This challenge is a little different. I like doing some different things here now and again, so — instead of writing a story, I want you to create a character.
You can create the character in whatever mode you choose, with the one caveat:
Keep it under 250 words.
Encapsulate the character in that limit.
You can use a story to highlight the character.
Or just a clinical analysis of who the character is.
You can decide what makes a good character and what goes into this.
Then, next week, you will offer that character up onto the altar of the next flash fiction challenge — folks may borrow your character and take them on a test drive through a new piece of fiction.
Dig? Dug? Good.
You’ve got one week.
Write it at your blog.
Link back here.
Due by Friday, 8/28, noon EST.
NOW GO AND CREATE LIFE.
writerchick says:
This one came out strange but maybe that’s appropriate. 😀 https://writerchick.wordpress.com/2015/08/23/chuck-wants-a-character/
August 24, 2015 — 2:59 AM
cchrisman says:
This one’s mine! See you Friday with a story!
August 31, 2015 — 11:30 PM
Layla Lawlor says:
Here is mine! Key, the dragon space librarian, would be all over this challenge. Or, at least, would like to hoard the results: http://laylalawlor.com/wordpress/blog/2015/08/24/dragon-space-librarian/
August 24, 2015 — 4:19 AM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Okay, I never can resist a librarian! This is mine!
August 31, 2015 — 12:37 PM
Kira Jessup says:
My first challenge. It was a lot of fun to come up with someone new: http://kira.jessup.co/?p=380
August 24, 2015 — 4:32 AM
Book of Kels (@Nezchan) says:
I think I’ll take a crack at this one. Getting a bit of a late start, so I might only have time for one draft by the deadline, but we’ll see which way the fish jumps.
September 2, 2015 — 5:51 PM
Patrick says:
Thanks for creating Ryan and throwing him into the mix. I got a draft posted at terribleminds, but it maybe sitting in moderation limbo,
http://wp.me/p6BqQP-O
September 4, 2015 — 11:43 AM
Kira Jessup (@kirajessup) says:
I just read this (busy weekend here and I haven’t been online much). Great job. I love what you did with the storyline.
September 7, 2015 — 10:38 PM
parallaxduality says:
Went very normal for my character idea. . . .meet Bob
http://dswilliams.com/2015/08/24/flash-fiction-…ng-a-character/
August 24, 2015 — 10:24 AM
parallaxduality says:
Ooops. . .link SNAFU. . . .
http://dswilliams.com/2015/08/24/flash-fiction-creating-a-character/
August 24, 2015 — 10:25 AM
rhythmandcrime says:
Awesome, but unremarkably so.
August 25, 2015 — 11:26 PM
Aimee Ogden says:
Here’s mine; now I’m looking forward to reading back through the post to see what everyone else has come up with!
http://aimee-ogden.tumblr.com/post/127493638821/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-82115
August 24, 2015 — 2:47 PM
JQ Davis says:
Yeah, I’m gonna use this one, 🙂
August 28, 2015 — 7:01 PM
Aimee Ogden says:
Woohoo! Can’t wait to see what you do with her 🙂
September 1, 2015 — 8:26 AM
Curtis Edmonds (@Curtis_Edmonds) says:
The main character from my (stalled) sci-fi WIP: http://www.scaryhippopotamus.com/enter-karen-boyd/
August 24, 2015 — 4:16 PM
Mariah says:
This is a fantastic character.
I don’t know that I’ve done her justice, but I hope to see more of her some day!
http://insani-x.com/2015/08/29/flash-fiction-challenge-borrowed-character/
August 29, 2015 — 7:57 PM
Book of Kels (@Nezchan) says:
My first time joining the Terribleminds challenge, I’m a bit nervous. But here’s my character, Carmen.
http://nezchan.dreamwidth.org/8038.html
August 24, 2015 — 4:36 PM
Rick Cook Jr says:
Enjoy this character with a spin on the Midas Touch:
http://panningforclouds.com/2015/08/24/touch-color/
August 24, 2015 — 10:54 PM
Patrick says:
My first challenge as well.
http://wp.me/p6BqQP-m
August 25, 2015 — 11:52 AM
cchrisman says:
Also my first challenge:
http://christinechrisman.com/chuck-wendig-flash-fiction-challenge/
August 25, 2015 — 1:09 PM
Ridley Kemp says:
Lovely. I’m not sure I took him in the direction you envisioned, but you gave me a lot of space with which to work. Thank you.
August 31, 2015 — 1:16 AM
cchrisman says:
yay! I can’t wait to read it!
August 31, 2015 — 5:15 PM
thanosrules says:
https://grouchyguyscifi.wordpress.com/2015/08/24/63/
Characters name is Lo-Gren, sci fi setting. He’ll do anything , if the credits are right,
August 25, 2015 — 5:39 PM
rhythmandcrime says:
I loved this!
https://rhythmandcrime.wordpress.com/2015/08/26/cassiopeia-promise-flash-fiction-character/
What do you get when you smash YA, VooDoo and Knives together? Her.
August 25, 2015 — 9:21 PM
Anna says:
Wow, Cassie sure has charisma! I already picked a character, but a Cassie story would have been fun to write. I hope somebody picks her, can’t wait to see the result:)
August 26, 2015 — 1:36 PM
rhythmandcrime says:
Thanks, Anna! This was a very fun exercise.
August 26, 2015 — 4:53 PM
moteridgerider says:
Hey, does anyone know if we are supposed to have started writing the story with our borrowed character yet? I get the feeling I’m on the starting line but the pistol went off several days ago.
August 26, 2015 — 2:04 PM
Mariah says:
I really hope not!! My understanding was those directions will be up this week. Including picking characters, story, length, all of that. (I hope we don’t have to claim characters there are so many good ones I don’t think I could pick one.)
August 26, 2015 — 2:23 PM
moteridgerider says:
Phew! I’m just losing track with the passage of time, I think. I shall await further instructions from the Wendigian one.
August 26, 2015 — 4:47 PM
Henry says:
I’ve got not one, but *two* characters here! I, uh, picked characters I’d already written about before, which was maybe gauche?
http://fistfulofwits.com/2015/08/26/flash-fiction-characters-in-250-words-or-less/
August 26, 2015 — 8:58 PM
Pleasant Street says:
I wrote a little something for Sarah, Henry’s cobbler-turned-murderer:
https://geletilari.wordpress.com/2015/09/04/redemption/
September 4, 2015 — 11:55 AM
john freeter says:
My character’s a heroin addict’s spoon
https://johnfreeter.wordpress.com/2015/08/26/the-spoon/
August 26, 2015 — 10:31 PM
badbookrevolution says:
I was looking for something kind of different, and I think I just found it!
August 28, 2015 — 11:04 AM
AshleyKagaoan says:
Meet Sabrina! A feisty little fairy sent to protect a child but planning on doing the opposite. http://ashley-kagaoan.com/2015/08/26/sabrina-the-fairy/
August 26, 2015 — 10:45 PM
nkharrold says:
I suppose this is less of a profile or bio – or even a description – but more of an attitude. It was fun nonetheless . http://wp.me/p5c84O-27
August 26, 2015 — 11:06 PM
Toni J says:
I really like Cossima! I hope I did the badass rogue justice. https://tonij.net/2015/09/01/cossima-renhaus-and-the-crown-of-geldland/
September 1, 2015 — 1:01 PM
devilsjunkshop says:
First time posting here, I thought I’d give this challenge a try 🙂
Here goes: Isbel Blake introduction
August 27, 2015 — 8:40 AM
zklimczak says:
I like this. Your intro was not (no offense) worded great. I had to re-read the sentence where she turned into a bird multiple times; but I like simplicity, and this intro was good. I’ll take it. Great job Devilsjunkshop. I’ll reply to this post when the new challenge is completed.
August 28, 2015 — 9:02 AM
devilsjunkshop says:
Glad you liked it, though I’m not sure what you mean about her ‘turning into a bird’.
August 29, 2015 — 5:29 AM
Diedra Black says:
Yeah, I also thought she turned into a bird, but when I read it again, I realized that was meant as a metaphor, not literally. I think it was because she’s a magician. I had this image of like, when magicians use doves in an act. LOL. I kind of wish she actually did turn into a bird.
August 29, 2015 — 11:26 AM
Ivory Kelly says:
I introduced her through various parts of her life, it’s a little like a series of vignettes counting down from where she is now. Let me know what you thought about her!
https://eotena.wordpress.com/2015/08/27/250-word-character-1/
August 27, 2015 — 9:49 AM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Interesting approach, working backwards through her life! Took me a minute, but I eventually got there. A lot of unanswered questions.
August 28, 2015 — 7:20 PM
Alice E Keyes says:
http://aliceekeyes.blogspot.com
Nanna – a lovable goddess who is a champion of women
August 27, 2015 — 1:12 PM
Kristen Flowers says:
This is my first Flash Fiction challenge! Let’s see how it goes!
LINK: http://kristenflowers.com/2015/08/27/flash-fiction-challenge-82815/
Mercy Williams takes a seat in the back row of the church. Her royal red dress hugs her curves and sticks out amongst the sea of wrinkled khaki pants and flower print dresses. An elderly man sitting in the pew in front of her turns around to greet her.
“Are you here for the bride or the groom?”
“Bride,” she says, it’s the lie she always tells.
The man smiles and nods turning around. No one doubts someone like her; young, beautiful and without a date. Her perfectly curled blonde hair frames her pale skin and delicate features while her oversized black sunglasses cover her icy blue eyes.
This is the thirteenth wedding she has been to this year.
Mercy stomachs the groom’s litany of lies in his vows but at the reception they show their true colors. She will catch his eye and like the others before him he will come to her. Biting her lower lip and looking adoringly into his eyes he will prove if he is worthy of his bride’s love. Five of the twelve men did not pass he test. They need to suffer for treating their new wives with such arrogance and indifference.
She does a public service for these women.
A hush falls over the church as groom takes his place at the alter. Scanning the room, his eyes fall on her and he smiles. She can’t help smiling back knowing tonight she will have a sixth kill.
August 27, 2015 — 6:23 PM
elctrcrngr says:
I have nefarious designs on your nefarious character…
August 31, 2015 — 11:36 PM
elctrcrngr says:
And here’s the story. About 1700 words, I think.
https://elctrcrngr.wordpress.com/2015/09/04/the-wedding/
Thanks, Kristen!
September 4, 2015 — 12:21 PM
Adam Hughes says:
Meet Father Kilcoyne ….
http://adamhugheswriter.com/kilcoyne/
August 27, 2015 — 8:23 PM
SamKD says:
Father Michael hit my writing nerve. Would love to read someone else’s priest too.
August 28, 2015 — 7:11 PM
cchrisman says:
oh this is awesome…not sure my kinda story, but awesome!
August 28, 2015 — 10:04 PM
Adam says:
Meet Father Michael Kilcoyne …
http://adamhugheswriter.com/kilcoyne/
August 28, 2015 — 6:18 AM
CJ says:
I love character creation… Charlie is a feature in something that’s still in the brainstorming phase so it was nice to get to know him a little bit more… http://imagination.cjreader.com
August 28, 2015 — 7:12 AM
thanosrules says:
https://grouchyguyscifi.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/two-for-one/
thanks ..enjoyed this challenge…my daughters name is Maeve 🙂
August 31, 2015 — 5:27 AM
S. J. Mcquillan says:
Got this from wondering about all the vivid yet weird dreams I was having: Meet Nove
https://sjmcqwordery.wordpress.com/2015/08/28/character-builds-nove/
August 28, 2015 — 8:56 AM
zklimczak says:
I like this. Your intro was not (no offense) worded great. I had to re-read the sentence where she turned into a bird multiple times; but I like simplicity, and this intro was good. I’ll take it. Great job Devilsjunkshop. I’ll reply to this post when the new challenge is completed.
August 28, 2015 — 8:59 AM
Pleasant Street says:
I haven’t entered a challenge here in a long time. Lots of great characters! Here’s Hoshi:
http://geletilari.wordpress.com/2015/08/28/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-character-building/
August 28, 2015 — 10:26 AM
mcphersongypsy says:
I really like Hoshi. In the few words allotted you managed to create a complete character and the world in which she lives. Sadly, that’s making it difficult for me to pluck her down in another story. 🙂 Well done.
September 1, 2015 — 8:38 PM
Henry says:
Thank you for that, your piece inspired me. I’m afraid I’ve taken some liberties with the character and setting, looking a bit deeper into why someone might have that tattoo, but I hope that you like it.
http://fistfulofwits.com/2015/09/02/flash-fiction-i-do-not-forgive-you/
September 2, 2015 — 11:40 PM
the story hive says:
I’m late, but here it is anyway.
Meet Steve Garner: https://thestoryhive.wordpress.com/2015/08/28/meet-steve-garner/
August 28, 2015 — 11:08 AM
the story hive says:
He’s an attention seeking paranormal investigator.
August 29, 2015 — 7:34 PM
the story hive says:
I’ve decided to show you guys another character. This is an interview with him. Meet Alec, a time traveller: https://thestoryhive.wordpress.com/2015/08/29/alec-the-wartime-tours-guide/
August 29, 2015 — 7:32 PM