The “write in the present tense” challenge is just wrapping up. Won’t you check it out?
Earlier this week I was all like, “Blah blah blah, here’s 25 things about story structure.”
And in there I offered one particular structure for a story —
A seven-act spread.
There I wrote:
Behold, a rough seven-act structure: Intro (duh) –> Problem or Attack (duh) –> Initial Struggle (character first tussles with source of conflict) –> Complications (conflict worsens, deepens, changes) –> Failed Attempts (oops, that didn’t work) –> Major Crisis (holy goatfucker shitbomb, everything’s gone pear-shaped) –> Climax and Resolution (duh).
…and now I want to see those seven acts put into play.
In a 1000-word example of flash fiction.
From you.
Yes, that’s right. I want you to take your 1000 words and orchestrate a full seven-act arc from intro all the way to the climax and resolution, not missing a step in the middle.
You have, as always, one week. February 10th by noon EST.
Post your story at your blog or online somewhere, then drop a link to the comments so we can find it.
One story.
Seven acts.
Get writing.
Amy Severson says:
You’re killing me.
I really want to do this one, but I have so much editing (unpaid night job) and writing (hopefully future full-time job) to do, not to mention my day job (soul-sucking nightmare).
Gah. Who needs sleep.
February 3, 2012 — 11:26 AM
Puddin says:
Ooo…this one’s not going to be easy at all. I like it!
February 3, 2012 — 11:47 AM
Ed Varga says:
Great contest Chuck!
http://eds-pen-is-stuck.blogspot.com/2012/02/follow-rules.html
February 3, 2012 — 11:55 AM
Darlene Underdahl says:
I give you:
Thor the UPS Guy
http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=126
February 3, 2012 — 12:33 PM
Casz Brewster says:
@Amy – I know the soul-sucking nightmare. But even when you step away from it there is still no sleep in the “future full-time job.”
Adding this to the list of writing to finish before Feb. 10.
Thanks Master Wendig for the regular boot to writing butt.
BTFO!
February 3, 2012 — 12:45 PM
Amy Severson says:
@Casz – Ain’t no rest for the wicked, eh?
February 3, 2012 — 1:07 PM
Care Morency says:
This was fun!!
http://caremorency.blogspot.com/2012/02/bit-of-prompting.html
February 3, 2012 — 2:42 PM
Shiri Sondheimer says:
A little more serious than my previous entries, but I’ve realized I have absolutely no control over what comes to me and so, I give in.
Had good luck with Michael and Gabriel a few weeks ago, so here they are again:
http://swsondheimer.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/7-act-challenge/
February 4, 2012 — 3:20 PM
R.J.Keith says:
I promised myself the next flash fiction I did would feature fluffy bunnies and, by god, it happened.
Don’t know about the fluffy part, but they are bunnies.
Enjoy!
http://rjkeith.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/b-u-n-n-y/
February 4, 2012 — 10:41 PM
mjswinney says:
I’ve been following this blog for a while now. This is the first time I’ve commented, also the first time I’ve tried out a flash fiction challenge. I stayed up most of last night writing this (the hard part was trimming away almost 1000 words), and created a blog just to post it. Take a look if you’re curious, comment if you like it. Constructive criticism is appreciated.
http://mjswinney.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/little-girl-lost/
February 5, 2012 — 6:23 PM
Logan Riley says:
The sequel to the story I wrote for the Random Song Flash Fiction Challenge.
http://literarybandit.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/a-western-in-7ish-acts/
February 5, 2012 — 10:10 PM
Katelyn Lea says:
The Getaway
http://kleamidnightdisease.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/flash-fiction-challenge-one-small-story-in-seven-acts/
I thought this would be much more difficult than it ended up being. I seriously stressed over it for a couple hours until I realized that The Wonder Pets pretty much follows the same structure, more or less. And then I just needed a muse, which ended up being a conversation with my soul mate about robbing banks and stealing Chargers. And then, viola! Words danced and here it is 🙂
February 5, 2012 — 11:42 PM
Keith says:
Been waitin’. Been lurkin’. I’ll be your huckleberry.
February 6, 2012 — 6:11 AM
Bill Dezell says:
I’m in.
http://billthescribe.blogspot.com/2012/02/chuck-wendigs-7-act-exercise.html
I liked this a lot, and will definitely try my hand at more of them.
February 6, 2012 — 6:45 AM
Eva T says:
This was fun! I would have liked a bit more than 1000 words so that I could properly flesh out the acts, but I suppose I should be grateful that the limitation stopped me from waxing poetically for 3000 words or more. http://eileen-alphabet.livejournal.com/18898.html
February 6, 2012 — 7:06 AM
Albert Berg says:
Shark Season
http://wp.me/p1e5Wo-xK
February 6, 2012 — 8:52 PM
Willis says:
I did it!
The Ghost Ship has been finished!
http://willis-f.blogspot.com/2012/02/ghost-ship.html
February 6, 2012 — 9:50 PM
Jim Franklin says:
A bit of ‘Sword and Sorcery’ based on Skyrim. It’s FanFic but I think it holds up as a piece of fiction on it’s own.
http://www.thezombiechimp.com/2012/02/07/flash-fiction-luck-korneal/
Comments are always welcome and actively encouraged. Have at it.
Thanks
February 7, 2012 — 7:00 AM
Josh Loomis says:
Straight outta Innistrad, it’s the Thraben Witch: http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2012/02/07/flash-fiction-the-thraben-witch/
(Yes, I’ve been playing a lot of Magic lately, why do you ask?)
February 7, 2012 — 2:20 PM
Marc Nocerino says:
This is the first one of these challenges that I’ve done. I fear I’m doomed to become addicted to them…
http://corpse-to-be.blogspot.com/2012/02/bit-of-flash-fiction.html
February 8, 2012 — 11:51 PM
Ilona the Rose says:
Toasted Wiring clocked in at 672 words and 100mpcompletelyridiculous. Thanks for the challenge! http://ilonatherose.wordpress.com/
February 9, 2012 — 12:59 AM
Ilona the Rose says:
Toasted Wiring clocked in at 672 words and 100mpcompletely ridiculous. Thanks for the challenge!
http://ilonatherose.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/toasted-wiring/
February 9, 2012 — 1:05 AM
amaranthe says:
Can it be less than 1000 words?
February 9, 2012 — 12:56 PM
terribleminds says:
@Amaranthe —
I definitely don’t expect you to nail the 1000 words exactly. 🙂
I can be range from 10 – 1000 words!
— c.
February 9, 2012 — 1:08 PM
Louise Sorensen says:
I found this difficult. Therefore I should do it more.
Also, not quite sure what an arc is.
Starshine http://wp.me/p1BAlV-29
February 9, 2012 — 1:04 PM
Exi says:
First-time poster here. I couldn’t resist the challenge.
http://exisetchings.blogspot.com/2012/02/tied.html
Yeah, I can count. I failed by about 200 excess words. But after a long editing session, I’m satisfied that I’m disqualifying myself in style.
Thanks for pushing me to write something decent!
February 10, 2012 — 1:41 AM
Mike says:
This was fun – I reworked an idea I’d had to fit the structure, it did help. Didn’t think you could apply these to a short story – guess you can. Tried to do in present tense too – why not?
http://www.ravensview.ca/ravens/2012/02/one-small-story-in-seven-acts.html
February 10, 2012 — 1:56 AM
Keith says:
Beware! The next attack on America may hit us all, with unexpected consequences, including…loooove (awww).
http://keithkarabin.com/2012/02/10/terrorist-cells-a-love-story-flash-fiction/
Yep.
Interestingly, to me, the “Failed Attempts” part was the longest and the most full of character development. Seems true to life…
Thanks, C-Diddy. Been a while, and it was good to get that one out of my head. Though, it’s still a bit rough.
And now that my brain-pan is clear, I’ll start reading y’all’s!
K
February 10, 2012 — 6:20 AM
Amy Tupper says:
“Government Issue”
http://amytupper.net/2012/02/10/government-issue/
February 10, 2012 — 9:53 AM
amaranthe says:
voila!: http://teapartiesonneptune.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/freezer-burn-2/
February 10, 2012 — 11:05 AM