Last week’s challenge: “1667.”
Once again, time to write just the opening line to a new story.
No more than 15 words long.
Plop your opening line in the comment section below. Only one entry, please.
Then, the following week, it will be the task of other writers to pick one opening line that they will use in a new piece of flash fiction.
If you write the line that is most chosen by other authors, I’ll send you a signed physical copy of my new writing book, The Kick-Ass Writer. I’m not doing the picking, so your goal is to write a line that excites other writers enough for them to write a story using that opening line.
Tricky? Could be.
So, get to writing.
You’ve got one week — due by Friday, November 15th, noon EST.
(I’ll send the physical book and pay for shipping if you’re in the United States. Outside the country, you’ll have to front the shipping, I’m afraid, or be okay with an e-book copy.)
Arno Hurter says:
“Jimmy!” Balingrud said, incinerating the God-parasite that escaped my pores. “Good to see you again.”
November 12, 2013 — 3:08 PM
Fi says:
In the darkness, I stretched my hand out across the bed. She wasn’t there. Again.
November 12, 2013 — 3:41 PM
Andrew Goodman says:
In the morning raw meat stuck between teeth didn’t taste as sweet as last night.
November 12, 2013 — 4:15 PM
B. Rose says:
Shit. SHIT! The odds were better that I’d die in a freak vending machine accident.
November 12, 2013 — 4:38 PM
dangerdean says:
My mother was right when she said not to tattoo a snake on my face.
November 12, 2013 — 4:46 PM
tbianconi says:
“You amuse me, human,” the Dragon said, swallowing several thousand Smarties in on gulp.
November 12, 2013 — 5:48 PM
Caitlin says:
Everyone knows The 7 Deadly Sins. Y’think the others are the good guys? Think again.
November 12, 2013 — 5:51 PM
Misty Dyan says:
Ive never seen anything more beautiful; like a sick fish trying to breath fresh air.
November 12, 2013 — 5:53 PM
Caitlin says:
Everyone knows The Seven Deadly Sins. Y’think the Virtues are the good guys? Think again.
November 12, 2013 — 7:24 PM
Caitlin says:
{I apologize if this is posted twice. I posted it earlier but it didn’t seem to show up…so i’ve posted it again…}
November 12, 2013 — 7:25 PM
Ken Crump says:
I’ve been posing as human for so long, you’d think I’d know how to kiss.
November 12, 2013 — 9:12 PM
Victor says:
Irresistible.
November 14, 2013 — 5:33 AM
Kate says:
Yeah…I’m using this one!
November 16, 2013 — 7:32 AM
Arwa Stone (@AmethystStars) says:
The mist rolled in off the sea, cool and haunting as I dug the grave.
November 12, 2013 — 9:13 PM
Ace Rhett says:
It was now or never; after all, he should have died ten minutes ago.
November 12, 2013 — 9:41 PM
aspeed says:
Only after the world exploded did Daniel figure out it was his fault.
November 13, 2013 — 5:52 AM
mikepaul says:
Someone once told me bourbon was great for removing blood stains.
November 13, 2013 — 7:23 AM
Brian Broderick says:
This story begins as many do with tragedy and ends with…well you will just have to see for yourself.
November 13, 2013 — 9:04 AM
Martin says:
Unlit staircases littered with glass eyes hinted at the despicable future of the child.
November 13, 2013 — 9:22 AM
Emily Measor says:
The first time I prayed I received an email in return; I gather that’s unusual.
November 13, 2013 — 10:59 AM
Christopher Grundy says:
“Why are Atheists always the first to cry out to the heavens for mercy?” sighed Victoria, one hand dousing the lifeless body with cheap vodka and and the other retrieving a packet of matches from her pocket.
November 13, 2013 — 12:06 PM
Lynn says:
It’s me and a flesh eating zombie monkey off to save the world. Again.
November 13, 2013 — 2:37 PM
M.R. Dorough says:
Events unfold a little differently each time. Despite this, I can never save them all.
November 13, 2013 — 5:14 PM
Bookewyrme says:
She rode in on a dragon; or more accurately, clutched in its front claw.
November 13, 2013 — 10:41 PM
Ilona the Rose says:
Tak didn’t want to leave, but her time was up and the Warden insisted.
November 14, 2013 — 1:41 AM
Jera says:
At the gates of Dina Balu, a guard stopped a lizard. This was his mistake.
November 14, 2013 — 1:44 AM
Ambien Grey says:
Aaron’s boots sunk into the wet mud, deeper with every second step he took.
November 14, 2013 — 8:47 AM
Pablo a.k.a. Skittles McViolence says:
Could you turn that off?! I hate The fucking Smiths.
November 14, 2013 — 9:25 AM
Rebecca Douglass says:
“Harold! Harold! Hurry, the eyes are back and they’re in the pantry!”
November 14, 2013 — 1:41 PM
angelacavanaugh says:
Xander’s trench coat billowed behind him, revealing the artillery strapped to his thighs.
November 14, 2013 — 4:13 PM
marybelr says:
Annoyed she stabbed him and finished her diner.
November 14, 2013 — 9:25 PM
Tony Taylor says:
This is the winner for me!!!
November 15, 2013 — 6:55 PM
Tony Taylor says:
To avoid anymore turmoil…was I wrong in assuming that you meant “dinner” and not “diner”? There seems to have been some discussion and I just wanted clarification. Thanks.
November 16, 2013 — 7:15 AM
Marybel says:
Yes I did “dinner” oeps but if anyone can figure a storyline with diner go for it!
November 16, 2013 — 7:57 AM
Tony Taylor says:
Thanks for clearing that up for me. I just finished the story…I have gone about 157 words over the 1000 word mark. I hope to rectify that in the next draft. I also hope to do your line justice as it really spoke to me as a husband. I sometimes forget what a pain in the ass I can be. Thanks and as soon as I am done revising I’ll get it out there.
Happy Writing!!!!
November 16, 2013 — 9:40 AM
marybelr says:
I’m honored. This is my first year doing NaNoWriMo and attempt at writing. I started off scared but confidence is growing slowly…it’s not been an easy ride but still hanging in there!
November 16, 2013 — 11:20 PM
Tony Taylor says:
Good Luck with NaNoWriMo…all the best. Also, just write, write, write!!. We are all in the same boat and with you on the journey.
BTW….here’s the story. I hope I did your sentence justice. Happy Writing.
http://taylormaderandomwrites.blogspot.com/2013/11/dinner-with-blind-hate-flash-fiction.html
November 21, 2013 — 11:09 PM
marybelr says:
Wow I did not see the twist at the end coming! Thanks for that. Is it bad that I was laughing halfway through… Let me know if you elaborate on the story. It’s begging for more.
November 24, 2013 — 11:57 AM
momdude says:
Marley was not dead no matter what Scrooge said, and I doubted he would be.
November 14, 2013 — 11:29 PM
cats says:
A small noise escapes my face, something between a snort and a laugh.
November 15, 2013 — 1:51 AM
KT says:
With the some Ketamine, silver wire, and a good friend, you can see the afterlife.
November 15, 2013 — 3:47 AM
inkfury says:
It’s been three days since my heart stopped beating.
November 15, 2013 — 4:31 AM
Tony Taylor says:
There were no more bullets and no more excuses.
November 15, 2013 — 10:07 AM
apeinflames says:
Penis meeting a mangle is how I meat my end. Sorry, I meant met.
November 15, 2013 — 11:07 AM
apeinflames says:
I thought I was the only one? Needed on a T-Shirt.
November 15, 2013 — 11:20 AM
apeinflames says:
Pay that man his money.
November 15, 2013 — 11:22 AM
apeinflames says:
I’m hearing this spoken in the first person… by Bruce Campbell. Nice
November 15, 2013 — 11:25 AM
apeinflames says:
Oops, Replies are being not posted after the relevant comment.
November 15, 2013 — 11:40 AM
authordjdavis says:
If you hit reply on the individual post next to the date it was posted, it should work.
November 15, 2013 — 12:42 PM
Kevin George (@magell2) says:
“And I would have found big foot if those aliens hadn’t abducted me,” Zeke said.
November 15, 2013 — 11:56 AM
Jenny says:
“I swear to you. This is absolutely not what it looks like.”
November 15, 2013 — 11:57 AM
Smoph says:
I shouldn’t have been entranced, the fire holding the attention of my brain’s prehistoric parts.
November 16, 2013 — 1:05 AM
Rebecca B. says:
I sssooo wish this was 15 words somehow because I totally wanted to use this one! Blargh!
November 18, 2013 — 2:10 PM
Rebecca B. says:
Okay my web browser sucks and decided not to reply to the past I was on . .
November 18, 2013 — 2:19 PM
Stop_the_Menace says:
So, I’m a last minute Lucy, I’ve got two days. Bring it on…..
November 20, 2013 — 12:06 AM