Flash Fiction Challenge: Choose Your Motif
Last week’s challenge: “Photos of Impossible Places.”
Motif.
What, is it, you ask? Besides someone explaining that they have plenty of chompers in their mouth? (Wait for it, you’ll get it. I’ll just stand here while you… ah, good, you got it.)
A motif is not a theme.
It is not a mood.
It is a recurring element. A repeated symbol or overarching image.
(Birds are a motif found in my novels Blackbirds and Mockingbird.)
So, today, I’m going to give you 10 motifs.
You will choose one. Randomly, either by d10 or by random number generator.
This motif will be a significant symbol or element in your story. Symbolically and/or literally.
I’ll also toss in two other categories: setting and subgenre.
Choose (randomly or otherwise) one from each.
You have, as usual, up to 1000 words. Post at your site, link back here.
Due by Friday, February 1st, noon EST.
Ready?
Motifs
- Birds
- Skulls
- Blood
- Eyes
- Snakes
- Swords
- Water
- Storms
- Mirrors
- The Moon
Subgenre
- Dystopia
- Erotic Fantasy
- Noir
- Paranormal Romance
- Comic Fantasy
- Cozy Mystery
- Transhumanism
- Ecothriller
- Wild West (In Space)
- Mythpunk
Setting
- A train
- A virtual reality world
- A king’s bedroom
- A labyrinth
- Inside the mind of another character
- An amusement park
- A restaurant in space
- A villain’s volcano lair
- In the chamber of the gods
- Route 66
Clay Ashby
January 25, 2013 at 9:20 AM //
10. The Moon
5. Comic Fantasy
6. An amusement park
This is so far outside of my box that by the time I’m done I’m going to be clawing at the walls looking for any way possible to get back in.
Clay Ashby
January 29, 2013 at 4:18 PM //
So, I failed. It has zero comedy in it and I went over the 1000 word limit a little. It’s still great practice though and I look forward to the next challenge!
http://www.thegnomecomputercompany.com/ClayAshby/the-orphanage
S.W. Sondheimer
January 25, 2013 at 10:35 AM //
Huh. Skulls, Wild West (in space), and In the chamber of the gods … I think this is one that’s just sort of going to have to happen. If I think to hard, my brain might do a Raiders on me.
S.W. Sondheimer
January 27, 2013 at 8:47 AM //
Yep. SkullFeather Whore. I’m so, very sorry.
http://swsondheimer.wordpress.com/this-just-in/skullfeather-whore/
Amber
January 27, 2013 at 9:57 PM //
I like that you didn’t use human skulls. Great job I think
Although I’m slightly curious about things like why she took him to the chamber and why she killed him differently than he was supposed to die 
S.W. Sondheimer
January 28, 2013 at 12:14 PM //
Hey, Amber. Glad you enjoyed. The ideas was: since he “picked” her, he brought Huginn and Munnin (Odin’s ravens “Thought” and “Memory”) together, he allowed her to remember who she really was. Killing him quickly was a reward of sorts. He couldn’t get off lightly — he did think Death was just some “whore” after all
Amber
January 28, 2013 at 5:07 PM //
Ah, great! And I do imagine using Death as a whore wouldn’t make her happy with you.
Sam Hume
January 31, 2013 at 3:38 PM //
Thats a hard list to work with.
S.W. Sondheimer
January 31, 2013 at 8:00 PM //
It just sort of happened. Not sure how successful it was, but it happened
Angela's World of Writing
January 25, 2013 at 11:06 AM //
Ooohhh I love it!!
Lisa
January 25, 2013 at 11:39 AM //
10. The Moon
5. Comic Fantasy
3. A king’s bedroom
Very interesting! I’m going to try to play along
Obsidian Dragon
January 25, 2013 at 11:40 AM //
Blood, Comic Fantasy, in a…virtual reality world?
…I’m actually having the hardest time trying to make blood funny.
tigs (@syzara)
January 25, 2013 at 11:51 AM //
1. Birds.
2. Erotic Fantasy.
4. A labyrinth.
Well, let’s give it a swing.
Mishka
January 25, 2013 at 12:00 PM //
Snakes, Mythpunk, and an amusement park. Far, far out of my comfort zone!
Anthony Elmore
January 25, 2013 at 12:15 PM //
Motif: Storms
Genre: Wild West (In Space)
Setting: An amusement park
I hope I can keep it from sounding like low rate Firefly fan fiction.
Elizabeth Barone
January 25, 2013 at 12:41 PM //
This already sounds terrible: skulls, erotic fantasy, and a restaurant in space. My goal is to make it even more terrible.
S.W. Sondheimer
January 25, 2013 at 12:55 PM //
@ Anthony Elmore: I’m a little worried about that too.
Troy L
January 25, 2013 at 1:48 PM //
Eyes , Erotic fantasy (…) and a train. Hmm
Rebecca Ralston
January 25, 2013 at 2:45 PM //
Motif: Birds
Genre: Noir
Setting: Inside the mind of another character
I like the motif, I just had to have Google define Noir for me, and I’ve never tried a setting that’s not a real place. Let’s see how this goes…
darleneaubol
January 25, 2013 at 3:50 PM //
A roll of the virtual dice gave me a motif of birds (fine), a subgenre of mythpunk (gulp), and a setting of a virtual reality world (erm…), not my comfort zone, but I hope you like it.
The Pigeons
http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=208
aka Darlene Underdahl
http://www.VermillionRoadPress.com
Amber
January 27, 2013 at 10:41 PM //
Haha the attack pigeons are great! Its probably from some cartoon in my childhood but they all look like mini Hitchcocks to me.
Rhalina
January 25, 2013 at 4:02 PM //
Motif: Water
Genre: Comic Fantasy
Setting: Space Restaurant
Rebecca, I had to Google what Comic Fantasy. Lets give this a roll!
Tia Kalla (@tiakall)
January 26, 2013 at 1:05 AM //
So I rolled Blood, Fantasy Erotica, and a king’s bedroom.
Uh.
Erotica? Really? Oh dear lord.
Feeling like I was this close to pulling a Delilah S. Dawson to get this done, and sort of surprised I had the chutzpah to post it on my blog, but oh well, here it is…
“Dirty Laundry”: http://itt.ymakadomain.com/?p=87
Amber
January 27, 2013 at 10:35 PM //
I really like your last line
Sam Hume
January 31, 2013 at 3:15 PM //
Oh wow. Actually, pretty good, just get a Favio model for the cover and you’re set.
Sam
January 26, 2013 at 8:22 AM //
I feel bad about missing the last two weeks (damn you far cry 3!) so I’m gonna try really hard on this one. I rolled 8,9,5. This is gonna be weird.
Sam Hume
January 31, 2013 at 3:36 PM //
so far, it’s thursday, and I’m at almost double my word limit on a first draft. AHHH! WHY?!?!?! so close to an ending!
Anthony I.
January 26, 2013 at 2:09 PM //
Blood. Dystopia. Restarurant in space. Dear God, lol.
Amber
January 26, 2013 at 6:13 PM //
Mirrors, ecothriller, and a villains volcano lair. I was going to QQ @ ecothriller but now I’m thanking the RNG for not throwing me erotica
I think I will give it a try!
Amber
January 26, 2013 at 9:08 PM //
Here is ‘I Favor Fire’ http://onethemis.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/i-favor-fire/
Please enjoy.
Alan John
January 27, 2013 at 11:54 PM //
Very poetic and enjoyable to read.
Jim Franklin
January 27, 2013 at 11:45 AM //
I’m a bit late with this one, but it was still a lot of fun to write. I got ‘skulls’, ‘cozy mystery’ and ‘a villains volcano lair’. My weird and comic tale is called Tea with Dr Chaos, I hope you like it.
http://writewayround.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/flash-fiction-tea-dr-chaos/
First time with using motifs so let me know how I can improve.
Thanks
beautiful loser
January 27, 2013 at 11:52 AM //
6. Swords 2. Erotic Fiction 3. A King’s bedroom….wow going to be interesting strech out of my comfort zone. I’ll link to it when I’m done.
Rebecca Ralston
January 27, 2013 at 6:17 PM //
Okay, so I finished it.
Motif: Birds
Subgenre: Noir
Setting: In the mind of another character.
Title: Pigeon’s Eye View
Link: http://rebeccaralstonwriter-com.webnode.com/news/pigeons-eye-view/
So, it definitely was a stretch for me. My first time writing with Noir and with a motif.
Alan John
January 27, 2013 at 11:35 PM //
Hi, I was generated Blood, Wild West (in space) and Restaurant in space. Like many have said, it was a challenge and the thousandth word sneaked up on me this week.
http://alanjohnpresents.wordpress.com/flatrock-9/
Ryan
January 28, 2013 at 1:02 AM //
Motif: Eyes
Sub Genre: Comic Fantasy
Location: King’s Bedroom
Done
Jess Riegler
January 28, 2013 at 3:54 AM //
This is not intended for audiences under 18! Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
http://jess-riegler.blogspot.de/2013/01/an-erotic-fantasy.html
You tell me what I got.
Alan John
January 28, 2013 at 5:07 PM //
The first couple are easy but the third, which is clearly a king’s bedroom, could almost also be inside of another character’s mind. I guess I didn’t understand that as a setting and am glad I didn’t roll it. Glad I’m over 18 and was allowed to read it.
Josh Loomis
January 28, 2013 at 8:05 AM //
Motif: Swords
Sub Genre: Paranormal Romance
Location: Route 66
Story: Right here. http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2013/01/28/flash-fiction-knight-of-swords/
Laitie
January 28, 2013 at 7:18 PM //
Here’s the link to my entry!: http://laceysmonologues.tumblr.com/post/41740506729/flash-fiction-challenge-choose-your-motif
Jeanne B.
January 28, 2013 at 7:36 PM //
Motif: Mirrors
Subgenre: Erotic Fantasy
Setting: Route 66
http://jmboverthinking.blogspot.com/2013/01/flash-fiction-challenge-choose-your.html
Danzier
January 28, 2013 at 10:32 PM //
3-9-4. Blood, the wild west (in Space), and a Labyrinth.
What? Star wars responses on the next post? Oh, sorry…
willcaraway
January 29, 2013 at 2:05 AM //
Motif: Eyes
Subgenre: Noir
Setting: Amusement Park
I sort of went out of noir, but I like where it went.
http://willcaraway.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/energy-drinks-bad-for-you-naaahh/
cats17
January 29, 2013 at 7:37 AM //
Does anyone know which story was chosen for last week’s selection of interesting places?
terribleminds
January 29, 2013 at 8:01 AM //
@cats –
I don’t choose a story every week, only one where there’s a prize on the line.
Thanks!
– c.
Anthony Elmore
January 29, 2013 at 12:02 PM //
Motif: Storms
Subgenre: Wild West (In Spaaaaaacee!!!)
Setting: Amusement Park
I’ve always wanted to write a cowboy story, so hunker by the campfire and listen to the tale of Frost’s Hellstorm.
http://www.barelyok.com/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-choose-your-motif.html
Eva T
January 29, 2013 at 2:12 PM //
I got Blood, Supernatural Romance and a kings’ bedroom. I had difficulties getting the setting to fit, so in the end I had to use interpretation. http://evathereseebert.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/flash-fiction-challenge-choose-your-motif/
catemorgan
January 29, 2013 at 8:24 PM //
The Dice of Cursedness declared I should scribble something random about Eyes, in a Cozy Mystery, on a Train. Agatha Christie send-up, anyone?
I give you “Blood, Ink, and Mrs. Fortescue”: http://catemorgan.com/2013/01/30/youve-been-flashed-blood-ink-and-mrs-fortescue/
jreinmiller
January 29, 2013 at 9:48 PM //
I pulled 2, 1, and 5 from the RNG. So a Dystopian tale of skulls inside another character’s mind it is.
http://www.jqpdx.com/2013/01/30/inside-job/
JFriesen
January 29, 2013 at 10:54 PM //
This was my post for two challenges ago, except it was also part of a class and I was waiting for feedback. Never happened. Fortunately, I think it kind of fits here. So while it doesn’t technically follow the rules, it’s going up. Sorry.
Motif: Yellow Scarf and an itch
Subgenre: Noir
Location: Train (and with a stretch, in Someone Else’s Mind)
http://thestrangethoughts.blogspot.ca/2013/01/hipster.html
gembolding
January 30, 2013 at 3:37 AM //
motif: water
genre: dystopia…sci-fi…romance.. couldn’t help myself
setting: route 66
http://gembolding.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/nephraim/
Beth L.
January 30, 2013 at 11:00 PM //
A water motif, transhumanism, and the temple of the gods, combined in “Antediluvian”.
http://knotachance.tumblr.com/
Damien
January 30, 2013 at 11:16 PM //
Motif: Eyes; Subgenre: Ecothriller; Setting: A King’s Bedroom… Yeah.. Tried putting all three of these in one situation… Here we go!! lol
http://sidtrickster.blogspot.com/
It’s the story called “The Eyes of Always”… Enjoy!!!
AM Gray
January 31, 2013 at 5:51 AM //
I rolled mirror, dystopian amusement park.
http://amgray.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/beware-jabberwock.html
louisesor
January 31, 2013 at 11:10 AM //
Random choice
motif: swords
setting: amusement park
subgenre: erotic fantasy O.O This one would definitely not have been my pick. But I guess that’s why it’s a challenge, right?
Queen of Swords http://wp.me/p1BAlV-42
colemorrissey
January 31, 2013 at 1:03 PM //
Birds, Transhumanism, Trains http://colemorrissey.wordpress.com
colemorrissey
January 31, 2013 at 1:08 PM //
http://colemorrissey.wordpress.com Bird, Transhumanism, Trains
joeturner87
January 31, 2013 at 7:27 PM //
Well, this is last ditch, like the throwing up in the kids dolls house…sort of, anyway, here it is
http://joetblogs.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-choose-your-motif/
Sam Hume
January 31, 2013 at 9:45 PM //
Woo! I finally finished it, and it is way to long at 2,300 words! At this point its a shortish short story. I rolled storms, wild west in space, and in another characters mind. I really enjoyed writing this. comments and constructive criticism is appreciated. NSFW. The Operator. p.s. if anyone can come up with a better title leave a comment and I’ll change it. http://samuelhume.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-operator.html
stillred
January 31, 2013 at 11:27 PM //
I rolled sword, dystopia, and a king’s bedroom for “Defiance”.
http://redwritingmuse.blogspot.com/2013/01/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge.html
welltemperedwriter
January 31, 2013 at 11:58 PM //
Swords, comic fantasy, and restaurant in space: http://welltemperedwriter.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/thargra-the-barbarian-and-the-great-asteroid-fortress-adventure-prologue/
Dave Scott
February 1, 2013 at 2:24 AM //
lol – I almost had what “welltemperedwriter” above me had.
My wife chose for me this week.
“Snakes : Comic Fantasy : A Restaurant in Space”
I had a blast with this one.
http://www.cf.frickbat.com/davescott/?p=373
Bill Dezell
February 1, 2013 at 5:01 AM //
Better late than never, right?
http://billthescribe.blogspot.com/2013/02/chuck-wendigs-flash-fiction-challenge.html
SigilSigil
February 1, 2013 at 8:19 AM //
‘Ascension’
(birds, transhumanism, inside another character’s mind)
http://imaginedrealms.typepad.com/writing/2013/02/ascension.html
Anne
February 1, 2013 at 9:56 AM //
The Moon
Paranormal Romance
Amusement Park
My co-author and I managed to wrap this into the ongoing fiction of our blog. The portion of this post in blockquote is the flash fiction. The before and after just connects it to the rest of our work for our readers.
http://www.gaslightfantasy.com/a-titillating-find/