Chuck is the author of the published novels: Blackbirds, Mockingbird, Under the Empyrean Sky, Blue Blazes, Double Dead, Bait Dog, Dinocalypse Now, Beyond Dinocalypse and Gods & Monsters: Unclean Spirits. He also the author of the soon-to-be-published novels: The Cormorant, Blightborn (Heartland Book #2), Heartland Book #3, Dinocalypse Forever, Frack You, and The Hellsblood Bride. Also coming soon is his compilation book of writing advice from this very blog: The Kick-Ass Writer, coming from Writers Digest.
He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is an alum of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter’s Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, showed at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producers Ted Hope and Anne Carey. Together they co-wrote the digital transmedia drama Collapsus, which was nominated for an International Digital Emmy and a Games 4 Change award.
Chuck has contributed over two million words to the game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP). He was a frequent contributor to The Escapist, writing about games and pop culture.
Much of his writing advice has been collected in various writing- and storytelling-related e-books.
He currently lives in the forests of Pennsyltucky with wife, two dogs, and tiny human.
He is likely drunk and untrustworthy. This blog is NSFW and probably NSFL.
You may reach him at terribleminds [at] gmail [dot] com.
Last week’s challenge: “Ten Words Will Give You Five.“
I want you to open it.
I want it to take you somewhere.
And I want you to write about where it takes you.
It’s that easy.
And that hard.
You have 1000 words.
Due in one week, by Friday, April 5th, noon EST.
Post at your online space.
Link back here.
Go.
Knock on the door.
Open it.
Write about it.
Annie Carroll - Writer
March 29, 2013 at 11:14 AM //
The Secret Door is the coolest thing I’ve seen in ages and ages! As for Amazon–it’s great!!
Jon
March 29, 2013 at 11:30 AM //
I don’t have a story for this, but what an awesome idea for a page. Thanks for sharing.
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 29, 2013 at 12:36 PM //
Awesome. I love that link.
My contribution, Beyond the Door: http://mrurbanspaceman.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/beyond-the-door-flash-fiction-challenge/
I didn’t get a name for where I ended up, so I’ve posted a picture at the bottom of my story.
Beth L.
March 29, 2013 at 1:29 PM //
Great story! I loved the line about you don’t get a perfect ending in 158 minutes. Thanks for sharing!
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 29, 2013 at 1:38 PM //
Thanks for reading/reviewing!
jreinmiller
March 30, 2013 at 1:20 AM //
Cool concept. I wasn’t sure where you were going with it at first, but that twist was a nice one. Good idea describing the city as a model as you got an actual model through your door.
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 30, 2013 at 4:32 AM //
Thanks, my brain went though about half a dozen permutations of what that model village actually was, before I settled on one I was actually comfortable with.
ben wintersteen
March 31, 2013 at 1:17 AM //
Interesting story, Reincarnation tourism, might make for a good TV series:)
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 31, 2013 at 5:28 AM //
Cheers. I never thought of that, I’d just need to find a way to accelerate the birth/growing up process and give the series a villain, then maybe sell it to a network and rake in the millions.
Trine Schmidt
March 31, 2013 at 9:35 AM //
It took me a minute to figure out what your MC was experiencing, but now that I have I feel a little stupid
what a great spin on the assignment.
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 31, 2013 at 11:33 AM //
Ahh, don’t feel like that… sometimes, nothing is ever as it seems
Cheers for your comment.
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 10:36 AM //
Oh I liked this, though I blame my daughter for thinking more Dr. Who than reincarnation. I also liked how they (souls? aliens?) remembered everything while in the “limbo” state so they can pick and choose their next experience.
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 31, 2013 at 11:38 AM //
Thank you! I do think the one thing missing from that map is a building-sized Tardis. I’ll be honest with you – first it was going to be souls (God was going to be there, then I realised how lame that idea panned out), then it was going to be aliens experiencing our world from afar, and it finally ended with being a themepark for angels. Only way they get to experience life is being born into a body and going through the whole mess with no memory of their true nature. But either of them, souls reincarnated, aliens exploring, angels making us their Disneyland, works just as well. Pick your favourite, and that’s what it is!
Elaina M. Roberts
March 29, 2013 at 3:02 PM //
Thought I would give this a shot since I wimped out the past two weeks. I, too, posted a picture of the place my door sent me. Now I’m not sure I want to go there!
http://www.elainamroberts.com/tsuchigumo/
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 30, 2013 at 12:53 PM //
Ewww, creepy! But very good. Best story I’ve read yet for this week’s challenge. I am now going to be ever afraid of men claiming to be princes.
And possibly of mysteriously glowing pools of funky-coloured water, too.
Elaina M. Roberts
March 30, 2013 at 3:14 PM //
Thank you! Spiders scare the bee-jeezus out of me so they were the perfect choice for the creepy “Prince Charming.”
Trine Schmidt
March 31, 2013 at 9:40 AM //
Uhhh great story,deliciously chilling. Loved it.
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 10:43 AM //
Thank you! I was nervous about posting but then decided to just jump in and see what happened.
disastrouscreations
March 31, 2013 at 4:50 PM //
Not sure how I missed this one. Thanks for a great read!
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 5:09 PM //
Thank you!
Joe Petty
April 1, 2013 at 12:42 PM //
Amazing story, so creepy. I said out loud, ewww… gross. The BF said, what? I sorta explained and he said, I don’t want to read it. But, man… nice!
Elaina M. Roberts
April 2, 2013 at 2:21 PM //
Thank you! It’s a slight departure from my usual but was super fun to write.
jreinmiller
April 2, 2013 at 12:36 AM //
Wow! Creepy and grotesque. Really good job. I was cringing at the end.
Elaina M. Roberts
April 2, 2013 at 2:22 PM //
Sorry to make you cringe!
Paul Grignon
March 29, 2013 at 4:25 PM //
Superb idea! I just wrote this piece, and here’s the link. http://paulgrignon.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/flash-fiction/
Chuck, you crack me up. It’s always a pleasure getting your emails. I liked the fact that you could check out multiple secret ‘doors’.
Have a great weekend!
Take care,
Paul
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 29, 2013 at 6:08 PM //
Interesting! Makes me wonder where your door opened up to. I liked your protagonist’s conversations with himself. Very wry.
jreinmiller
March 30, 2013 at 1:26 AM //
Well written, and a hearty ‘hah!’ about the chimes. I didn’t read anyone else’s until I posted mine, but I see those notes struck more than one of us.
Paul Grignon
April 1, 2013 at 3:35 PM //
Thank you! And your post was quite vivid, with terrifying details. Yikes! You can almost feel the pain the ‘Queen’ was going through. Nice job!
Ben Wintersteen
March 31, 2013 at 5:25 AM //
As mentioned elsewhere.. cool beans! The frustration is delicious.
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 10:50 AM //
Interesting take! Makes one wonder if the door took him to a parallel universe or a hiccup in time. The manikin moving about would have creeped me out far more than the music – even if I did mute it on my own door.
Vicki
April 5, 2013 at 9:09 AM //
Nice one, Paul. Abstractly, the idea of being left alone in a bar with all the liquor at your fingertips isn’t such a bad one. But you manage to make it deliciously unsettling. Enjoyed this.
disastrouscreations
March 29, 2013 at 10:25 PM //
Thanks for a great challenge. I feel I improved on last weeks performance but still request the brutally honest critiques. Mine came in at exactly 1000 words (excluding title). Thanks in advance for taking the time to read, comment, or both.
http://disastrouscreations.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/the-secret-door/
Regards,
Mark
jreinmiller
March 30, 2013 at 1:30 AM //
Great job, I really enjoyed that one. Writing felt smooth and I thought it was a cool concept.
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 30, 2013 at 4:41 AM //
I echo jreinmiller’s sentiments and have left a little feedback on your site.
Ben Wintersteen
March 31, 2013 at 6:46 AM //
very awesome. Only constructive feedback is that the word “bears” should have been bolded, or in quotes, or separated in some way
But what do I know, right?
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 11:12 AM //
I definitely can relate to this! I have a small notebook that is much like that room full of files – it’s full of unfinished projects, synopses, ideas scribbled on a napkin or the back of a receipt. Excellent!
jreinmiller
March 30, 2013 at 1:13 AM //
Walk through a door he said, see where it goes he said. Well here ya go.
http://www.jqpdx.com/2013/03/30/an-old-door-with-new-tricks/
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 30, 2013 at 4:50 AM //
Enjoyable story, and I liked the contrasts you got between the two destinations – a desert of heat, and a desert of cold. I do have one question, though; is the last word of the story supposed to be ‘monkeys’?
jreinmiller
March 30, 2013 at 12:06 PM //
Thanks, and oops! It was indeed. I’ve corrected it.
Ben Wintersteen
March 31, 2013 at 7:02 AM //
Very cool. I hate it when I hear disembodied monkeys (though that would be a good name for a band)
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 11:18 AM //
Oh I did enjoy this! The fascination followed by fear (ahem, worry, sorry). The urge to return to some semblance of normalcy. And then the monkeys. Yeah, I probably would have lost it at that moment.
K. L. Kerr (@Penrefe)
March 30, 2013 at 9:37 AM //
Didn’t quite reach the word count, but never mind. Here’s my entry: http://penrefe.com/2013/03/30/flash-fiction-i-stand-in-ruins/
Ben Wintersteen
March 31, 2013 at 7:09 AM //
Cool. I hate it when I don’t notice important details like that.
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 11:45 AM //
I liked the way this unfolded. Just enough information to make us wonder. Poor Mary, and poor Mr. Drysdale, too.
K. L. Kerr (@Penrefe)
March 31, 2013 at 5:59 PM //
Thanks very much, folks =)
Mr Urban Spaceman
April 5, 2013 at 8:25 AM //
Great story! Keep in mind that 1000 words is the maximum, not something you *have* to achieve. I think your story was the perfect length. I really liked how the echo of that smell kept coming back to Mary, it really helped the narrative to flow. The only minor flaw (for me) is that as soon as Mr Drysdale was introduced, I knew immediately that he was a Reaper and that Mary was dead. But that’s not because of anything you’ve written, I simply read too much Discworld and watch too much Supernatural, to the extent that I have developed a weird sort of spidey-sense where Death and death-related entities are concerned.
I really did enjoy your story though. Very unique, a great read for a few spare minutes during my work break!
Mozette
March 30, 2013 at 10:59 PM //
I didn’t reach the word count… was around 300 off. But I did my best.
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/the-forest-of-zen.html
Ben Wintersteen
March 31, 2013 at 7:13 AM //
Gee, thanks for making me feel bad I cant go camping from where I am. Great description!
Mozette
March 31, 2013 at 8:09 AM //
I’m sorry…
I saw the photo of this and just had to write about it… Chuck said a description; and so when it showed up, my brain went into scenery overload…. it’s just so damned pretty. And seeing I’m a city person and this was a forest scene, I couldn’t resist.
Jesse
March 30, 2013 at 11:45 PM //
I feel a bit outclassed here, what with not having a little blog of my very own and this being my first completed challenge, but I think I managed alright. Here’s my story http://mertus.deviantart.com/art/Que-Sera-362585090
Ben Wintersteen
March 31, 2013 at 7:23 AM //
Interesting. Excellent interaction with the girl. Don’t want to sign up for your service, or Id post something there
Jesse
March 31, 2013 at 9:50 AM //
Thank you, I’m very glad you liked it.
And it’s okay about signing up, unless you were going to use the site regularly it’s a bit pointless. I felt I cheated a little since most of it is about the door itself and not about going anywhere through it.
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 11:58 AM //
I found Roy’s inner dialogue about the door to be excellent. I don’t know if I would trust suddenly appearing doors in the middle of Botanical Gardens, either. You never know where they lead.
Mr Urban Spaceman
April 5, 2013 at 8:37 AM //
Not bad for a first flash-fic attempt! I really liked the end sentence, so open-ended, so many possibilities.
AM Gray
March 31, 2013 at 12:18 AM //
I got a birch plantation in France. 995 words Title free so far… thinking…
http://amgray.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/this-weeks-challenge-from-chuckwendig.html
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 12:03 PM //
Okay, now I want to know what happens next! Where will they go? Who was she working for? What did he do?
ben wintersteen
March 31, 2013 at 12:59 AM //
Here is my contribution, I think I stayed within the intent of the exercise in the vaguest way possible…
“The Other Side of the Gyre”
http://paranthropologist.blogspot.com/2013/03/1000-word-challenge-2-secret-door.html
Mr Urban Spaceman
March 31, 2013 at 5:29 AM //
Vague or not, I’d like to know where you went!
disastrouscreations
March 31, 2013 at 9:09 AM //
Very nice. I wanted more!
Jesse
March 31, 2013 at 9:52 AM //
This is really good. I like the full panic leading up to the ending and then the bloodlessness of it all.
Elaina M. Roberts
March 31, 2013 at 12:13 PM //
Excellent. Her panicked race back to the pilot’s chair had me sitting on the edge of my seat wondering if she was going to make it or not. I’d love to know where your door led you!
jreinmiller
April 2, 2013 at 12:30 AM //
Good job, especially if you had to chop out 300 words to meet word count. There were a couple minor items with present and past tense, but I really liked the concept. Definitely felt like hard sci-fi to me with a world behind it.
Ben Wintersteen
April 2, 2013 at 12:36 AM //
Thanks! It inspired me to start collecting artifacts for this world, maybe its the start of something bigger. That tense thing… Its hard to provide background when the protagonist is rushing headlong
Ben Wintersteen
April 2, 2013 at 12:39 AM //
hrm, seems my description past the door wasn’t clear. Of course, I am stuck trying to describe nothing using words about something. Hrm
Trine Schmidt
March 31, 2013 at 8:40 AM //
This is possibly the best spot I’ve ever seen on the internet, ever, but somebody should just come over at cut off my internet because I can’t stop walking through that door. I’ll never get a story written if I keep this up.
mokkelke
March 31, 2013 at 10:04 AM //
got a nice picture and instantly thought about cowboys LOL so enjoy the 996 words that went with my secret door picture. http://mokkelke.blogspot.be/2013/03/chuck-wendig-flash-fiction-challenge.html
joeturner87
March 31, 2013 at 4:46 PM //
This one did not come as easy as previous weeks. Still, I made it.
http://joetblogs.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-the-secret-door/
Josh Loomis
April 1, 2013 at 9:49 AM //
When the door opened, I knew immediately what I would write. That’s something of a rarity.
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2013/04/01/flash-fiction-what-happened-to-stenz/
Al Spacealien
April 1, 2013 at 1:14 PM //
Here’s mine! I might have creeped myself out a little writing it. http://thisisnotajazzbar.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/flash-fiction-challenge-the-secret-door/
Jon
April 1, 2013 at 5:36 PM //
Haven’t done one of these in a LONG while. Still haven’t finished this one, but I’m fighting a messload of Life right now, and this is the best it’s gon’ get for now
http://jdparadise.blogspot.com/2013/04/resistance-incomplete.html
David
April 1, 2013 at 11:36 PM //
Here you go. Rather over length again, but that’s just me, sorry.
It’s called “Death, Who is the Key” :
http://narratorium.com/2013/04/02/death-who-is-the-key/
Beth L.
April 2, 2013 at 11:15 PM //
Here’s what the mindspace kicked out this time – Shuttered, or, Assassination In Camera.
http://knotachance.tumblr.com/
Jeff
April 3, 2013 at 1:10 PM //
Eerie.
Beth L.
April 3, 2013 at 11:38 PM //
Thanks!
Jeff
April 3, 2013 at 2:43 AM //
I think this came in right on the 1k mark. Was a slow starter for me, but once it got going, it took me for a ride.
Comments welcome!
http://wp.me/p3kEOo-36
kortneearies
April 3, 2013 at 3:17 AM //
Meh, I took the idea but designed my own door.
Here ya go: http://steponthejourney.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/flash-fiction-the-door-to-death/
Eileen Harris
April 3, 2013 at 1:15 PM //
My trip through the Secret Door:
http://antiquedesert.blogspot.com/2013/04/flash-fiction-challenge-secret-door.html
Shelly Tennyson Taylor
April 3, 2013 at 1:37 PM //
Great Idea! I took the door and it lead me to a suspended bridge in the Grand Canyon.
Here is my story!
http://oldmomsunite.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/the-secret-door-facing-fears/
Jaime & Raechel
April 4, 2013 at 6:06 AM //
Here’s what we did with this prompt:
http://RandMPublishing.com/the-secret-door-an-example-of-twisted-flash-fiction/
crow365
April 4, 2013 at 9:07 AM //
I went waaaaaaaaaaaay over the word limit (~6000), but felt I wasn’t doing the story justice by trying to keep it to only 1000. *shrug* Oh well, here’s “The Scent of Jasmine”: http://nickegelhoff.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/flash-fiction-challenge-the-secret-door/
Vicki
April 4, 2013 at 10:54 PM //
Soooo….this is the first time I’ve done one of these.
http://www.vickilynnwilson.com/
Paul Grignon
April 5, 2013 at 8:33 AM //
Great little story. You can feel the anxiety in David’s mind. Nice descriptions as well!
Vicki
April 5, 2013 at 9:11 AM //
Thanks, Paul. A nice welcome for my first time here!
welltemperedwriter
April 5, 2013 at 2:28 AM //
So it’s called “The Other Door” instead of “The Secret Door”. So sue me:
http://welltemperedwriter.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/the-other-door/
V Rose Dahrke
April 5, 2013 at 2:35 AM //
It’s only 474 words, but I figure if I’m going to flail I should at least be quick about it. Brilliant challenge, but probably the most difficult I’ve ever done. http://tentavailetimes.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/the-audience/
NeoAuthor (@NeoAuthor)
April 5, 2013 at 9:33 AM //
Here is my entry for this weeks challenge. This is my first piece of work to show to anyone so feel free to criticize it to your hearts content. I need it. Thanks!
http://neoauthor.tumblr.com/post/47189530833/the-door
Troy L
April 5, 2013 at 10:03 AM //
Here is my entry. This gave me the chance to explore a bit out of my current story. Enjoy! http://wp.me/p31vkg-3d
Serena Saint-Marceaux
April 5, 2013 at 11:21 AM //
Excellent and fun challenge! I will certainly be using the Secret Door again, too, that’s neat.
Here’s my story:
New Door – http://archiveofourown.org/works/749177
swordsoftheancients
April 5, 2013 at 12:22 PM //
Here is is. http://swordsoftheancients.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/the-secret-door-writing-challenge/
swordsoftheancients
April 5, 2013 at 12:22 PM //
Ugh. I can’t type today. Here IT is. http://swordsoftheancients.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/the-secret-door-writing-challenge/
alexanderthesoso
April 5, 2013 at 1:18 PM //
shoot, a few minutes late, but here. http://stories.dreamfantastic.com/alexhss/index.php/short-story/thedoor/
rebeccadouglass
April 6, 2013 at 12:34 PM //
A day late, but I’m putting it up anyway:
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2013/04/f-flash-fiction-friday-even-though-its.html