Prompt] Mary Robinette Kowal

The Prompt

Work the words vermillion and musky somewhere in the next 250 words you write.

Mary Robinette Kowal is the author of the GLAMOURIST HISTORIES series of historical fantasy novels, and the 2011 Hugo Award-winning short story “For Want of a Nail.” Her short fiction appears in Clarkesworld, Cosmos and Asimov’s. Mary, a professional puppeteer, lives in Chicago. Visit her online at maryrobinettekowal.com.

[Writing Prompt] 640 Words

So how did you get on yesterday?

Did you write? Did you leave a comment on the blog post, or do your Victory Dance?

Hooray, you’ve made it to Saturday. I hope you’re one of those lucky people for whom Saturday means a break from the regular responsibilities of the week. But likely you’re not. So: tough. We’re writers and we write whether we’re on ‘vacation’ from real life or not 😉

Today we’re striking a happy medium between the lengths of story we’ve played with already.

The Prompt

Write A Story of 640 Words

Tips

  • This is about the length of a newspaper column (remember them?). Enough room to tell a story but not much room for florid language.
  • Pay attention as you write, to how long it’s taking you to write, on average. This will help you set realistic goals about how much time you really need to set aside to produce good creative work.
  • Pay attention to your writing style as you write today. Which length of story has felt more comfortable to you?
  • Make sure you finish all your stories this week. Even if you have to write “[FILL IN DETAILS HERE LATER]”, try to get to the end of the story every time. Have you been finishing your stories? What has this taught you about getting to the meat of the story quickly?

 

Go!

(And don’t forget to celebrate when you’re finished, by commenting below or doing your victory dance.)

[Guest Prompt] Therese Walsh – Magnetic Words


THERESE WALSH is the author of The Moon Sisters and the cofounder of Writer Unboxed. She lives in upstate New York with her husband and two children.

The Prompt

Imagine your protagonist has just opened a large magnetic poetry kit. Which words call to him/her? Will s/he put these words on the refrigerator in a random scattering or compose a sentence? Share your words and sentences here.

Tips

  • If you don’t have a magnetic poetry set (what?!) you can play online
  • You can write a whole story based on the words you select or you can show the scene where they select words.

GO!