Flash Fiction Challenges: Ten Little Chapters
Last week’s challenge: Somethingpunk!
This week’s challenge is simple in description, but perhaps complex in execution.
It is about pacing and arrangement.
A piece of flash fiction is usually treated in a certain way — it’s short, so it uses the brevity of the form to often capture a snapshot in time.
We’re going to open that up a little bit.
You still have 1000 words.
But you’re going to break that up into 10 chapters.
Now, ostensibly that works out to about 100 words per chapter, though variation on that is fine. However you see fit to make it work. The goal here is to maintain brevity but increase scope. Can you tell a larger story in a smaller space? Does breaking it up make that easier — or harder?
Otherwise, standard rules apply.
Any genre will do.
Post at your blog, then drop a link in the comments here to that blog.
Due by next Friday, March 28th, noon EST.
1000 words, split into ten chapters. Now write it.
March 24, 2014 @ 4:47 PM
One for the word-nerds:
http://jeffnkeir.com/2014/03/24/flash-fiction-…ittle-chapters/
March 24, 2014 @ 4:56 PM
Now with fewer dots…
http://jeffnkeir.com/2014/03/24/flash-fiction-challenges-ten-little-chapters/
…
…
March 26, 2014 @ 10:53 PM
Well, that certainly went not where I was expecting. I have to admit, the rhythm of the writing at first threw me, but by a couple chapters in I was enjoying the weirdness. Thanks for the story!
Terribleminds Flash Fiction Challenge: Ten Little Titles | JoeTblogs
March 24, 2014 @ 7:07 PM
[…] weeks challenge Ten Little Chapters. This was hard, and I struggled (failed) to keep within the limit, but I’m posting […]
March 24, 2014 @ 7:11 PM
In the blog corner, weighing in at a lean 930 words, it’s…. BLOODBOUND! Ding. Ding. Ding.
I opted to eschew numerical chapter markings for this. Did it work, or make it more confusing?
http://www.jdstoffel.com/2014/03/bloodbound/
March 25, 2014 @ 11:44 AM
Definitely worked. I really enjoyed the back and forth. I love how it’s part of something larger, only hinting at all the ominous horror. Mind you, I also hate that, because I WANT TO READ MORE.
March 24, 2014 @ 8:09 PM
way less than 1,000 words… but *shrugs* it’s here
‘Teach yourself everything’
http://amgray.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/teach-yourself-everything.html
March 25, 2014 @ 3:05 AM
So mine’s a little over 1000 words. I do want to do more with it though.
It’s called Brave the Storm. http://prose.smoph.org/2014/03/25/brave-the-storm/
Love any comments/criticisms, etc.
» Flash Fiction: Extraction Team Seven Blue Ink Alchemy
March 25, 2014 @ 9:04 AM
[…] I was challenged to tell a story in Ten Little Chapters. […]
March 25, 2014 @ 9:05 AM
A thousand words, broken up into 10 chapters? Intelligence assets behind enemy lines? Hardened fortifications, booby traps, and money-hungry guides?
No problem for Extraction Team Seven.
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2014/03/25/flash-fiction-extraction-team-seven/
March 25, 2014 @ 11:33 AM
I think this fit my writing style to a T. I’m posting this here, though the time machine that is WordPress may technically not let you see it until 3/27 at 9:30am EST, which is its listed publication time. If you can see it, enjoy. 1000 words, precisely.
http://catastrophejones.wordpress.com/2014/03/27/ten-little-chapters/
March 27, 2014 @ 11:24 AM
Cat, I’ve been waiting for your link to go live and I’m so glad I came back to read your story. You, darlin’, can turn a phrase.
March 27, 2014 @ 11:29 AM
Aw, shucks, ma’am. 🙂 Mighty kind of you!
March 25, 2014 @ 9:33 PM
Am I too late to go in for this challenge? I used an idea from the hyphenpunk challenge (which I missed): soulpunk. And I only managed 8 chapters. But I thought, meh, near enough is good enough. It’s called Number 17. Let me know what you think! http://chriswhitewrites.com/2014/03/26/number-17/
March 26, 2014 @ 6:57 AM
I like this! I could actually see someone in DARPA designing a military drone to smile so it’s less terrifying. Which somehow makes it even worse. “Share and enjoy” and all of that. 🙂
March 25, 2014 @ 10:14 PM
I’ve been staying away from these challenges for a while, in favor of working on my novel, but I couldn’t resist this one. Turned out to be a much-needed break from the story I’ve been dedicated to for six months now. Feedback greatly appreciated. Enjoy.
Water Walkers: http://www.andablankpage.com/water-walkers/
March 26, 2014 @ 6:29 AM
http://amarynkary.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/tenlittlechapters/
All done! Feel free to read it and hopefully you’ll like it. Feedback and comments much appreciated. Dedicated so much into this one.
March 26, 2014 @ 11:57 AM
I decided to take a stab at it this week. As usual I made my task a little harder and decided to kill 10 people in my story as well. I decided to call it Ten Little Deaths. I hope you enjoy it.
http://robertmckay.net/ten-little-chapters-flash-fiction-challenge/
March 26, 2014 @ 1:23 PM
This was my first time trying an exercise like this. Found it to be a great way to trim the fat, but a tough way to progress the story. Here’s To Come Undone.
http://agcurleyart.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/many-chapters-not-many-words/
March 26, 2014 @ 1:28 PM
And now for a link that actually works. Grrrrrr.
http://wp.me/p44qkj-1h
Forgotten dreams | John Freeter's Blog
March 26, 2014 @ 6:11 PM
[…] http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/03/21/flash-fiction-challenges-ten-little-chapters/ […]
March 26, 2014 @ 6:13 PM
It was supposed to be a story about writing, but a plot-device character took over. It still works…in an odd sort of way.
http://johnfreeter.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/forgotten-dreams/
March 26, 2014 @ 11:13 PM
The internal dialogue had me chuckling, and I liked how you managed to generate detail and great imagery while still writing spare. Enjoyable!
March 27, 2014 @ 10:33 AM
Thanks! I’m always nervous when I try to be funny, since a bad joke is a lot worse than no joke, but I’m glad you liked it.
March 28, 2014 @ 12:30 AM
Funny in a way–and depressing as all hell!
Minyan « Adam Hughes
March 26, 2014 @ 8:28 PM
[…] (Inspired by Chuck Wendig’s “Ten Little Chapters” Flash Fiction Challenge) […]
March 26, 2014 @ 8:31 PM
What comes in tens? A “Minyan”, for one : http://adamhughes.in/minyan/
March 26, 2014 @ 8:53 PM
http://contrastsolution.blogspot.com/2014/03/friday-fictionearly.html
WOAW Fiction- “Ten Little Chapters” Challenge | Waiting on a Word
March 26, 2014 @ 10:54 PM
[…] The Challenge: 1000 words in 10 chapters, courtesy of Awesome Author/Blogger Chuck Wendig. Check it out HERE. […]
March 26, 2014 @ 10:55 PM
Here’s mine! Thanks for the challenge. http://waitingonaword.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/woaw-fiction-ten-little-chapters-challenge/
March 27, 2014 @ 11:14 AM
Very real. Nice build up to the ending.
March 27, 2014 @ 12:45 AM
Hey everybody! I just found this blog a little while ago and thought this would be a fun challenge. Here’s my go at it: http://markasargent.com/2014/03/26/roland/
March 27, 2014 @ 10:59 AM
Well done. Great pace, perfectly timed. I moved right through it.
March 27, 2014 @ 9:23 PM
Thanks, glad you liked it. 🙂
March 27, 2014 @ 10:44 PM
Very good.
March 28, 2014 @ 6:45 PM
Damn good story.
March 28, 2014 @ 11:49 PM
Excellent story.
April 21, 2014 @ 3:07 PM
I literally went to Amazon to buy your book after reading this story.
Ten Little Chapters | Catastrophe Jones
March 27, 2014 @ 9:38 AM
[…] is in response to Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge called ‘Ten Little Chapters’. It is 1000 words, precisely. TELL EVERYONE […]
Flash Fiction : Flash in Ten Chapters » The Zombie Chimp
March 27, 2014 @ 3:06 PM
[…] Hmmm, not sure I’ll try that street talk malarkey again, aaaaaand technically, I’m not laying any kind of flash fiction challenge on a bottom of any kind. I am merely participating in the flash fiction challenge expertly hosted by Mr Wendig at Terribleminds.com. […]
Flash Fiction : Flash in Ten Chapters » The Zombie Chimp
March 27, 2014 @ 3:06 PM
[…] Hmmm, not sure I’ll try that street talk malarkey again, aaaaaand technically, I’m not laying any kind of flash fiction challenge on a bottom of any kind. I am merely participating in the flash fiction challenge expertly hosted by Mr Wendig at Terribleminds.com. […]
March 27, 2014 @ 3:08 PM
Well, finally managed to get this thing out. Hope you think it’s worth it. Writing this in ten chapters was certainly trickier than I thought.
This is ‘Hunted’…
http://www.thezombiechimp.com/2014/03/27/flash-fiction-flash-ten-chapters/
March 27, 2014 @ 4:35 PM
Haven’t attempted anything like this before but here’s mine: http://gigantocellularis.tumblr.com/post/80905896459/flash-fiction-a-promised-land
March 27, 2014 @ 6:11 PM
Not sure why I went with “Western.” Maybe a little steampunk hangover from last week. A bit of an homage to The Gunslinger.
http://wombatspouch.blogspot.com/2014/03/ten-little-chapters.html
March 27, 2014 @ 7:02 PM
This bit of weirdness dates from a genre mash-up last May – the protaganist was born then!
http://jemimapett.com/blog/2014/03/28/friday-flash-fiction-lois-stretches-out/
(live in just under one hour)
March 28, 2014 @ 12:30 AM
Good story. Just when it was getting too nice, the last line happened. . .
March 28, 2014 @ 12:16 AM
As usual, sneaking in at the last minute.
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2014/03/flash-fiction-friday-under-oak.html
I rather like this one.
March 28, 2014 @ 11:21 AM
A very sweet story. The cover for “Death by Ice Cream” is fantastic by the way
March 28, 2014 @ 1:23 AM
I don’t blog… But I do like to write. This is the first time I’ve ever published something on the internet, but this seemed interesting. Hope a non-blogger site counts :/ apologies for weird formatting and a mangled story, this really was a challenge.
You will see hundreds of thousands of faces in your life. To they they are only nameless faces in a crowd. But they are tangible, and who is to say that you have not met them before… once a year… you’d never know… he never knew…
https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3189663/1/Fragments
March 28, 2014 @ 1:40 AM
Here’s my offering–in the genre of Magic Realism. Thanks for the challenge! You just broke my flash fiction cherry, Chuck.
http://juliandeagreene.com/2014/03/27/aha-a-novel-in-10-chapters-in-the-whole-of-1000-words/
Flash Fiction: Ten Hands | We Love The Stars Too Fondly
March 28, 2014 @ 2:58 AM
[…] new and interesting assignment in this week’s Flash Fiction Challenge! The usual 1,000 words, any genre — but break it up into ten chapters. Ooooh, a challenge, […]
March 28, 2014 @ 3:00 AM
I loved this one, very fun and challenging to execute. And yes, I was listening to the ball game while writing it. Enjoy! As always, comments and constructive criticism is appreciated.
http://pauljwillett.com/2014/03/27/flash-fiction-ten-hands/
March 28, 2014 @ 3:22 AM
First time trying something like this. Had fun.
Let me know what you think.
http://numbcentgriff.wordpress.com/
Flash Fiction Challenge: Five Random Words « terribleminds: chuck wendig
March 28, 2014 @ 6:35 AM
[…] Last week’s challenge: Ten Little Chapters […]
March 28, 2014 @ 10:20 AM
I hate college.
http://tmrezzek.wordpress.com/
March 28, 2014 @ 11:59 AM
http://rtwilder.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/solange/
March 28, 2014 @ 12:01 PM
That’s my entry above, and with only one minute to spare. A women’s prison, a successful medical procedure gone horribly wrong. Gothic-ish.
March 28, 2014 @ 2:30 PM
First time doing this, and I know. I’m late. My apologies. Anyways, here’s the thing:
http://sta.sh/0251a38fpbyt
Terminal City Nightfall | Punk-ass Book Pusher
March 28, 2014 @ 11:13 PM
[…] is my offering for Chuck Wendig’s Ten Little Chapters challenge on Terrible Minds. It’s a little scattered, but was fun, and will serve as a rough outline for a novel […]
March 28, 2014 @ 11:15 PM
I’m late, but figured it wouldn’t hurt to post it anyway. This was tough, at least going into it with a preconceived story idea. Fun, though.
http://dangerdean.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/terminal-city-nightfall/
Bring Back The Sun | Under a Starlit Sky
March 29, 2014 @ 2:19 PM
[…] Chuck Wendig Flash Fiction challenge to write a short piece of flash fiction (1,000 words) in 10 chapters. I’ll hopefully get around to posting this week’s story within the week (maybe even […]
March 29, 2014 @ 2:21 PM
okay, okay, i know i’m late (again! argh!) but I thought hey, there’s no harm in posting it, right? (right?! or am i going to be smited (smote?) by some angry God-creature?). Anyways, here’s my story. It was a challenge writing it in such short chapters, but i got it 1,000 words on the dot (100 words per chapter). Bring Back The Sun (now you hate me because you have that song in your head, right?) http://wp.me/pBqgu-9H
Past Flash Fic Challenge: “Boxes” | Jenn Writes…
April 22, 2014 @ 4:52 PM
[…] This isn’t a recent flash fic challenge, but it was so intriguing that I had to try something for it. […]
Love in Binary | Ghosts in the Machines
August 2, 2014 @ 11:48 PM
[…] Another flash fiction challenge by Chuck Wendig at Terrible Minds: “Ten Little Chapters“. […]
The Wrong One | Scribbles
October 22, 2014 @ 10:34 PM
[…] flash fiction challenge from Chuck Wendig. This time, we had to write a story of our choosing separated into 10 chapters (or entries in my […]