Flash Fiction Challenge: The Unlikable Protagonist
Last week’s challenge — “One Small Story In Seven Acts” — is deserving of your penetrating stare.
Next week, I’ve got a post queued up about protagonists.
And, in one portion of this post, I discuss the power of the unlikable protagonist.
The balance is writing an unlikable protagonist that still remains compelling — we still find some reason to keep reading, and we may even find empathy or sympathy with that character.
Even if we don’t want to “go out and get a beer with him.”
So, that’s your task.
You’ve got up to 1000 words to write a tale featuring an unlikable protagonist that still remains readable and compelling. Having this as a flash fiction challenge offers up one bonus and one disadvantage: the disadvantage is that you won’t have more than those one thousand words to establish the complexities an unlikable protagonist might need. The bonus, however, is that flash fiction is short — you can get away with a lot more because you’re not expecting that the reader will have to hang with your story for 300 pages.
Get to it, ink-slingers.
One week is all you’ve got. Challenge ends at noon EST on Friday the 17th. The drill is the same: post your story somewhere on the web, link back here in the comments so that we can all come and read.
February 10, 2012 @ 9:27 AM
My story
http://kerry-mutterings.blogspot.com/
February 10, 2012 @ 9:28 AM
My story
http://kerry-mutterings.blogspot.com/
February 10, 2012 @ 10:08 AM
An Old Spark Dies Hard
http://lindsaymawson.blogspot.com/2012/02/flash-fiction-challenge-33-unlikable.html
Enjoy.
The Bad Guy? | Darlene's Stories
February 10, 2012 @ 12:26 PM
[…] http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2012/02/10/flash-fiction-challenge-the-unlikable-protagonist/ […]
February 10, 2012 @ 12:34 PM
The Bad Guy?
http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=128
February 10, 2012 @ 12:38 PM
how are you guys so fast???
February 10, 2012 @ 12:58 PM
Not sure I got the challenge quite right, but I certainly don’t like this guy…and am a little wary
of myself now that I’ve created him.
http://www.dlthurston.com/blog/2012/02/10/flash-fiction-not-an-apology/
February 10, 2012 @ 12:58 PM
@Louise: Mine was a little short this week. I wanted it to be longer, but it sort of ended where it ended.
February 10, 2012 @ 1:20 PM
@Louise – I’m just a morning person. I work best when my brain is freshly awake and I haven’t had a day’s worth of ‘stuff’ crammed all in there!
February 10, 2012 @ 1:21 PM
Working on this, it’s a good challenge to somehow make the protagonist unlike-able, yet still the good guy. Was hoping for a Valentine’s theme, since have started a story like that. Just adds to the challenge.
February 10, 2012 @ 3:43 PM
Much more challenging than I thought it would be, but very fun to write. Thanks.
“Paper People”
http://pwiddershins.blogspot.com/2012/02/chuck-ws-throwdown-unlikable.html
February 10, 2012 @ 3:52 PM
Much more difficult than I thought it would be. Not even 100% sure I got it right, but I enjoyed the hell out of writing it. Thanks.
“Paper People”
http://pwiddershins.blogspot.com/2012/02/chuck-ws-throwdown-unlikable.html
February 10, 2012 @ 10:19 PM
Kinda my wheelhouse. I’ll be back.
February 11, 2012 @ 11:17 AM
Hey, this was fun.
Vetta's Musings
February 11, 2012 @ 11:42 AM
[…] fun flash fiction challenge from Chuck Wendig’s Terrible Minds blog. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story about an unlikable […]
February 11, 2012 @ 5:25 PM
Here’s my entry:
“What’s Inside”
http://professoroster.blogspot.com/2012/02/chuck-wendigs-flash-fiction-challenge.html
This was fun. I’ve never shared any of my writing on the big old Internet before. Thanks for the inspiration!
February 11, 2012 @ 7:59 PM
I’ll take the case!!
February 11, 2012 @ 10:53 PM
I cheated a little in that I revamped the beginning of a WIP that was already dealing with The Unlikable Protagonist. You feel for Miranda Dabrowski, but she is one evil bitch.
Enjoy. Thanks again for the kick in the pants.
BTFO!
February 11, 2012 @ 10:53 PM
I cheated a little in that I revamped the beginning of a WIP that was already dealing with The Unlikable Protagonist. You feel for Miranda Dabrowski, but she is one evil bitch.
http://www.casondrabrewster.com/?p=405
Enjoy. Thanks again for the kick in the pants.
BTFO!
Flash Fiction: The Last Straw - | The Zombie Chimp
February 12, 2012 @ 3:06 AM
[…] Fiction: The Last Straw February 12, 2012Posted by Jim Franklin This week’s flash fiction challenge from Terribleminds.com was about anti-hero’s or ‘unlikable protagonists’. […]
February 12, 2012 @ 3:11 AM
This was certainly tricky. The protagonist is definitely unlikable, but is the story compelling? That’s up to you to tell me I suppose. It’s also a bit more cuss-ridden than other stuff I’ve written.
Here is ‘The Last Straw’
http://www.thezombiechimp.com/2012/02/12/flash-fiction-last-straw/
February 12, 2012 @ 11:58 AM
http://timothyacooper.wordpress.com/2012/02/12/perfect-little-liza/
February 12, 2012 @ 12:16 PM
Jim Franklin–I tried to post this comment on your website, but couldn’t. It kept telling me to type in the password, even though I had already. Anyway:
Oh, this is great. I was definitely surprised at the end, and I love your MC’s last line.
Very well done.
February 12, 2012 @ 1:42 PM
Lori – Thanks for your comment.
Not sure what’s happening there, but I’ll take a look at it.
February 12, 2012 @ 9:17 PM
This was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Fun, but definitely a challenge. Since I’m outlining my novel I decided to feature a character from it to help me get an overall feel for the story.
Anyway, there’s implied sexual content in the story. Look away if you’re easily offended by that sort of thing.
Enjoy!
http://rjkeith.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/a-london-particular/
Hey, Joe « The Uncut Pizza
February 12, 2012 @ 11:30 PM
[…] character the protagonist. I think I can handle that. To read more, go spend some time over here: Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge: The Unlikable Protagonist But also, while you’re here, go read my story from the challenge from two weeks ago, where we […]
February 12, 2012 @ 11:35 PM
I know the universe doesn’t revolve around me specifically, but it has to be pretty close to here. When Chuck comes up with a challenge like this, I feel like he is thinking, “Let’s make one that’s easy for Bryan.” I wrote this in not quite an hour.
Hey, Joe
I don’t even want to think about how easy it is for me to create a character like this, and how that is somehow a reflection on me.
February 13, 2012 @ 12:02 AM
Hmm…problem…I kinda like her. She’s feisty.
http://literarybandit.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/watch-the-carpet-blood-is-hard-to-get-out/
» Flash Fiction – Complete Story Arc
February 13, 2012 @ 2:07 AM
[…] Wendig’s challenge was to incorporate a full story arc in 1,000 words: Intro -> Problem -> Initial Struggle -> Complications -> Failed Attempts -> Major Crisis -> Climax and Resolution […]
February 13, 2012 @ 4:16 AM
Here’s mine. 1000 words even.
http://billthescribe.blogspot.com/2012/02/chuck-wendigs-unlikeable-protagonist.html
» Flash Fiction: Mr. Caine Blue Ink Alchemy
February 13, 2012 @ 8:16 AM
[…] My attempt to write an unlikable protagonist. […]
February 13, 2012 @ 8:19 AM
Meet Mister Caine.
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2012/02/13/flash-fiction-mr-caine/
Flames and Havoc « Words, Stuff, and Nonsense
February 13, 2012 @ 10:46 AM
[…] is a short story I wrote based on a prompt from the Terrible Minds blog (quick note – there is some language on the blog, but also some great points). The […]
February 13, 2012 @ 10:49 AM
http://faeanddragons.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/flames-and-havoc/
February 13, 2012 @ 8:15 PM
http://mireles-musings.blogspot.com/2012/02/flash-fiction-life-and-times-of-maxwell.html
February 13, 2012 @ 8:17 PM
Mine turned out to be Patrick Bateman lite.
http://mireles-musings.blogspot.com/2012/02/flash-fiction-life-and-times-of-maxwell.html
February 14, 2012 @ 11:58 AM
Happy Valentines Day – http://www.ravensview.ca/ravens/2012/02/the-unlikeable-protagonist.html
February 14, 2012 @ 2:08 PM
My contribution…
http://katherineowens.blogspot.com/2012/02/being-nice-makes-you-happier.html
February 14, 2012 @ 9:01 PM
Hoarder
http://helveticasindiehorrorstories.blogspot.com/2011_12_15_archive.html
February 14, 2012 @ 11:53 PM
http://bookvmovie.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/flash-fiction-2/
February 15, 2012 @ 3:58 AM
This probably wasn’t exactly what was intended. My current work-in-progress novel has a central character (not the protagonist but still important in the story) who’s not someone I’d like to go for a beer with. If I had to work with him, there would probably be blood by the end of the first week. But he’s incredibly fun to write.
I took this challenge as a way of adding a bit to his background. This isn’t so much a story as a scene from his life.
https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=b76036ea6b5467e2&resid=B76036EA6B5467E2!351&parid=undefined
February 15, 2012 @ 12:33 PM
Nobody cries for the mistress
http://scottweberwriter.wordpress.com/
February 15, 2012 @ 2:48 PM
Here’s mine: http://furiousfictions.blogspot.com/p/fridays-flash-fiction-challenge.html
February 15, 2012 @ 3:20 PM
Here’s mine. Pretty hort, but I think you get the general idea about the character. http://eileen-alphabet.livejournal.com/19044.html
February 15, 2012 @ 3:35 PM
*tosses proverbial hat into ring*
http://quantumofthought.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/normal/
Normal « QuantumOfThought
February 15, 2012 @ 3:41 PM
[…] This is part of Chuck Wendig’s Friday Flash Fiction Challenge here: http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2012/02/10/flash-fiction-challenge-the-unlikable-protagonist/ […]
Because I Don’t Believe in Sleep « Many Worlds From Many Minds
February 15, 2012 @ 11:58 PM
[…] Then there is this cool piece of flash fiction by DL Thurston for this week’s Terrible Mind’s prompt the Unlikable Protagonist. […]
shortstorygeeks.com » Post Topic » Episode Twenty — MCA Hogarth Interview
February 16, 2012 @ 12:02 AM
[…] Greg: Flash Fiction Challenge: The Unlikable Protagonist […]
February 16, 2012 @ 12:25 AM
Um…my offering: http://lesannberry.com/2012/02/last-chance-for-redemption.html
» Flash Fiction – Unlikeable Protagonist Kai Micheals
February 16, 2012 @ 9:22 AM
[…] Probably requires too much knowledge of Japanese culture but was fun to write. I may have failed the challenge though, because I find myself sort of liking the protagonist. The actual challenge is here. […]