Flash Fiction Challenge: Write What You Know
Last week’s challenge: “Inspiration From Inexplicable Photos“
This challenge is a little different from all the others.
It plays off that oft-slung chestnut of writing wisdom, “Write what you know.”
In this case, I want you to do exactly that — but with a twist.
I want you to grab an event from your life. Then I want you to write about it through a fictional, genre interpretation — changing the event from your life to suit the story you’re telling. So, maybe you write about your first hunting trip between father-and-son, but you reinterpret that as a king taking his youngest out to hunt dragons. Or, you take events from your Prom (“I caught my boyfriend cheating on me in the science lab”) and spin it so that the event happens at the same time a slasher killer is making literal mincemeat of the Prom King and Queen.
Take true life.
Reimagine it through the lens of fiction.
You’ve got 1000 words.
Post your story on your site, link back here.
Due by Friday the 22nd, noon EST.
Casz Brewster
February 15, 2013 at 10:24 AM //
Any particular “event” you’d like to see fictionalized? Just curious.
Shelly Tennyson Taylor
February 15, 2013 at 10:38 AM //
Fun, I enjoy these types of writing challenges. Forces our minds conjure up things.
Hope you enjoy.
http://oldmomsunite.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/tears-of-the-son/
rachelhelie
February 15, 2013 at 12:16 PM //
My “true story” “Little Death” http://rachelhelie.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=355&action=edit&message=6
rachelhelie
February 16, 2013 at 9:48 AM //
I think I formatted this wrong so I resubmitted below!
darleneaubol
February 15, 2013 at 2:13 PM //
One afternoon, when I was a kid, my older brother took it upon himself to hunt and shoot some of our dogs. This Friday Flash Fiction is based on that incident.
Royal Families
http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=214
aka Darlene Underdahl
http://www.VermillionRoadPress.com
lacabeza
February 15, 2013 at 5:56 PM //
Done! http://www.lacabezagrande.com/2013/02/my-deadly-fate/
rachelhelie
February 15, 2013 at 8:29 PM //
Fun stuff!…Submitting http://rachelhelie.com/?p=355
Adam
February 15, 2013 at 9:13 PM //
I’m very new to creative writing, and terribly bashful, so this is great practice. Today, I learned I really struggle with word count limits.
http://letitwander.com/post/43187373727/the-farmhouse
darleneaubol
February 18, 2013 at 9:19 AM //
Ah, yeah, old farms. Don’t be bashful, that was very good and I loved the picture.
aka Darlene Underdahl
Tia Kalla (@tiakall)
February 16, 2013 at 12:50 AM //
When I saw this challenge, I thought “well, what’s the most interesting thing that’s happened to me?” and the first thing that came to mind was “that time when I hit a moving car.”
So here you are, “Look Both Ways”: http://itt.ymakadomain.com/?p=105
darleneaubol
February 16, 2013 at 9:21 AM //
Chuck? Is my story coming back?
aka Darlene Underdahl
darleneaubol
February 16, 2013 at 9:22 AM //
There it is, thanks!
Alex Wren
February 16, 2013 at 12:07 PM //
This fable-esque story incorporates 2 events from my childhood. “Fire’s Daughter”: http://www.awrenwriting.com/?p=105
crow365
February 16, 2013 at 12:44 PM //
Just a smidge over 1000 words (~1200 and some change), here’s a mash-up of two events from my early 20s, involving my first love.
http://nickegelhoff.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/flash-fiction-challenge-write-what-you-know/
Tracy Rowan
February 16, 2013 at 5:20 PM //
Thank you. It helped in a lot of ways: http://tracyrowan.org/persimmonfrost/?page_id=4794
darleneaubol
February 18, 2013 at 9:54 AM //
That was powerful.
aka Darlene Underdahl
Jan
February 16, 2013 at 5:29 PM //
A break-up turned into the personification of a balloon.
http://thestrangethoughts.blogspot.ca/2013/02/the-red-balloon-re-written-true-story.html
David Grigg
February 17, 2013 at 10:32 PM //
This one is based on some real-life, totally unauthorized experiments from my high school years.
It’s called “The Fire Workers”: http://narratorium.com/2013/02/18/the-fire-workers/
Josh Loomis
February 18, 2013 at 8:13 AM //
Decided to use the last time I wrecked a car as a jumping-off point.
“The Akubra”: http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2013/02/18/flash-fiction-the-akubra/
Carl Bussler
February 18, 2013 at 9:16 AM //
Alan Quartermain. Indiana Jones. Jake Cutter. Josh Loomis. It’s a nice pedigree. And a nice piece of fiction!
Carl Bussler
February 18, 2013 at 8:49 AM //
When I was about 8, my grandmother purchased an 1800′s melodeon (reed organ). The previous owners sold it because their little girl had died and no longer had a need for it. Although I learned to play on the melodeon, I had a suspicion it was haunted by the little girl’s ghost. Nightmares didn’t help assuage that fear. These shreds of truth spawned the story “A Song for Sarah.”
http://blackpowderblackmagic.com/flash-fiction-a-song-for-sarah/
PS. That scary-ass reed organ from Hell is still in the family.
erchristensen
February 18, 2013 at 3:15 PM //
Here’s my real life story: when I was in the seventh grade, I had spinal meningitis. As part of the testing for it, I had to undergo a spinal tap.
Here’s my flash fiction blending of the truth and SF elements, “Famous in the Lab.” I hope you enjoy it.
http://www.eric-christensen.com/2013/02/18/famous-in-the-lab/
P.S. I did have a family friend in the lab, but he was far more helpful and far less creepy than the person in this story.
keithbwalters
February 18, 2013 at 4:22 PM //
Thanks for another inspiring challenge, Chuck.
Based mine on a creepy old tower I had to climb inside whilst at work a few years back.
‘What we know…’ can be found here: http://wp.me/p2K3fC-2w
jreinmiller
February 18, 2013 at 7:21 PM //
Here’s my story for this week.
I’ve fought in a few tournaments over the years so I tossed that into the mix with an old concept I’ve had and might do something more with one day and here’s what came out.
http://www.jqpdx.com/2013/02/19/first-time/
Jim Franklin
February 19, 2013 at 9:18 AM //
A little later than usual, but here is the highly fictionalised epic tale of the first time I drank a little too much.
http://writewayround.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/flash-fiction-devils-advocaat/
Comments always welcome, hope you enjoy it.
Jacqueline Hopkins-Walton
February 19, 2013 at 9:21 AM //
Great idea, here is mine: http://jacquehopkins.blogspot.com/2013/02/flash-fiction-challenge-write-what-you.html
KELLY
February 20, 2013 at 6:11 AM //
It’s all about the dance moves – http://blueridgeandrv.blogspot.com/2013/02/flash-fiction-frances-and-larry.html
jjtoner
February 20, 2013 at 6:46 PM //
Here’s mine. The Prince and the Dragon (inspired by the death of my father)
http://euclid-thoughts.blogspot.ie/2013/02/short-story-prince-and-dragon.html
RebaSays
February 20, 2013 at 8:42 PM //
Misadventures on the farm: http://pushcomestoshove.blogspot.com/2013/02/down-on-farm.html Almost mostly true.
Beth L.
February 20, 2013 at 10:34 PM //
This was oddly cathartic… thanks for the story-starter! Here’s “Judging By Your Looks”
http://knotachance.tumblr.com/
entrebat
February 20, 2013 at 11:12 PM //
The First Day
I had become a number on a docket. My name was now ‘inmate.’
Philip Harris
February 21, 2013 at 10:28 AM //
Cag: An Almost True Story.
http://www.solitarymindset.com/2013/02/21/cag-an-almost-true-story/
Eva T
February 21, 2013 at 1:51 PM //
So I ended up using a conversation I had with a man at the library where I work. Filtered though dystopian alternate reality. And if you’re thinking that there’s a dash of wish fulfilment fantasy in there as well, let me just say that we get a lot of weirdoes in the library and sometimes my patience wears thin. http://evathereseebert.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/flash-fiction-challenge-write-what-you-know/
Denise
February 21, 2013 at 4:26 PM //
Jacked up on adrenaline and nostalgia…
http://pdhinson.com/?p=842
snellopy
February 22, 2013 at 12:33 AM //
This one was a lot of fun to write.
A progress report on research subject C1-MMA
http://snellopy.blogspot.com/2013/02/progress-report-on-research-subject-c1.html
Anthony Martin
February 22, 2013 at 12:56 AM //
This prompt spoke to me, so I decided to participate. I look forward to reading what you think. More importantly, I look forward to reading everyone’s work
The Muse and the Minion
Tim
February 22, 2013 at 1:25 AM //
Friend’s wallet was stolen at a popular theme park in Southern California:
http://www.pendemon.com/collab-8-royal-revenge/
swordsoftheancients
February 22, 2013 at 2:55 AM //
Here’s my submission, a little sci-fi twist on my childhood.
http://swordsoftheancients.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/before-the-dawn/
Jack Vanish
February 22, 2013 at 8:04 AM //
Ah-ha, here is mine. I’m new here.
http://flyknifecomics.com/terribleminds-flash-fiction/
Drunk night out reimagined as military sci-fi. Hurray!
Carl Bussler
February 22, 2013 at 9:50 AM //
I totally dig the lingo and the slang. Four characters is usually quite a few for flash fiction, but with just a couple sentences you’ve given each of them a hook on which to hang their personality. Their nick-names, choice of gear, etc. I’d read more about this rat pack.
Jack Vanish
February 22, 2013 at 2:16 PM //
In that case I will write more about them, if an appropriate Flash Fiction challenge arises. Their plights are numerous!
Carl Bussler
February 22, 2013 at 2:24 PM //
Nice. It got me thinking back to Hammer’s Slammers and Razak’s Roughnecks. I’ll be on the lookout.
Jeanne B.
February 22, 2013 at 8:51 AM //
http://jmboverthinking.blogspot.com/2013/02/flash-fiction-challenge-write-what-you.html
Echo
February 22, 2013 at 1:09 PM //
Lovely. I really want you to continue.
Where will Sasha go? Will she go rogue?
I seriously hope you continue this adventure.
Valerie Valdes (@valerievaldes)
February 22, 2013 at 11:01 AM //
An adventure I think some people shared.
http://candleinsunshine.com/asthemoonclimbs/flash-fic/lava/
louisesor
February 22, 2013 at 11:23 AM //
Here’s mine. A little over wordcount so no cigar, but an interesting story nonetheless.
Sixteenth of Fughuary http://wp.me/p1BAlV-4e
rebeccadouglass
February 22, 2013 at 12:46 PM //
Short and trivial, and about 45 minutes past noon EST (hey, that’s EARLY out here on the left coast!). But I did it anyway. And I really did lose that pan, and I’m still looking for it years later. . .
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2013/02/lost-in-space-flash-fiction-challenge.html
Echo
February 22, 2013 at 12:57 PM //
I know I’m late. But I’m seriously rusty and would love any and all comments/feedback.
Based on an one sentence truth and my ability to accidentally cause my Mother to cry.
Gene: Horror. Count: 1000 words exact.
Mother: http://thinkits.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/terrible-minds-flash-fiction-challenge/
Sarah O'Hara
February 25, 2013 at 10:44 AM //
I’m late again. Oh well.
http://authorsarahohara.blogspot.com/2013/02/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge_20.html