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Okay, last week’s challenge — “The Flea Market” — requires you crazy kids to get over there and vote for your favorite starting today, and ending tomorrow (Saturday, we’ll say noon EST). Easy enough to pick your favorite: in the comments, just write the author’s name and the story name. Participation in the challenge is not required for voting — voting is open to anybody.
As you may have seen this week, I offered up 25 Ways To Fuck With Your Characters.
And now, I want you to do exactly that.
Your task is to write a flash fiction piece wherein the protagonist of that piece is subject to some manner or method of torment, trial, and torture. It’s your job to put that character through the wringer, whether that be physical, emotional, spiritual, moral, or some combination of the bunch. I want you to fuck with and fuck up that protagonist. I want to care deeply about that character and feel every sting and barb.
Limit: 1000 words.
So, get in there, and do your worst.
You’ve got one week. Challenge ends Friday, August 12th, at noon EST.
This time, I’ll pick one random winner from the entrants. That entrant will get all three of my e-books in PDF format. Maybe that excites you. Maybe it elicits throw-up noises. Either way: them’s the deals.
You know the drill. Post the fiction at your blog. Link back here. Point us to your story in the comments.
Have fun by making sure your protagonist does not.
Go forth and torment.
About The Author
ChuckWendig
Chuck Wendig is equal parts novelist, screenwriter, and game designer. He is the author of the novels DOUBLE DEAD, BLACKBIRDS, and MOCKINGBIRD. In addition, he's got a metric boatload of writing-related e-books available, including the popular 500 WAYS TO BE A BETTER WRITER. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with wife, dog, and newborn progeny.
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- FAIL WHALE
- Transmissions From Baby-Town: “Nine Months” February 22, 2012
- 25 Things I Want To Say To So-Called “Aspiring” Writers February 21, 2012
- Now Available: 500 More Ways To Be A Better Writer February 20, 2012
- Flash Fiction Challenge: Making A Sandwich February 17, 2012
- What’s The Poop, Wendig? February 16, 2012
46 Responses and Counting...
[...] This is my entry to Terribleminds.com’s Flash Fiction Challenge: That Poor, Poor Protagonist [...]
This is my entry, erm… it’s a lot different to the stuff I usually write, ,but let me know what you think…
http://cheddarnightmares.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/ps-and-qs/
Cheers
Heh heh heh…hah hah hah…HAHHAHAH…MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!
*Amber’s characters scatter in horror, cursing Wendig to hell for this*
I always like these, but this one was especially fun.
http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=81
Ah, my favourite subject!
Here’s my input:
The Serpent’s Scales
http://lindsaymawson.blogspot.com/2011/08/flash-fiction-challenge-20-that-poor.html
Enjoy.
What, no word limit?
Fixed.
1000 words, please.
[...] my other stories? Geez. Anyway, to see more and to check out the other entries, go shopping here: Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge: That Poor, Poor Protagonist This seems to be all that I’m writing lately. But at least I’m writing. I have so many [...]
I’m not quite sure if I get the topic this week. Make bad stuff happen to our hero? Have ya read my other shit? I have yet to write a story where the protagonist wins the lottery and marries a woman with an oral fixation.
I Believe in Yesterday
Wait a minute. I think I have an idea….
[...] is my first go at flash fiction and it’s for Terrible Minds‘ Flash Fiction challenge titled ‘That Poor, Poor [...]
Recently discovered this site and thought I’d have my first crack at flash fiction.
http://cbroad90.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/flash-fiction-challenge-1/
Dear all
We’re continuing in the (mis)adventures of Sam and Rick with this week’s entry! Entitled “Rights and Responsibilities”
http://www.michaelstuarttrimmer.co.uk/rights_and_responsibilities.html
Thank you again, for all your helpful and encouraging comments in previous stories
Looking forward to hearing what people think.
Michael Trimmer
first submission. be kind please
: )
http://lilycooper61.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/a-writer-writes/
Yeah, I already posted a story for the challenge. But I feel like over-sharing. My blog is mostly a journal where I write about the exciting life I lead.
Yeah, I know. This challenge was actually kind of a joke to me. Make bad things happen? Fuck. Off. This is what I’ve been dealing with for the past 5 weeks. It’s longer than flash, about 3400 words. But hopefully it will make you appreciate what you have going on in your life. Do your worst, my ass.
The Day the Van Stood Still
PS–on the blog, I use aliases for people, to protect them from the innocent. I call my fiance “Detroit.”
Here is my story; The Wait http://wp.me/p1BAlV-11
[...] Flash Fiction: Been Caught Stealing var addthis_product = 'wpp-254'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true,"ui_language":"en"};For the TerribleMinds flash fiction challenge, That Poor, Poor Protagonist. [...]
Monday is here, and so is my entry.
Been Caught Stealing
No relation to the Jane’s Addiction song. The title just fit.
Here’s mine for the week! http://samanthajmathis.tumblr.com/post/8680931494/lengths
Ok. I’ll bite.
Here’s my Character-fuck: http://goo.gl/OiAb7
BtW, I love the tips.
Wow, I know now have an inkling of what George R.R. Martin felt like when he wrote the Red Wedding scene in Storm of Swords. Good, but kinda gross at the same time.
Anyways, here`s my entry for the week.
The Last of the Silver Brotherhood:
http://8thage.blogspot.com/2011/08/last-of-silver-brotherhood.html
Here’s my entry for the week. Enjoy! I’m off to start reading everyone else’s stories.
No Mercy
Mine is coming! It’s been a busy week.
Don’t forget about me!
Here’s mine.
http://wp.me/p1alyl-1k
[...] Here is my flash fiction entry for this week’s challenge. [...]
Here is my story:
“My Trick-or-Treat Bag”
(Yeah, yeah. I know it’s still August.)
http://samuraidork.wordpress.com/2011/08/10/flash-fiction-my-trick-or-treat-bag/
[...] the challenge That Poor, Poor Protagonist over at [...]
Oh look, I did one! And I’m bringing the YA space opera realness to the table. Huzzah!
Ouroboros
My offering: http://lesannberry.blogspot.com/2011/08/natural-causes.html
[...] Blot on Thursday, August 11, 2011 · Leave a Comment I tried writing something for this week’s Terribleminds challenge, but every idea was just too cliché. Plus, I haven’t posted for awhile. So, I figure, [...]
This week: suffering in iambic pentameter.
http://briandbuckley.com/2011/08/11/hey-look-its-a-kraken-sonnet/
Here is my submission for the week. Enjoy: http://thedungeoncrawl.blogspot.com/2011/08/that-poor-poor-protagonist-flash.html
[...] Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge: The Poor Poor Protagonist. Thanks, Chuck, for the [...]
[...] just posted “The Hole,” an entry to Terrible Mind’s Flash Fiction Challenge, The Poor Poor [...]
This was super fun!
The Hole
http://writingbee.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/the-hole/
[...] response to a challenge issued by Chuck Wendig at terribleminds.com. This one is in response to “25 Ways To…” Well, if you really want to know, go read it for yourself. It sounds better when Chuck says [...]
My entry: http://amytupper.net/2011/08/11/breakingintheboyfriend/
[...] Do check out the stories from last week’s challenge, in which writers torment their protagonists. [...]
Oy, I feel like I’ve tortured myself (oh, wait, that’s because I posted this crouched in the only corner of my hotel room that seems to have wifi).
http://robynettely.blogspot.com/2011/08/flash-fiction-challenge-trials.html
Good stories. I’ve read them all up to this point.
Blogger makes me crazy. Will not accept my wordpress IDfor leaving comments.
Does anyone know the trick to this???
louisesor.wordpress.com @louise3anne @twitter
Um…
I think I enjoyed this a little too much
“The Bus Driver had to Shit”
http://defconwhiskey.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/the-bus-driver-had-to-shit/
http://cmstewartwrite.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/meet-my-twin-a-flash-fiction-tale/
@Wendig I already have your books so you may skip me in the drawing
TY
My first flash fiction! Good one to start with
http://inkletting.wordpress.com/
Here’s mine: http://www.shiny.org.uk/?p=45
Not what I thought I was writing, but hey…
Now I know this is too late, but three days without internet will do that to you (you’ld think I would’ve worked more on it to make it *super-awesome* but hey, that’s not my style.)
http://chriswhitewrites.wordpress.com/2011/08/14/66/
[...] to Chuck Wendig for the flash fiction challenge “That Poor, Poor Protagonist,” and thanks to Albert Berg for the flash fiction challenge [...]
[...] This is my entry to Terribleminds.com’s Flash Fiction Challenge: That Poor, Poor Protagonist [...]