Last week’s challenge, I asked you to come up with an opening line for a story.
This week, you’re going to write a story based on one of those opening lines.
(Er, not your own, thanks.)
Look through them:
Choose one.
(Choose one that complies with the original mandate of keeping to 15 words or less.)
A lot of great options in there. (Though, to be fair, a surprising lot of not so great options in this batch. Lots of errors and over-the-limits. People: read your entries before you click SUBMIT. It’ll take you like, 30 extra seconds, I promise.)
Please identify in the comments below which opening line you’ll choose.
I’ll tally and, presuming there’s a winner, I’ll send that person The Kick-Ass Writer.
Then: you write 1000 words using your chosen line. Post at your online space and link back here.
I’ll choose one of the participants (by random) and toss you a copy of — well, I dunno what. I’ll grab something off my shelves and mail it to you. (Or, if you’re international, I’ll give you something digital.)
Due by noon EST on November 22nd.
Get your fingers tapping.
189 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: Find Your Favorite Opening Line”
I’m using jebdarsh’s line, “Now, I’m not exactly saying the cat was plotting to kill me. But.”
Drafted the story this morning.
And I’ve put it up on my blog here:
The Cat Did It http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2013/11/flash-fiction-friday-cat-did-it.html
Emily Measor’s – “The first time I prayed I received an email in return; I gather that’s unusual.” Will do my best to whip this one off by next Friday…we’ll see…in case I don’t manage it, thanks for a kick-ass and thought provoking first line, Emily!
Jack’s – It wasn’t the worst idea I’d ever had, despite ending up dead.
I’ll give this a shot, should be fun.
Ken Crump: I’ve been posing as human for so long, you’d think I’d know how to kiss.
I’d love to read your story. Where can I find it?
Funny, both Emily’s and Jack’s lines were on my short list,
“mikepaul
Someone once told me bourbon was great for removing blood stains.”
I chose this one. Will have the story up for Reading on Monday.
Here it is. This is the story I made from the opening line. I call it “Rough Secrets.”
http://jonjeffersonauthor.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/and-the-count-rises/
I chose: I flicked the lighter open and watched the flame dance in the wind.
Def still using DeeBee’s “Ok, so how many of you can’t count to 15?”
No idea what comes next, but I’m looking forward to it.
Yep me too. Get’s my vote, and my rumblings of a story.
“Events unfold a little differently each time. Despite this, I can never save them all.” – M. R. Dorough
I like *“It doesn’t mean death,” I told her.* by murgatroid98. Link to follow.
I’m a little bit over 1000 words, but since when do I let arbitrary things like “rules” get in the way of writing? *I’m looking at you, Chuck* I present “Strawberry Roulette:”
http://article94.blogspot.com/2013/11/strawberry-roulette.html
Jude’s life was just a series of opportunities and bad decisions – Awkwardtreed
Will be using MikePaul’s “Someone once told me bourbon was great for removing blood stains.” for this one. Link will follow!
I’m going with, “As her eyeball rolled across the floor, she lit the last cigarette from the pack.” From Kate.
Jeb snagged me with: “Jimmy Bryant wasn’t fat.”
I’m gonna run with “I won’t tell you how I died, and they can’t tell you why.” from Miss Allison Rose.
I’m new here and a little nervous. I picked CCalhoun’s: The Autumn mist obscured the chasm, and muffled the screams of the creatures trapped within.
Just for the irony, it has to be:
OK, so how many of you can’t count to 15? – by DeeBee
Pablo’s, “Could you turn that off?! I hate the fucking Smiths.”
The result: “Pit Stop” http://wp.me/p43pnS-2S
Great story, loved it!
Thank you!
Unexpected reveals throughout – I liked it.
I’m going to take a crack at this and maybe even post it this time.
Using:
“Jade wore black.” From S. W. Sondheimer
I’ll be using rexpullman’s ” “Oh Fuck…stick it in already!” She screamed.”
http://thepixieslayer.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/the-race/
I am going with Marybelr’s “Annoyed she stabbed him and finished her dinner”.
*diner
… just saying.
A diner is a restaurant, not a meal. You can’t finish a diner.
The original said “diner.” Now that he’s taken on that opening line, I suppose he’ll have to figure out how to finish a diner.
It’s a better line if it’s “diner!”
I was assuming that the “diner” was a mistake and that the intention was “dinner”. Am I wrong in that assumption? I will ask the author. Yes…you really can’t finish a “diner” unless there is some mason-aspect I wasn’t aware of.
I’m going to continue with the “dinner” aspect as opposed to “diner”. I have asked the author and since I am half way through the first draft, I ‘m going to assume it’s “dinner”. However, you know what they say about assuming…
You can if you think the “diner” is a person who was eating and the “she” is a zombie!
That is fantastic!!!!! Love it
Love it!
http://taylormaderandomwrites.blogspot.com/2013/11/dinner-with-blind-hate-flash-fiction.html
Stevie Jennings approaches her baby blue Chevy Cavalier, and says to me, “This is Ivan. He’s undergoing a mid-life crisis at the moment. So be gentle, ‘K?”. – Autumn Marie
I like this one…
Stupid question alert here – where’s the link to the lines? (and how did I miss the original limitation of 15 words???? – yes, I’m one of THOSE ONES!)
Yes, Chuck made his own mistake with the link. You can hit the ‘blog’ button at the top of the page, get a list of the last posts, scroll down and hit ‘older posts’ and get to the Nov 8th post.
Thanks so much for the info about the link – and good luck with your story (and keeping it g-rated)!!!
I’m using ‘Someone once told me bourbon was great for removing blood stains.‘ don’t remember who’s it was, though.
http://gekkegina.simplesite.com/298906585 , i call it: simple villains
last minute mind change: instead, i’m going for – “The car came at full speed, with no choice I stood in front of it.”
sorry, no mind change. I’m terrible at making decisions.
I’m going to take on Bree’s: It was a strange feeling to wake up dead.
It is done! Here’s “On the inside”: http://prose.smoph.org/2013/11/20/on-the-inside/
It’ll be Aspeed’s: Only after the world exploded did Daniel figure out it was his fault.
Here ’tis now:
http://feralbulb.wordpress.com/blurb/
Thanks for choosing it. Cool story!
You’re welcome. Glad you liked it!
Stupid question alert2: yeah, where’s the link to the lines? I’m new, didn’t contribute a first line, but would like to give this a whirl. That ok?
Hi Dana, go to Chuck’s blog Nov 8 to choose from the multitude 🙂
Rolling with Jeb’s “Jimmy Bryant wasn’t fat.”
Second greatest opening line about weight behind Fight Club’s “Bob had bitch tits.”
It’s only THIS MORNING that I’m noticing that, oh, hey, an earlier draft of this posted. Sooooo, yeah, whoops. Post is still good, mostly, though the title was wonky, and the link was gone. It looked good when I proofed it before posting, but should’ve looked *after* posting.
This, in a post where I chastise folks for the editing of their entries.
Irony is alive and well, kids.
DON’T DO SCHOOL EAT DRUGS STAY IN MILK
— c.
I picked the most ordinary-looking one… and made it into something … well not ordinary. 😀
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/ivans-mid-life-crisis.html
Please let me know what you think of it… and of course, enjoy!
I liked the completeness of it, that you didn’t need to go any further with it. We know there’ll be trouble. Interesting road you took that line on. 🙂
I’m using mikepaul’s entry: Someone once told me bourbon was great for removing blood stains.
Hmmmm,.. Just a FYI:
According to the prompt”s rules, choosing a disqualified opening line (over 15 words) automatically disqualifies the story.
“This week, you’re going to write a story based on one of those opening lines.
(Er, not your own, thanks.)
Look through them:
Choose one.
(Choose one that complies with the original mandate of keeping to 15 words or less.)”
I will use “It’d been awhile since I’d killed someone with kindness, or any other weapon.” by flyawaybluebird. And I will separate “awhile” into its constituent elements, making the sentence 14 not 13 words. 🙂
Here’s mine, starting with: I flicked the lighter open and watched the flame dance in the wind.
http://theshadowportal.blogspot.com/2013/11/flash-fiction-challenge.html
I picked Rebecca Douglass’s “Harold! Harold! Hurry, the eyes are back and they’re in the pantry!” Here’s Eyes Without A Face – http://andreaspeed.com/2013/flash-fic-eyes-without-a-face/
Loved the story! And greatly appreciate being chosen 🙂
Nice payoff with the last line. Still chuckling.
Yes.
That is a great little twist on the line.
I’m going with Andrew Jack’s “Every second Saturday, Tom Pope had a beer with Devil.”
[…] piece is in response to Chuck Wendig’s challenge to choose from a list of opening lines posted the previous week and write 1,000 words or so from […]
I chose RickAlan’s “Jared exhaled a plume of pot smoke, just as he stepped on the creature’s entrails.” http://dangerdean.wordpress.com/2013/11/16/flash-fiction-find-your-favourite-opening-line/
Got that done, now I’m going to bed.
Pretty enjoyable and very detailed. Felt like I understood the MC’s mindset, and loved the add-in about the selfie. Made me chuckle.
Too many great lines to choose from…
I’m going with Caroline Arbelay’s “The bloody Arc de Triomphe is up the arse end of the Champs-Élysée again.” but adapting it for a G-rated blog (I know, I know!) It’ll be on my blog early on Nov22.
I was sorely tempted by garypo705’s “Bang” and Krud’s Shetland ponies… maybe another time 🙂
I could not resist angel011’s “The ficus is plotting to kill me.” (dun-dun-duuuun)
http://nicoserene.com/2013/11/17/fear-the-ficus/
I like it. Funny, and yet kind of scary.
Thank you! Glad you liked it!
Hilariously terrifying. Hillarrifying.
I especially loved the explanation for the animated inanimates – I will now proceed to read more of your work.
Hillarrifying – I must remember this! My favorite kind of story to write. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy the others!
Really amusing. It sent my thoughts scampering down a lot of different fun paths, like the notion of bringing women over being out of the question. Just what would come to life if a woman stayed the night? With this poor guy’s luck, it’d be a Trojan mid-unwrapping. I definitely wanted to hear more stories about other things that had previously come to life. Had the sofa chair ever gone all Pee Wee’s playhouse? Has the lamp followed him around the house, desperate to find out what’s so good about reading? And is there anything he could do to fix his condition? Fun one!
Thanks! I had so much fun writing this one and good thing (or not?) that there was a word limit or this could have really have blown up in my face. Though your questions are tempting… 🙂
I chose Brennan’s line ‘The sun shone down as it always had, and for a moment, everything was perfect.’ It was a great opener for my Forget Heaven. Please enjoy.
http://jfjuzwik.blogspot.com/2013/11/terrible-minds-flash-fiction-challenge.html
Nicely written! I especially like the way you work in the internal dialogue.
Thanks much. So glad you enjoyed it. Your line really set the tone for what followed. It was a lot of fun.
I’ll be using Julia H’s line: “I flicked the lighter open and watched the flame dance in the wind.”
Story forthcoming.
And here it is, “Backwash”: http://nickegelhoff.com/2013/11/19/flash-fiction-challenge-find-your-favorite-opening-line/
Using SW Sondheimer’s “Jade wore black”
Enjoy!
http://jodilhenry.blogspot.com/2013/11/flash-fiction-challenge-entry.html
That was awesome.
Used Emily Measor’s “The first time I prayed, I received an email in return; I gather that’s unusual.” Here it is…hope y’all like it!
http://mckkenzie.wordpress.com/
That was cool, I liked it.
Thanks…so glad you liked it!
Subcontracting – clever. Nice job.
Thanks!
Interesting idea mckkenzie.
Great job, McKenzie! Honoured that you chose my line 🙂
E
Thanks, everybody! I’m usually far too shy to share my fiction, so it’s great getting feedback!
Using: “My story should have ended on the day I died. Instead, it began there.” The opening line in “The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers beneath the Queen’s Window” by Rachel Swirsky.
(And then there’s that awkward moment where you realize you somehow overlooked the part of the prompt where it’s connected to last week’s challenge of coming up with the damn lines yourself! *Insert Homer Simpson’s ‘DOH!!!’ here* >.< FORGIVE ME! — I didn't add a opening line last week but I would like to participate? Don't clobber me with your laptops, please!
Just in case it's useful I can provide an opening line here and choose one!
My (late) opening line: I covered my mouth and nose while digging deeper into the trunk.
I've chosen cats: "A small noise escapes my face, something between a snort and a laugh."
[…] last week for the Chuck Wendig Terrible Minds prompt we had to come up with an opening line for a story. This week the challenge is to write a story […]
I chose Gareth Wiscombe:
Read on if you must, but the risk is all yours.
http://nitromidget.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/terrible-minds-challenge-read-on-if-you-must-but-the-risk-is-all-yours/
So, thar she blows.
That was a fun read.
Thanks! I’ve been MIA for a bit, so this was a perfect way to jump back in. Glad you enjoyed it!
Loved it, especially the invocation interspersed throughout the piece.
Thanks, Hah, I wasn’t sure if it was really noticeable, or would seem like randomly italicized words. Success 🙂
It was really subtle. I only noticed because the italicized words seemed random (no reason to inflect the words), so I started to pay more attention to them.
That was the idea. I wanted it to sound like a demon gloating, but in reality he’s tricking the reader into reading the words that set him free. Sounds like that came through, so I’m duper happy about that. 😀 Thanks for reading it!