Today you’re not just going to write one story. You’re going to write three!
The Prompt
Click on this photo.
Flick through the gallery and pick the first three pictures that catch your attention. Now, write a short, 50-100 word story for each. No more than 100 words each.
Tips
- Your stories can link together or not.
- You may discover a theme that ties them together as you write the stories. You may discover it afterwards. You may never discover a common thread among the three pictures you write about. (Your readers might.)
- Try doing something different for each story. Make one a monologue, one a fragment of conversation, another a more traditional narrative telling the reader something about the incident/person in the story.
- Do this as quickly as you can. Don’t spend any time wondering why you picked the pictures or whether what you’re writing is strictly a ‘story’. Just work fast and move on.
- You don’t have to write about three. If you find yourself writing a longer story inspired by one of the pictures, feel free to continue.
- You don’t have to tell the story of the person in the picture. The key is to write something ‘inspired by’ the picture. It could be someone telling the story of his grandmother (pictured) or it could a story that evokes the emotions you felt when you looked at the picture.
- You can write more than three if you feel inspired. Just keep them short. I’m interested in seeing what ideas pour out of your heads, after three full weeks of writing a story a day.
- Try to let us know which pictures you used for which story, if you’re sharing your stories online.
Go!
Distraction just loves to get between me and writing. Here it is: https://storiesin5minutes.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/slices-of-life-storyaday-post/
Ah, I hate it when life gets in the way of good writing. Here’s my attempt:
https://unusualstrangeness.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/story-a-day-challenge-day-24-pocketful-of-tales/
I’ve been very quiet here – had an idea that I’d revise everything before sharing, but that’s got me swamped. I loved this one, and used the idea of Trip and T’Pol exploring Tucker family photo albums, in the wake of grief.
Here’s my stories:
“Such a Sad Smile”
“Halloween. Lizzie’s Sweet Sixteen party, and the groom never showed up – he was screwing her best friend. But she was so brave. She wore the dress and the veil, even threw the bouquet at midnight like they’d planned.Smiled all night, and never cried till everyone went home. Such a sad smile though- you remind me so much of her, sometimes, pepperpot. Both of you – toughing it out, while your hearts are broken and your souls shattered. Come here, let me hold you – both of you. Maybe hugs can’t make this better, but they can’t hurt, either.”
“She and I”
“We’re no different, she and I.” A whisper, as a tear falls on the black and white of the hospital floor. Wave of sorrow, longing, sharp-edged grief …she’s being rolled under.
T’Pol traces your seven times great grandmother’s face – upturned, staring at her newborn too far away to cuddle. “We both know what it is to yearn.”
Her fingers claim yours. She moves them together to touch the hand of the man supporting his wife, holding her head tenderly so she can smile at their son.. “And also to be cherished, and anchored by our t’hy’la’s love.”
“If She’s Dead”
The father stands in the shallow water, holding a small blonde child. She struggles, staring out at another blonde head as it breaks the water’s surface. The father sets the child on her feet. She runs to the boy, who sweeps her up, laughing, lifts her high, her arms spread as though she’ll take flight. Then he kneels. They’re on the same level. The girl points at the ocean, and he nods.
The video goes dark.
“How can I live, if Lizzie’s dead?” Trip sobs.
You have no logical answer. You can only whisper, “I grieve with you.”
Love those photos, Julie – I will probably come back to them at some point. Here’s my experimental little triptych: https://sonyca.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/there-was-a-hush/
I ended up with three connected stories, in reverse chronological order.
http://susan-reads.blogspot.com/2015/09/becoming-bob-three-microstories.html
I love writing about photographs, and today’s prompt to pick three from about a dozen offered and then write about them was exciting. We were to keep them short, which I did, although I can see room for expansion. And the shorter they are, the easier to digest and the less they run off into nonsense tangents. You can read the trio here: https://storiesbystolle.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/day-24-three-flash-fiction-ditties. The password is 24.
Here is my selection of stories, https://angietrafford.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/story-a-day-daily-watching/ I must say that it was very difficult to pick just three 🙂
When I first saw the challenge and looked through the pictures I came up with exactly nothing. I normally don’t do well with picture prompts because I’m not as visual as I wish. I decided that convincing myself I couldn’t do it would work so I just opened up Word and made myself write. Once I did the first story everything flowed easily.
http://writerishramblings.com/2015/09/24/story-a-day-challenge-day-24-three-micro-stories/
Story three probably doesn’t count but it amused me so I didn’t care.
That’s a great prompt Julie. I loved all the photos, so much to choose from. I’ve done three scenarios as the inspiration flooded from my brain. I’m not sure there is any connection, but I’ve tried to use a different technique for each one.
http://storyadayseptember2015.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/three-prompt-thursday.html
I left you a comment. These were fun and vibrant!
Thanks Shan, they were very much straight off the top of my head but very much fun.
Often, I find the ‘off the top of my head” stories to be the most alive. And fun while writing is always a plus!