Flash Fiction Challenge: “The Last 1000 Words Of An Non-Existent Novel”
This challenge is a strange one. It came to me (IN A DREAM okay not really in a dream) and I thought, “Well, that’s a bit curious, innit?” So, I figured I’d float it, see who grabbed hold.
I want you to write the last 1000 words of a non-existent novel.
In other words: “the ending.”
Now, you can be a bit meta with this — the ending in your mind may be a tidying up, a denouement, or you may instead choose to write a climactic end moment before imaginarily closing the curtains.
Also, those 1000 words are a loose set of guidelines. Could be 500, could be 1500 — whatever you need.
So, get to writing, folks.
I’ll send a random participant an ART HARDER, MOTHERFUCKER mug, provided you’re in the United States. If you’re international, I’ll send you an e-book. Or naked pictures of myself rubbing food into my beard, whatever you prefer.
Your deadline is noon EST, Friday, December 7th.
Now let’s bring this utterly fake book inside your head to a close.
Bill Dowis
November 30, 2012 at 7:42 AM //
If we are in the United States can we opt for the naked pictures of you rubbing food in your beard instead of the mug? Or maybe you can slip one of those pictures in the mug before packing it up and shipping it out.
Travis Cole
November 30, 2012 at 8:43 AM //
http://malefactorsrejoice.blogspot.com/2012/11/panda-piss.html
Mark Matthews
November 30, 2012 at 9:28 AM //
In The Tunnels, or “How to survive when you’re trapped between Tijuana and San Diego in an underground drug tunnel.”
Full disclosure: much of this was written before, but I pulled it out of the unfinished bin and revised for the contest and made the scene into a novels ending.
Mark Matthews
November 30, 2012 at 9:29 AM //
And I forgot a link: http://markmatthewsauthor.blogspot.com/p/in-tunnels-draft.html
Mary Celeste
November 30, 2012 at 2:18 PM //
Gee, homework on a Friday?
AB Singer
December 1, 2012 at 4:36 AM //
Finish One novel?
Heck; why not finish them all?
http://ultravioletandinfrared.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/diary-of-dusk-shrugging-in-code-at.html
Jeremiah
December 1, 2012 at 9:09 PM //
My brain is still a bit fried after finishing NaNoWriMo, so I tossed down something fun.
Enjoy.
http://www.jqpdx.com/2012/12/02/happy-ending-for-them/
Gaie Sebold
December 2, 2012 at 5:48 AM //
Well, here goes: http://gaiesebold.com/?p=101
It’s a bit short, but that seemed to be all it wanted to be.
Laura Libricz
December 2, 2012 at 5:56 AM //
Anything to keep from cleaning the house after NaNo
http://lauralibricz.blogspot.de/2012/12/flash-fiction.html
Now to go make a fire. It’s like 55° in this room!
Amalynne
December 2, 2012 at 6:10 AM //
flash fiction submission yo: http://www.amalynneo.com/corporate-encounters.html
Oh, and you know why you had this dream… because Fiction Faze flash fiction was born “a la meme temps,” the stars are aligned *twilight zone theme song*.
This is an awesome way to warm up for the launch of our flash fiction hub Dec. 15th.
I’ll try not to get too hot and bothered thinking about your beard while I alert our community.
-Amalynne
Abby
December 2, 2012 at 11:03 PM //
First challenge entry ever, pro style.
http://writingwhileteenaged.blogspot.com/2012/12/endings-before-beginnings.html
It seems super tame compared to these intense submissions. All feels-y and whatnot. I WRITE LIT FIC OKAY.
AJ Hayes
December 3, 2012 at 1:43 AM //
Okay, I didn’t find an immediate need to write the thousand word conclusion of the imiginary novel but the line, “The guy could be the Chuck Wendig of vascular reconstruction some day.” popped into my head. I don’t know what that means exactly, but I’ll probably follow up on it.
AJ Hayes
December 3, 2012 at 1:46 AM //
Crap! The word is “imaginary” of course. Doh!
Jim Franklin
December 3, 2012 at 4:02 AM //
Well, that was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. Still, it’s done now.
Enjoy!
http://writewayround.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/flash-fiction-the-end-bit/
Josh Loomis
December 3, 2012 at 8:49 AM //
After he’s saved every one of us… what then?
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2012/12/03/flash-fiction-the-end/
Nat.
December 3, 2012 at 9:13 AM //
First Ever (Submitted) Entry: http://alwayscheckforspiders.weebly.com/1/post/2012/12/december-03rd-2012.html
How does the Chuck find the time to write if he spends all week reading Friday Flash Fic-stravaganza entries? Monkey butlers? Or is he a wizard who can summon demons from the nether regions?
Robert Mitchell
December 7, 2012 at 1:08 PM //
That kicked ass Nat! Is there a reason your blog is closed to comments? Oh, and uh, I don’t think the demons that come out of Chuck’s nether regions can read and write…
Nat.
December 7, 2012 at 1:41 PM //
Thanks. I’d say the subject was close to my heart but it’s not – I just find it really fucking annoying. The reasons my blog is closed to comments are a) I don’t know how to open it to comments, and b) I’ve seen YouTube comments.
Robert Mitchell
December 7, 2012 at 2:04 PM //
Aw c’mon Nat, embrace the criticism of the www! Comments, good and bad, are just fuel. In the words of Marcellus Wallace, “You feel that sting, big boy, huh? That’s pride FUCKIN’ with you! You gotta fight through that shit!”
John Boggs
December 3, 2012 at 12:32 PM //
Trapped beneath the sea:
http://blog.catandbanjo.com/2012/12/last-1000-words-of-non-existent-novel.html
Eva T
December 3, 2012 at 3:05 PM //
The mirror people are defeated – for now anyway – but there are still loose ends to tie up in the last part. http://evathereseebert.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/flash-fiction-challenge-the-last-1000-words-of-an-non-existent-novel/
Brandon
December 3, 2012 at 4:00 PM //
Am I submitting these correctly? Here goes
http://shortstoryfodder.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-last-1000-words-of-novel-flash.html
Last 1000 words of a novel!
Scott Zachary
December 4, 2012 at 2:24 AM //
“To Be Continued…”
About 700 words.
http://szwrites.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/flash-fiction-to-be-continued/
Consider it an homage to all that is cheese and pulp.
Beth L.
December 4, 2012 at 10:39 PM //
Now I’ve got to write this novel… not to see how it turns out, but to see how it started.
But it must get in line, for I shall finish what I started before I finish what I just ended.
*goes to lie down a minute*
I give you “In My End is My Beginning”, which is really an ending begging for a sequel, because I like endings that ask questions as well as answer them.
http://knotachance.tumblr.com/
Aurora
December 5, 2012 at 3:16 AM //
It always takes me a few days to really marinate one of these ideas, but I think this one is all right, for the ending of a novel that doesn’t have a beginning or middle.
http://amalgamatedwords.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/madame-antoines-end/
R.C. Cross
December 5, 2012 at 2:47 PM //
I went kind of short with this one.
even so, this one was fun.
http://apocryptica.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/epilogue-2/
Jan Friesen
December 5, 2012 at 9:49 PM //
http://thestrangethoughts.blogspot.ca/2012/12/the-death-of-atticus-finch-flash.html
Kind of got a not so kind comment about my blog today from a group of people.
The writing keeps me going though, so I won’t be quitting anytime soon. That might be why I prefer blogging communities instead of social networking ones. 
Tom
December 6, 2012 at 3:39 AM //
http://latent-ambiguity.blogspot.com/2012/12/flash-fiction-challenge-last-1000-words.html
More difficult than I expected, more fun than I had hoped.
Ashley Lorelle
December 6, 2012 at 10:18 AM //
http://ashleylorelle.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/flash-fiction-challenge-last-1000-words-from-a-non-existent-novel/
Daniel
December 6, 2012 at 9:17 PM //
Okay, first time doing this hope you enjoy
http://dreinmiller.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-weight-of-truth.html
Jeremiah
December 6, 2012 at 11:17 PM //
Good job. I liked the dialogue.
Phil Sykora
December 6, 2012 at 11:34 PM //
I didn’t have a blog; I guess I do now:
http://ijustmadethis.blogspot.com
Connor Millard
December 7, 2012 at 4:59 AM //
http://theverydefinitionofprocrastination.blogspot.com/2012/12/flash-fiction-end-ie-desert-without.html
I’ve been meaning to start doing these, and this one was too great to let the deadline pass on.
I’m too tired to figure out whether it sucks or not though, so feedback from anyone is welcome.
Mike Young
December 7, 2012 at 11:01 AM //
Fighting with Typepad again – can’t seem to cut and paste cleanly into it. Took me longer to post this than write it I think.
Here’s mine – An Ending
http://www.ravensview.ca/ravens/2012/12/an-ending.html
gregmulka
December 7, 2012 at 11:47 AM //
Sweet. I have 14 minutes to the deadline.
http://imwastedpotential.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/you-have-to-walk-before-you-can-crawl/
Robert Mitchell
December 7, 2012 at 12:44 PM //
Here’s my entry. Hope I make it under the wire…
http://808hack.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/flash-fiction-challenge-the-last-1000-words-of-a-non-existent-novel/