Flash Fiction Challenge: It’s X Meets Y Again!
I did this challenge back at the start of the year and kinda adored it.
Therein I described it as follows:
I love that some writers describe their stories — usually in an elevator pitch or to sell the story to an agent, editor or reader — as “THIS STORY meets THAT STORY.” Right? “Oh,” the writer says, “It’s like CATCHER IN THE RYE meets SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS.” And you’re like, whoa, what the fuck does that even mean.
Today, we are going to find out.
Below, you’ll find two columns, each of 20 different fairly well-known properties.
You will randomly choose one from each column either by d20 or random number generator.
Then you will literally fill in the variables of the equation:
IT’S LIKE X MEETS Y.
And you will write the resultant story.
Note: your goal is not to literally mash these up in fan-fiction (though I suppose if that’s where your head goes, hey, I can’t stop you) — the goal is to take the idea, the spirit of the combination and make them into a story all your own. What is the theoretical mash-up look like and feel like? Diggit? So, what’s the story like if you get: “It’s like HARRY POTTER meets INDIANA JONES?” Or, “It’s like GAME OF THRONES meets SCOOBY DOO.”
So, get your random number generator or d20.
Pick one from each column.
Mash them together. See what kind of story squishes out.
You’ve got 2000 words.
Due by next Friday (5/1) at noon EST.
Post at your online space. Link to it here in the comments.
Ready? Steady? Go.
Column X
- Paranormal Activity
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Terminator
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre
- War Games
- Hunger Games
- Batman
- Goodfellas
- Pokemon
- The Wheel of Time
- Robocop
- Dracula
- The Princess Bride
- Dirty Harry
- The Great Gatsby
- Josie and the Pussycats
- Ender’s Game
- Guardians in the Galaxy
- Twin Peaks
- Dungeons & Dragons
Column Y
- Pulp Fiction
- The Silence of the Lambs
- Toy Story
- Die Hard
- Pacific Rim
- Back to the Future
- To Kill A Mockingbird
- Ghost In The Shell
- Se7en
- The Wire
- Sherlock Holmes
- True Detective
- Monsters, Inc.
- Doctor Who
- The Matrix
- Groundhog Day
- The Lord of the Flies
- The Stand
- Mad Max
- Minecraft
April 24, 2015 @ 12:08 PM
RNG gave me:
X = 12 (Dracula)
Y = 12 (True Detective)
April 25, 2015 @ 3:37 PM
I guess you could call it True Blood?
April 24, 2015 @ 12:08 PM
Holy crap– 2 and 19– Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Mad Max– how can I NOT write this? I’ll be back….
April 24, 2015 @ 12:09 PM
17 and 16. Isn’t Ender’s Game + Groundhog Day already Edge of Tomorrow?
April 24, 2015 @ 12:12 PM
hahaha! Nice!
April 24, 2015 @ 12:19 PM
I got Pokemon meets The Wire. I write gay romance. I have no clue what I could do with that. Maybe inspiration will come.
April 24, 2015 @ 1:24 PM
Pickahu comin’!
April 24, 2015 @ 12:33 PM
Guardians of the Galaxy and The Silence of the Lambs. Groot Soup!
April 24, 2015 @ 12:38 PM
You hurt Groot and a lot of people are going to very displeased with you…just saying….
April 30, 2015 @ 7:41 PM
No Groots were harmed in the making of this story. http://carljshirley.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-silence-of-galaxy.html
April 24, 2015 @ 12:36 PM
Texas Chainsaw Massacre meets Groundhog Day. Hoo boy.
April 24, 2015 @ 2:07 PM
I have had that nightmare.
April 24, 2015 @ 1:12 PM
I got The Princess Bride meets To Kill A Mockingbird.
I can already see possibilities.
April 27, 2015 @ 5:37 AM
your going to die in the hunger games, anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you.
April 24, 2015 @ 1:22 PM
I got Batman and Toy Story, but since that’s basically the Lego Side Plot, I re-rolled my second die.
Batman and Groundhog day it is.
April 26, 2015 @ 7:55 PM
I tried re-rolling when one of my options came up Pokemon. I’ve never seen Pokemon so I re-rolled and got 9 again. I think the universe is trying to tell me something – like … no cheating maybe. So Pokemon meets Mad Max it is. Time to do some research.
April 24, 2015 @ 1:23 PM
So glad to see this challenge again! It’s one of my favorites. (I got Rambo meets Friday the 13th last time and a whole book idea came off that…)
April 24, 2015 @ 2:12 PM
Damn you, Random Number Generator. Hunger Games + Doctor Who.
April 24, 2015 @ 3:25 PM
Lost time traveler stumbles into post-apocalyptic adolescent death match. Sounds like a best seller. Two year ago.
April 25, 2015 @ 6:46 AM
Wow..good luck.
April 29, 2015 @ 9:52 PM
Holy Hell that was hard. I went a bit over word count, but fuck it. It was fun and it was a great learning experience. SAFFRON http://jackleetaylor.com/2015/04/30/saffron/
April 24, 2015 @ 2:25 PM
I got “Twin Peaks meets The Stand”
I think Deadly Premonitions already did that.
April 24, 2015 @ 4:52 PM
I think you should take any roll that gives you Twin Peaks.
Flash Fiction Challenge: X Meets Y | if you are a dreamer, come in
April 24, 2015 @ 2:48 PM
[…] idea came from fiction powerhouse Chuck Wending over at TerribleMinds. Check out his Flash Fiction Challenge and toss your own hat in the ring. Leave me a link if you decide to […]
April 24, 2015 @ 2:48 PM
Robocop meets Pacific Rim. Well, lots of robots then…
April 24, 2015 @ 2:51 PM
Oh, man. Great Gatsby meets Pulp Fiction. Is it wrong that I absolutely adore both of those in their own right? The two of them together is almost more than I can stand.
April 24, 2015 @ 3:35 PM
Gatsby’s dead, baby. Gatsby’s dead.
April 28, 2015 @ 12:08 AM
I totally want to read that one!
April 30, 2015 @ 1:09 PM
Whew. This one took longer than I wanted, and I’m not sure I got the challenge just right — this is more like I smashed the two stories together rather than smashing two of these “types” of stories together.
Nonetheless, lots of fun ensued. Be warned, there’s language (thanks Pulp Fiction), violence (thanks Pulp Fiction), and debauchery (thanks Gatsby) ahead.
“Collector’s Item” is here: https://pavorisms.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/collectors-item/
April 24, 2015 @ 3:01 PM
I got Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Groundhog Day. I also had some free time so I’m already done? Coming in at 1400 words, I’m pretty pleased with this one. https://awisheraliar.wordpress.com/2015/04/24/flash-fiction-challenge-x-meets-y/#more-284
April 25, 2015 @ 8:06 PM
well done. nice work getting the repetitiveness in there so fast.
April 27, 2015 @ 3:52 PM
I really liked this — the strong visuals, the repetition without being dull, and the creeping paranoia…excellent.
April 27, 2015 @ 8:52 PM
Hello J,
My favorite part of your story is when he was fretting over the 7:34… that’s funny. Thanks for the laugh.
Later,
WG.
April 27, 2015 @ 10:22 PM
Yo, J! I’m brushing my teeth still laughing at your number/time joke… Ha-ha… It reminds me when, about a week ago, I woke up depressed. Because I realized I’ll spend 1/3 of my life sleeping.
HAHAHAha… (who thinks of stuff like that?!)
I’m a fool, jeez.
April 29, 2015 @ 11:54 AM
That was really good. You did a really good job with keeping the repetition from getting boring and tedious.
April 24, 2015 @ 4:11 PM
I got Dirty Harry and Toy Story. Read it here: https://almosthuman1blog.wordpress.com/2015/04/24/billys-room-blues-flash-fiction-challenge/
April 24, 2015 @ 4:48 PM
That was pretty damn funny.
April 24, 2015 @ 5:44 PM
hilarious!
April 25, 2015 @ 5:57 PM
Bravo! Quite entertaining!
April 27, 2015 @ 5:55 AM
well that was dark as hell…I love it!!
April 29, 2015 @ 4:05 AM
This was genius. Laughed my fuzzy purple ass off.
April 29, 2015 @ 4:35 PM
Awesome! Hooked immediately.
April 24, 2015 @ 4:28 PM
I got Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Stand. They go together so well I’m almost disappointed.
April 24, 2015 @ 4:29 PM
I got Toy Story meets Twin Peaks. >:3 My mind has jumped into overdrive at the possibilities.
May 1, 2015 @ 1:23 PM
Well, here’s my piece, just under 2k. I mixed in my Grandma’s old house, 80’s and 90’s toys, and my fear of dolls. https://katethesape.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/nobody-puts-baby-in-the-corner-new-flash-fiction/
April 24, 2015 @ 4:32 PM
The first flash fic challenge I participated in here was this one, from earlier in the year as Chuck mentioned. Let’s see if I can do a better job this time
April 24, 2015 @ 4:34 PM
Well, looks like it’s Goodfellas meets The Matrix. Damn 20 sided die…
April 29, 2015 @ 10:58 PM
Here’s the result.
https://elctrcrngr.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/good-fellas-meets-the-matrix/
Hope you like it.
May 1, 2015 @ 1:34 PM
“Well, at least you’re not talking like a walk-on in The Godfather anymore.” — this made me laugh. Also, the last few lines. I liked the wry snark you put in this piece. Too fun! 😀
May 2, 2015 @ 4:54 AM
Thank you
April 24, 2015 @ 4:50 PM
Hmmm
X= Robocop
Y= Toy Story
April 24, 2015 @ 7:27 PM
Wtf. Josie and the Pussycats meets Pacific Rim.
April 24, 2015 @ 8:21 PM
OOOOOOkay, then.. Josie and the Pussycats v. Mad Max.
April 24, 2015 @ 8:36 PM
I couldn’t have picked two I gag at more. Time for a shot of anti-emetic. On the rocks, please.
April 24, 2015 @ 9:54 PM
Okay… I’ve chosen Paranormal Activity and The Matrix… and here’s what I came up with!
Enjoy!
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/she-is-one.html
April 24, 2015 @ 10:36 PM
Batman + Doctor Who
https://lostturnsoffate.wordpress.com/2015/04/24/hello-world/
April 27, 2015 @ 6:05 AM
very nice. loved the dialouge and the swearing became poetic when it came to ripping off limps.
Short story challenge X versus Y | Read Write Repeat
April 24, 2015 @ 11:07 PM
[…] Wendig posted an X meets Y flash fiction challenge on his blog that involved rolling a D20 to generate an elevator pitch for a story, and I just […]
April 25, 2015 @ 5:53 AM
I got Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Mad Max, and I am giddy with excitement.
April 25, 2015 @ 6:44 AM
I got Pacific Rim, which I’m excited about. I love the concept of that movie and the graphics. Yay! My other pick is Twin Peaks. I have no idea what its about, not even from the trailer. But, I did recently read Pines, which was inspired by Twin Peaks. So I get the whole, everybody has a secret , messing with the mind thing. I think I’ll make the whole town have the secret. I’m little excited.
April 25, 2015 @ 6:51 AM
I’m excited. I got Pacific Rim. I love that movie. The concept is genius to me. Plus it robots with dragon like creatures, like duh! Then I have Twin Peaks, which I’m not sure what its about, not even from the trailer. But, I did recently read Pines which was inspired by Twin Peaks, so lets hope I get it right.
April 25, 2015 @ 9:11 AM
Robocop and Groundhog Day. I’ve never seen the second one – not sure if it was big outside of America – so I rolled the second die again. Silence of the Lambs. Okay. A cyborg named Clarice. I can do that. I went out with one once, so I’ll just strip away all rationality and accountability and tell it from her perspective.
April 26, 2015 @ 1:19 AM
https://p33d33.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/silence-of-the-robocop-a-chuck-wendig-challenge
April 25, 2015 @ 9:12 AM
Batman meets Se7en. The fiction gods just smiled on me.
April 25, 2015 @ 3:36 PM
Dracula meets Pacific Rim. Hmm a challenge – which is what this is all about. Maybe I can do something with that…
April 25, 2015 @ 6:22 PM
Twin Peaks meets The Matrix. The universe might implode if I write that. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow!
Silence Of The Robocop. A Chuck Wendig Challenge. | Periodically Demented
April 26, 2015 @ 1:17 AM
[…] http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/04/24/flash-fiction-challenge-its-x-meets-y-again […]
don’t be scared | Clerkenwell Writers Asylum
April 26, 2015 @ 4:56 AM
[…] Friday YA and speculative fiction author Chuck Wendig has a prompt challenge (I don’t mean it’s timely) I don’t always have a go, and I often abandon attempts halfway through, but they’re […]
April 26, 2015 @ 6:59 AM
Here it is – Buffy meets Mad Max, in Aftermath. – http://andreaspeed.com/2015/flash-fiction-challenge-aftermath/
April 27, 2015 @ 9:12 PM
Very Nice.
April 26, 2015 @ 6:52 PM
I got Princess Bride and Die Hard.
Um. Okay. Here we go!
http://sheltonkeysdunning.blogspot.com/2015/04/if-princess-bride-and-die-hard-had-baby.html
April 27, 2015 @ 6:43 AM
this was pretty awesome. well done!
April 27, 2015 @ 12:31 PM
Thanks! I’ll take awesome.
April 27, 2015 @ 1:31 AM
I got Wheel of Time and Pacific Rim. This actually turned out to be a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy it. http://roktyping.blogspot.kr/
April 27, 2015 @ 3:09 PM
Guardians of the Galaxy meets the Matrix? I am not worthy.
April 27, 2015 @ 4:06 PM
It’s like ‘Terminator’ meets ‘Lord of the Flies’.
Lot of ways I can take that…
April 27, 2015 @ 5:06 PM
I’ve got “The Princess Bride” meets “The Matrix.” They are actually two of my favorites…This could be disastrous is so many ways.
April 27, 2015 @ 8:04 PM
Goodfellas and Ghost in the Shell…Epicness ensues.
April 27, 2015 @ 8:55 PM
I got 5 (War Games) and 19 (Mad Max)!
So here it is: http://www.tmpierson.squarespace.com/coffee-keys/2015/4/27/flash-fiction-entry
The Slayer | Addys completly normal blog
April 28, 2015 @ 5:15 AM
[…] our bearded mentor Chuck Wendig has issued another challenge. In which we used a random number generator to pick out two random […]
April 28, 2015 @ 5:17 AM
https://adamskistoryblog.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/the-slayer/
monsters inc. and buffy the vampire slayer. I think i might have caused a code red over at the factory but oh well…
hope you like it.
April 29, 2015 @ 4:48 PM
Oh yeah! And oh dear 🙂
April 28, 2015 @ 1:43 PM
Batman and The Stand
https://maymaysmayhem.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/batchoo/
Flash Fiction – Jack’s House | This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time
April 28, 2015 @ 11:18 PM
[…] Chuck Wendig threw up his X meets Y challenge this week and I was so excited! I loved this challenge when he did it in January. I tried a random number generator but ended up with something I wouldn’t even know how to write, so I decided to pick it instead. After reading through the choices, I settled on one I thought could make an interesting story. What you have is Toy Story meets The Great Gatsby in a little over 1,800 words. I hope you enjoyed it. I had a blast writing it! […]
April 28, 2015 @ 11:21 PM
I have to admit that I didn’t random it. My first roll was Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Pacific Rim and I just couldn’t. What I did instead was Toy Story meets The Great Gatsby in a little over 1,800 words.
https://helenespinosa.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/flash-fiction-jacks-house/
April 29, 2015 @ 4:58 AM
Very nicely done.
April 29, 2015 @ 12:21 PM
That was delightfully depressing.
Uhm, that’s meant as a compliment.
April 29, 2015 @ 12:29 PM
I debated ending it happily, but it’s the Great Gatsby! There had to be a tragedy in there somewhere! And thank you so much! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
April 30, 2015 @ 4:52 PM
That was fantastic! I particularly enjoyed that the ending was sad, but neither maudlin nor melodramatic. You let the terrible event happen and you also let it stand on it’s own; so I ended up feeling rather than simply being told what was happening. Exceptional!
April 30, 2015 @ 6:22 PM
Wow, thank you so much!
Flash Fiction Challenge: X Meets Y | Her Raven Domain: Blog of Author Christine Frost
April 29, 2015 @ 1:41 PM
[…] has been absolutely bananatown on the work and home front, I had to make time for Chuck Wendig’s latest writing challenge. It was my only solace of the week. Herewith, a mash-up between Twin Peaks and The […]
April 29, 2015 @ 1:42 PM
Two surreal worlds collide in a mash-up between Twin Peaks and The Matrix. I hope it’s suitably creepy! http://www.herravendomain.com/flash-fiction-challenge/