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.
39 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: One Small Story In Seven Acts”
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.
Ooo…this one’s not going to be easy at all. I like it!
Great contest Chuck!
http://eds-pen-is-stuck.blogspot.com/2012/02/follow-rules.html
[…] http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2012/02/03/flash-fiction-challenge-one-small-story-in-seven-acts/ […]
I give you:
Thor the UPS Guy
http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=126
@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!
@Casz – Ain’t no rest for the wicked, eh?
This was fun!!
http://caremorency.blogspot.com/2012/02/bit-of-prompting.html
[…] plot, here’s a great fun exercise to get your head around story structure from Chuck Wendig: Flash Fiction Challenge: One Small Story In Seven Acts. Rate this: Share this:Like this:LikeBe the first to like this post. This entry was posted in […]
[…] that L.S.Engler posted for her Five Minute Getaway piece. I’m going to give you the link for Chuck Wendig’s frighteningly detailed assignment for this week. I’m going to apologize to myself (and Albert) for not even trying to start […]
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/
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/
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/
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/
[…] Wendig’s FF Challenge of the week is to write a shorty story of roughly 1,000 words consisting of seven acts. The seven […]
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 🙂
Been waitin’. Been lurkin’. I’ll be your huckleberry.
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.
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
Shark Season
http://wp.me/p1e5Wo-xK
I did it!
The Ghost Ship has been finished!
http://willis-f.blogspot.com/2012/02/ghost-ship.html
[…] by Jim Franklin Last Friday’s Flash Fiction Challenge from terribleminds.com called ‘one small story in seven acts’ was to create a piece of Flash Fiction of no more than 1000 words, that followed a basic seven act […]
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
[…] Inspired by Magic: The Gathering and prompted by the Terribleminds Flash Fiction Challenge: One Small Story in Seven Acts […]
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?)
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
Toasted Wiring clocked in at 672 words and 100mpcompletelyridiculous. Thanks for the challenge! http://ilonatherose.wordpress.com/
Toasted Wiring clocked in at 672 words and 100mpcompletely ridiculous. Thanks for the challenge!
http://ilonatherose.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/toasted-wiring/
Can it be less than 1000 words?
@Amaranthe —
I definitely don’t expect you to nail the 1000 words exactly. 🙂
I can be range from 10 – 1000 words!
— c.
I found this difficult. Therefore I should do it more.
Also, not quite sure what an arc is.
Starshine http://wp.me/p1BAlV-29
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!
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
[…] is a man of many talents and a one prolific, profane, and prodigious penmonkey.Last week’s Seven Act Flash Fiction Friday Challenge proved to be the framework on which I hung an idea that I’ve had for some time. While more […]
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
[…] week’s challenge — “One Small Story In Seven Acts” — is deserving of your penetrating […]
“Government Issue”
http://amytupper.net/2012/02/10/government-issue/
voila!: http://teapartiesonneptune.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/freezer-burn-2/
[…] little piece I wrote yesterday for Chuck’s latest challenge is fan fiction. I’m comfortable with that. I don’t think there’s really anything […]