Writing Prompt: Doors

Doors, or more accurately, thresholds, signify moving between two worlds. Sure, it's not as dramatic when you're moving from the hallway to the bedroom - but it can be, depending on the context.

For today's writing prompt, write about someone who is literally opening a door for the first time, whether it be to a new office, a hospital room, or an army recruiter's. Spend some time on how the character is feeling while turning the doorknob. What do they see? What do they hear?

Have fun!

___________________________________

FYI, for anyone who's interested, I have "The Obeservation Deck", and it's helpful when you're trying to shake things up or come up with new ideas. Especially good when you're completely stuck.

Writing Prompt, January 8, 2013

People gather together for a common cause: to fight disease, injustice, or increase awareness. The photo below, for instance, was taken at a fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

For today's Flash Fiction Writing Prompt, write about someone who is trying to organize a group of people for a specific cause. Write about their challenges, the day of the event, or the accolades / criticisms they receive, and how it all affects them.

Writing Prompt, December 20, 2012

The Village Vanguard is one of the iconic music venues in New York City.

For today's flash fiction writing prompt, write about a musician who is going to play here. Will it be for the very first time, or maybe for the very last? Will this be their big break?

Writing Prompt, December 19, 2012

Everyone likes getting mail, but everyone LOVES getting packages they weren't expecting.

For today's flash fiction writing prompt, write about a mystery package that someone has received. When they get it, are they excited, scared, puzzled? Where is it from, and what's in it? What happens when they open it?

Writing Prompt, December 18, 2012

"Living in the limelight, the universal dream," says the band Rush.

For today's flash fiction writing prompt, write about someone who is just starting a career in show biz.

Writing Prompt, December 17, 2012

Some things are big, and some things are, well, enormous. They're so big that you can't help but feel humbled by them when you're near them.

For today's writing prompt, write about either someone who has a "big" personality, or about someone who is feels small when they are near that person.

Writing Prompt, December 14, 2012

Some characters are on their way up. Some are on their way down.

For today's flash fiction writing prompt, write about a character that is either rising or declining, in their career, in their health, or in their closest relationship.

Writing Prompt, December 13, 2012

It'd be so nice to just hit a button when we've made a mistake, wouldn't it?

For today's flash fiction writing prompt, write about something your character did, that they wish they could just "cancel".

Writing Prompt, December 12, 2012

Barbie looks like she's enjoying her bath, doesn't she? She's just floating around the tub, relaxing in the bubbles. Or maybe she's not. You know, you can barely see her face. There are so many bubbles, they're practically drowning her!

For today's flash fiction writing prompt, write about a character who's having too much of a good thing.

Writing Prompt, December 11, 2012

This is part of a group of dinosaur sculptures that can be found in random locations around Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, also, is home to the Heinz Company. Thus, the ketchup-bottle Triceratops.

For today's flash fiction writing prompt, write about a character that has two traits that are seemingly at odds with each other. For instance, I know a vegetarian butcher. And I know a guy who is 5' 2" who tried out for a minor league baseball team.

Writing Prompt, December 10, 2012

This is a picture of a fence outside a standard neighborhood ball field. It's the one spectators lean on or look through as their 10-year-olds or co-workers play, get dirty and have fun. Meanwhile, we sit on the sidelines being entertained (or bored, truth be told).

For today's Flash Fiction writing prompt, write about a character that has been sitting behind a "fence", watching life happen around them. Do they want to get in and play, or are they content to be amused by the game?

Today's Ads! :)

                  

Writing Prompt, December 7, 2012

When we went to the amusement park as kids, all the rides had names that promised incredible experiences: "Runaway Train"; "Rolling Thunder"; "Tornado".

Sometimes the experiences lived up to the fantastical names, and sometimes we wondered why we waited in line for so long.

 For today's writing prompt, write about a character who has certain expectations based on what was advertised. Whether it's a Prince Charming or Prince-Turned-Frog relationship, a house that looked great in the ad, or a bottle of mayonnaise that did or didn't work with a potato salad, write about expectations fulfilled or dashed, and how your character handles disappointment or satisfaction.

________________________________________________________________

Books I'm reading, want to read or have read:

Writing Prompt, December 6, 2012

Since this might be the only photo of a hockey rink you'll see this season, write about something that your character usually takes for granted, until it's gone.

(As an aside, "zamboni" is one of my favorite words ever. I'm going to try to work it into my story.)

Writing Prompt, December 5, 2012

For today's flash fiction prompt: write a story about the woman who is wearing these shoes, where she's going in them, and what happens there.

Writing Prompt, December 4, 2012

This was taken at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA. It's a collection of diamonds and diamond reproductions from all over the world.

For today's Flash Fiction writing prompt, write about a jewelry heist.

Writing Prompt, December 3, 2012

We went to an air show over the summer, and took pictures of all the planes and stunt crafts. But this is my favorite picture from that day: the sun shining on the Blue Angels through a break in the clouds.

For today's Flash Fiction prompt, you can write specifically about a flight, a plane, an airport, or an unreasonably dramatic sky. Or, you can write about two or more characters trying to coordinate something complicated and possibly death-defying.

Writing Prompt, November 30, 2013

The last day of the month. We are officially diving into December. This picture was taken at a church, and in scripture, God is known as the alpha and the omega. The beginning and the end; therefore, we are using it at the end of the month, even as December marks the beginning of the holiday season.

This stained-glass window was meant, of course, to represent the idea of the Trinity, hence the triangle and the interwoven rings.

Therefore, for this flash fiction writing prompt, write a story about three peoples' lives which, whether by job, family or circumstance, are completely intertwined. If you can, show what happens when one or all attempt to pull away.

Three characters is a lot for flash fiction; feel free to go as long as you need to, in order to get the story just right!

Good luck!

Contests Ending in December or Thereabouts

I've compiled some contests that are ending soon. I'm sure there are more, but since I just started this blog last week, this is all I've had time to cull together! I'm hoping to make this a monthly thing, towards the end of each month. It should give you just enough time to experience the panic that is associated with completing deadline-driven tasks, but also enough time to possibly complete these tasks.

I endorse none of these contests. Nor do I gain anything by you clicking on them. You are strictly left to your own judgement regarding the goodness and worthwhile-ness of each of these contests. I have enough time to inform, but unfortunately not enough time to investigate.

That being said, if you run across a particularly nasty person and/or company, let me know and I'll look into it.

Good luck! If I find more, I'll update this post for now, and post a notice on Twitter @FlashFicStories.

Contests ending 11/30!

Women On Writing (WOW) Fall Contest
Between 250-750 words
Open Prompt!
Entry Fee: $10.00
First Prize: $350.00 + $25 Amazon Gift Certificate + Entry published on WOW site + Interview on WOW site

Fish Short Story Contest
Under 5,000 words
Open Prompt!
Entry Fee: Online entry,  €20.00 for the first entry, €10.00 for subsequent entries
First Prize: €3,000 - (€1,000 of which is for travel expenses to the launch of the Anthology

Contests ending 12/15

Musings of Mistress of the Dark Path
Up to 2,500 words
Holiday theme and other stipulations (see site)
No Entry Fee
First Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Certificate

Virginia B. Ball Creative Writing Competition
Eligibility: Students who are in grade 8-11 during the 2012-2013 academic year
Poetry: 3-5 poems
Prose: Fewer than 5,000 words. Personal essay or short story, or combination thereof.
First Prize: $30,000 Creative Writing Scholarship to Interlochen Arts Academy Boarding High School for the 2013-2014 academic year and publication in the Interlochen Review.

Contests ending 12/17

Writer's Digest 13th Annual Short Short Story Competition
Up to 1,500 words
Open Prompt
Entry Fee: $20.00
First Prize: $3,000, publication in Writer's Digest, paid trip to NYC Writer's Digest conference, and other publications.

Contests closing 12/31

Flash 500 Competition
500-word limit
Open Prompt
Entry Fee: £5 for one story, £8 for two stories (payable by Paypal)
First Prize: £300 plus publication in Words with JAM

Writing Prompt, November 29, 2012

I was in New York having tea at a wonderful place called "Tea and Sympathy". And yes, this is a tea cup with a picture of the Queen. A good friend and I were working out all the world's problems, as is our custom, while (ironically?) drinking tea with, no, from, the Queen. There was a matching tea pot.
For this flash fiction writing prompt, write a story about two characters having a serious conversation in an unusual, ironic or incongruent context.

Writing Prompt, November 28, 2013

This picture was taken in August in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. But now it's November, it's not a beautiful warm day today, and in fact much of that area was badly affected by Hurricane Sandy.

For today's flash fiction writing prompt, write about something that was a certain way, but then changed drastically. You can either be influenced by time, as with the change of seasons, by an actual disaster, or by something totally different.

Please take a moment to visit our sponsors...