Chuck is the author of the published novels: Blackbirds, Mockingbird, Under the Empyrean Sky, Blue Blazes, Double Dead, Bait Dog, Dinocalypse Now, Beyond Dinocalypse and Gods & Monsters: Unclean Spirits. He also the author of the soon-to-be-published novels: The Cormorant, Blightborn (Heartland Book #2), Heartland Book #3, Dinocalypse Forever, Frack You, and The Hellsblood Bride. Also coming soon is his compilation book of writing advice from this very blog: The Kick-Ass Writer, coming from Writers Digest.
He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is an alum of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter’s Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, showed at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producers Ted Hope and Anne Carey. Together they co-wrote the digital transmedia drama Collapsus, which was nominated for an International Digital Emmy and a Games 4 Change award.
Chuck has contributed over two million words to the game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP). He was a frequent contributor to The Escapist, writing about games and pop culture.
Much of his writing advice has been collected in various writing- and storytelling-related e-books.
He currently lives in the forests of Pennsyltucky with wife, two dogs, and tiny human.
He is likely drunk and untrustworthy. This blog is NSFW and probably NSFL.
You may reach him at terribleminds [at] gmail [dot] com.
Related
Jenn Collins (@JennyKnox13)
April 29, 2016 at 4:35 PM //
I’m In Love With A Zombie But He Doesn’t Even Know I’m Alive
That title is beautiful and I so want someone to make it a cheeky horror romantic comedy.
reallyniceguy2014
May 2, 2016 at 5:58 AM //
Defford emotional goth sub-genre territory methinks.
Rebecca Douglass
May 3, 2016 at 5:51 PM //
I’m a little inclined to try this, even though it would be way outside my norm. Except the cheeky comedy part. Might be doable. I’ll be back Thursday or Friday with whatever I end up writing.
kathleea
April 29, 2016 at 4:38 PM //
Thank you. It was mine.
Mark Gardner
April 29, 2016 at 4:57 PM //
I used Marion’s line: The Blood Lottery.
I’m continuing my dark YA story, and there’s a TRIGGER WARNING for sexual assault: https://article94.wordpress.com/2016/04/29/the-blood-lottery/
StarNinja
April 30, 2016 at 1:11 PM //
Woof, that story was rough! I also chose blood lottery. Interesting to see how different a direction a story can go with the same title. Nice work!
Mark Gardner
May 8, 2016 at 12:20 PM //
Thanks! That’s what’s so much fun about Chuck’s prompts – seeing what everyone does with them.
bryanthewriter
April 30, 2016 at 4:48 PM //
I really enjoyed this work. Nicely done. Yes, it was gritty and edgy, but it made me want to read the rest of the story.
Mark Gardner
May 8, 2016 at 12:16 PM //
Thanks, Bryan! I’ve written a lot of this story to Chuck’s prompts. Here’s the project page: https://article94.wordpress.com/mental-state/
Marta Randall
May 2, 2016 at 11:07 PM //
Dark and well-constructed. I think I’m still struggling with what is considered YA in this day and age.
Mark Gardner
May 8, 2016 at 12:18 PM //
Thanks for the compliment. I also wonder what’s YA these days. Both Chuck’s Atlanta Burns series and Miriam Black series are considered YA, and they both head into dark territory.
Mark Plattner
May 6, 2016 at 12:30 PM //
Wow! That’s hardcore. Great job setting the scene and painting the awful picture.
Mark Gardner
May 8, 2016 at 12:21 PM //
I appreciate your comment. I was hesitant at first, but I figured it would be a disservice to not do it in that way.
Elaine
April 29, 2016 at 6:00 PM //
I don’t have an online space; is there another option?
Goth Kitty Lady
April 29, 2016 at 9:42 PM //
Some people use Dropbox or Google Docs. Or if you’re on Tumblr you could post it there.
Elaine
April 29, 2016 at 10:45 PM //
Thanks. I’ll look into those.
StarNinja
April 29, 2016 at 10:02 PM //
You can also use a type writer made before 1889 to type out a letter or hand write one using a quill feather from a bird that’s been extinct for at least two thousand years, fold the story into thirds and seal it in an envelope using officially sanctioned wax from the Vatican that has been blessed by a holy man of Cardinal rank or above. Address the envelope to Sir Mr. W. Esq. I find black permanent marker with a good strong odor works best for attracting the notice of our fickle and capricious blog master. Place the sealed envelope behind a loose brick of a building that sits on the corner of an odd numbered street that intersects a named street with an even number of letters in the name. The Moon doesn’t have to be full or even “very pregnant” for this to work but YMMV. Leaving a small gift or tribute is recommended but not required. Or if you’re on a budget, stuff your story in a brown paper bag with CHUCK in all caps hastily scrawled across the front of it with whatever bodily fluids you have handy and lob it out the window of a speeding car into his front yard. Hope this helps!
Hubert
May 4, 2016 at 6:18 PM //
I tried this, but instead of Messire Wendig receiving my story, I may have accidentally summoned some dread Elder Thing.
2 stars, would try again.
thesexiestwriter
April 29, 2016 at 6:24 PM //
Still Turnstiles at Station Six caught my attention right away. Hope it rains tomorrow so I can work on it this weekend!
Mariah Avix
April 29, 2016 at 9:21 PM //
This may have been exactly the challenge I needed. Just write something dammit.
http://insani-x.com/2016/04/29/girl-surfed-tsunamis/
The Girl Who Surfed Tsunamis
(I haven’t added sound yet, but I think I will Saturday morning.)
Mariah Avix
April 30, 2016 at 9:20 AM //
Happy Saturday morning there is audio. (Though I did not go and get lost in the mess of finding music to go with the audio, instead I am writing!)
bryanthewriter
April 30, 2016 at 4:58 PM //
Nicely done! I really thought you were going a different direction with the story in the beginning. I really enjoyed the relationship you built between the girl and the water. It is sympathetic. I loved it.
Mariah Avix
April 30, 2016 at 7:28 PM //
Thank you! Sometimes there is great destruction, sometimes you come home with a new pair of shoes.
Christopher
April 30, 2016 at 9:54 PM //
Umm, that was awesome! Thanks for making my title turn out so good! Great job!
Mariah Avix
May 1, 2016 at 9:01 AM //
I went full literal. Good title 🙂
Joe Turner
May 5, 2016 at 11:37 AM //
I picked your title, but it just keeps growing, and is currently begging to be turned into a novel. Would you have any objections to this?
Marta Randall
May 2, 2016 at 11:14 PM //
“Full literal” suited this story very well, and I enjoyed the girls spunk. One helpful hint: before a tsunami wave arrives, sea water is sucked away from the land, stranding sea life. In the big one that hit Hilo last century, plenty of people died because they ran out to harvest the fish, then couldn’t outrun the wave.
David Williams
May 4, 2016 at 10:24 AM //
I really liked the voice of the story. Hard to capture innocence and tell a story in 1000 words, well done.
Elaine
April 29, 2016 at 10:42 PM //
Sadly, my Correcting Selectric II died the death many years ago, but I think I still have a Wang word processor in the dungeon, which I might be able to use if I can get past the thing-that-must-not-be-named. Conveying my tale by Poe-mail would be a last resort.
StarNinja
April 30, 2016 at 9:39 AM //
Edgar Allen Poe stopped delivering my letters years ago. If it comes down to it, good luck in deed!
Mozette
April 30, 2016 at 1:28 AM //
An innocent scene can turn into something else right?
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/they-sat-outside-eating-cake.html
Marta Randall
May 2, 2016 at 11:23 PM //
Well done. I like the way you use your sentences, cleanly and effectively. I was a bit confused about when the story takes place. “Crime scene” and “police” are very modern, but my the end she’s paying off the coach, which doesn’t seem modern at all.
Mozette
May 3, 2016 at 12:17 AM //
Oh yeah, I know. I’ve been looking into exactly what they called those types of things back in the day, nobody said anything… they called it ‘the scene’ or ‘the place’… and ‘cobber’ didn’t sound right – it was right in the middle of the name change for the police of the times. Scotland Yard still hadn’t been created, so I picked a bad era to place it. 😛
Marta Randall
May 3, 2016 at 12:39 AM //
Checked Conan Doyle?
Mozette
May 3, 2016 at 8:45 AM //
Aahh, yes… didn’t think of looking at his work; just followed my silly brain and wrote without fact-checking. Will do that next time. 🙂
the oncoming spork
April 30, 2016 at 2:22 AM //
I used Tom’s title.
https://apostrophobic.wordpress.com/2016/04/30/they-sat-outside-eating-cake/
Marta Randall
May 2, 2016 at 11:33 PM //
I liked this quite a lot. Ray comes across strongly (although I’m still curious about why his assignment was structured this way) and even Andrew stands out. Maybe he should think of the con attendees as “nerds” to differentiate his POV from Ray’s, but it’s not a big deal. Also liked the reminder of the Eddie Izzard “Cake or Die” routine.
the oncoming spork
May 2, 2016 at 11:35 PM //
Ooh. Good eye! I changed it to “nerds.” And thank you! 😀
Elaina M. Roberts
April 30, 2016 at 4:27 AM //
The Blood Lottery by Marion laid a well-baited trap for a plot bunny. It was so cute and fluffy, I totally caved. Here’s my bit, a little over the limit at around 1100 words. I so wanted to write more, but…yeah. Bad bunny, no carrot!
https://emrobertssite.wordpress.com/2016/04/30/flash-fiction-the-blood-lottery/
Mark Plattner
May 6, 2016 at 2:18 PM //
Great job
Elizabeth Rose
April 30, 2016 at 11:40 AM //
The Blood Lottery. There have been a lot of sad stories on these Flash Fiction Challenges lately. Thought I would try a different angle.
https://betheredragons.wordpress.com/2016/04/30/flash-fiction-the-blood-lottery/
Kevin Wallace
May 2, 2016 at 7:54 PM //
Elizabeth, I like your narrative style quite a bit. You used your thousand-ish words quite well.
Marta Randall
May 3, 2016 at 2:53 AM //
Whoa, a great revisit of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery. Love the courage of your viewpoint character but want more of a hint of what she knows she’s headed for, to add to the suspense. Is she ready to risk death? Is there a reward she sees at the end of her sacrifice? Curious minds want to know!
Melissa Clare
May 7, 2016 at 12:49 AM //
Nice work! It seems like there’s a larger story here… are you going to continue it?
cjaybee
April 30, 2016 at 12:06 PM //
Very cool. “Malwhere” (cut from 4892 words to < 1,000)
http://pwiddershins.blogspot.com/2016/04/chuck-wendigs-latest-challenge-april.html
Kevin Wallace
May 1, 2016 at 12:41 AM //
This is clever, and I enjoyed it. As a fellow IT nerd, I feel I share in some of Lucretia’s pain.
cjaybee
May 1, 2016 at 8:07 AM //
Thanks, Kevin. Right there beside you, pulling cable, rebooting routers and patching the latest version of .
Marta Randall
May 3, 2016 at 9:44 PM //
I don’t know what the story was like before you excised 3892 words, but I never felt that anything important was omitted. (My guess, by the way, was that you got rid of the scene between Higgins and the daemon, and I think that was wise.) Well rounded, well focussed. I liked this a lot.
Melissa Clare
May 7, 2016 at 12:55 AM //
Great story! (And you have exceptional powers of editing, apparently…)
karen j carlisle
May 8, 2016 at 8:31 PM //
Like the premise. I felt Lucrezia’s frustration.
StarNinja
April 30, 2016 at 12:59 PM //
This one came spilling out of my brain all at once! Fitting, given that I chose the title The Blood Lottery. Here it is.
https://wormholelesstraveled.wordpress.com/2016/04/30/heroic-classics-the-blood-lottery/
Enjoy!
thisdamkid
April 30, 2016 at 3:55 PM //
https://itsthesedamnkids.wordpress.com/2016/04/30/a-pretentious-title-for-a-pretentious-story/ This is what I’ve got. Wish it was longer, but whenever I try to write more to it, it really doesn’t seem to fit what I’m going for.
Mark Plattner
May 6, 2016 at 3:30 PM //
This made me happy because it’s the weird abstractional stuff I want to write. You did it well.
thisdamkid
May 9, 2016 at 2:51 AM //
Thanks you, glad you enjoyed it!
Melissa Clare
May 7, 2016 at 1:20 AM //
I used your title too, and mine was pretty short as well. I think it’s a hard style to maintain for long (or it was for me). Fun to write, though. Thanks for the prompt!
thisdamkid
May 9, 2016 at 2:52 AM //
No problem, read your story, I enjoyed it!
“I blessed myself seven times on seven Sundays, but the water burned my skin red and I walked away with scars but no lessons learned.” Really liked this bit of imagery.
Melissa Clare
May 9, 2016 at 12:30 PM //
Thanks!!
bryanthewriter
April 30, 2016 at 4:42 PM //
Challenge accepted! It is a nice break from editing my novel. Editing is what hell is like! 🙂 Enjoy my submission!
https://bryanthewriter.wordpress.com/2016/04/30/they-sat-outside-eating-cake/
They Sat Outside Eating Cake
Fatma Alici
April 30, 2016 at 7:21 PM //
I went with the Blind Tattooist, I saw the title and thought of an idea instantly.
http://www.fatmaalici.com/2016/04/30/challenge-blind-tattooist/
Kevin Wallace
May 1, 2016 at 12:08 AM //
I chose The Blood Lottery, but I think I might have taken it in a different direction than others would.
http://blog.kevinja.com/the-blood-lottery/
Elizabeth Rose
May 2, 2016 at 4:07 PM //
An interesting take! I liked it.
Kevin Wallace
May 2, 2016 at 7:51 PM //
Thank you kindly, Elizabeth. I was hoping to contribute in lowering the sadness ratio for the week. 🙂
Yigit Cakar (@YigitCakar)
May 1, 2016 at 5:50 AM //
I chose Marion’s title The Blood Lottery: http://yigitcakar.com/the-blood-lottery/
Allison Maruska
May 1, 2016 at 2:27 PM //
I used The Blind Tattooist. Looking forward to reading everyone else’s take on this one.
https://allisonmaruska.com/2016/05/01/flash-fiction-the-blind-tattooist/
lwall6710
May 1, 2016 at 2:38 PM //
https://wordpress.com/posts/lwall6710.wordpress.com
lwall6710
May 1, 2016 at 3:19 PM //
lwall6710.wordpress.com/2016/05/01/they-sat-outside-eating-cake-by-lawson-r-wallace-
Marta Randall
May 1, 2016 at 6:59 PM //
May I play, too? http://scripsit.com/website/the-blind-tattooist/
Allison Maruska
May 6, 2016 at 7:49 AM //
Eerie. Nice use of second person.
Marta Randall
May 6, 2016 at 6:14 PM //
Thanks, Allison. I don’t tend to like second person (it can get either preachy or hectoring) but this story just spilled out that way.
Marion
May 1, 2016 at 10:40 PM //
I’m doing The Blind Tattooist but I’m still working on it. I’m not a “writer” so much as a rewriter.
C. Rasmussen
May 2, 2016 at 10:40 AM //
I ended up using Turnstiles at Station 6: https://comradecharlie.wordpress.com/2016/05/02/still-turnstiles-at-station-6/
Marion
May 5, 2016 at 6:27 PM //
I loved the surprise moment of optimism at the ending, but frankly, I was all-in at “Space Elevators.”
Brittany DeBeeld
May 5, 2016 at 7:41 PM //
Love a good sci-fi. Very entertaining!
Vicente L Ruiz
May 9, 2016 at 3:17 AM //
Great story. If anything, I’d have tried to mix the initial info-dump into the main story (though I’ve used that before as well, so guilty I am too). But I love the world-building and the plot.
M. D. Flyn (@mdflynwriter)
June 6, 2016 at 1:44 PM //
Ready for more of this story
Jeffrey Scott
May 2, 2016 at 1:40 PM //
Here is my submission, hope you like it. I used Murder and Wine and the Oblong Door. I thought it was a great title.
http://jeffreybscott.blogspot.com/2016/05/murder-and-wine-and-oblong-door.html
Vicente L Ruiz
May 3, 2016 at 6:17 AM //
I rolled a 3 on random.org, but in the end I went with the title that most inspired me, “The Blind Tattooist”:
https://medium.com/@VicenteLRuiz/the-blind-tattooist-4296f92a10ec#.rl0rzpdgw
Marion
May 4, 2016 at 2:43 PM //
Vicente, I like the concept of the top five graduates getting numbers. Is that a real thing, or did you make it up? It adds a bit of concrete reality to an otherwise fantastical story.
Vicente L Ruiz
May 5, 2016 at 3:05 AM //
I made it up, but I drew inspiration from films and TV (and I also remembered the cast from Lord of the Rings having theirs done). I thought it was something that could happen, having a tattoo done while still… under the effects of the celebratory party. The kind of event some people later regret. 🙂
Marion
May 5, 2016 at 11:50 AM //
I thought it was an excellent touch in this story.
Vicente L Ruiz
May 5, 2016 at 3:49 PM //
Thanks!
Brittany DeBeeld
May 5, 2016 at 7:47 PM //
Love the story within a story. Very cool.
Vicente L Ruiz
May 6, 2016 at 3:30 AM //
Thank you. Glad you liked it.
Adam Hughes
May 3, 2016 at 12:33 PM //
“They Sat Outside Eating Cake” while I thanked Tom Byrne for the title prompt:
http://adamhugheswriter.com/sat-outside-eating-cake/
Leigh
May 3, 2016 at 1:02 PM //
Thank you Russell for the title of The Blind Tattooist!
Here is my submission:
http://meanderinginmythoughts.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-blind-tattooist-flash-fiction.html
David Williams
May 3, 2016 at 4:21 PM //
Here is my go at it. I chose the title “They Sat Outside Eating Cake” with a bit of a different view of what “outside” meant. Hope you enjoy it
http://dswilliams.com/2016/05/03/flash-fiction-challenge-ten-titles-you-made-up/
Skye Overall
May 3, 2016 at 10:39 PM //
I chose The Blood Lottery, which was a popular title, but I think I did something a little different. http://runnerskye.com/the-blood-lottery/
Marion
May 4, 2016 at 10:34 AM //
Russell’s title The Blind Tattooist caught my imagination. here’s my offering:
http://deedsandwords.com/?p=8763
Vicente L Ruiz
May 9, 2016 at 3:22 AM //
I’m almost speechless. Amazing. Thank you.
Marion
May 9, 2016 at 11:01 AM //
Speechless in a good way? 🙂 Thank you. I wasn’t sure I completed melded all the elements.
Marion
May 9, 2016 at 11:03 AM //
And I meant “completely.”
Vicente L Ruiz
May 9, 2016 at 12:11 PM //
Speechless in a *very* good way! And *almost* because I still managed to say “amazing” and “thank you”.
Vicente L Ruiz
May 9, 2016 at 12:15 PM //
OK, let me elaborate. I loved the Japanese touch. I found the insight into the character’s thoughts and feelings appealing and well done. And I was amazed at the amount of events you managed to pack in 1000 words: I come from writing flash fiction in 600 words and keep forgetting how much 400 words more is. You don’t (forget).
Marion
May 9, 2016 at 12:15 PM //
It’s great to get some good feedback! Thanks.
The Writer
May 4, 2016 at 4:14 PM //
Jeremy Pocket and the See-Through Wall –
https://atcrump.com/2016/05/04/jeremy-pocket-and-the-see-through-wall/
Thanks Naomi,
– Antwan.
Brittany DeBeeld
May 5, 2016 at 7:32 PM //
Super cool story. Riveting.
dcxli
May 5, 2016 at 2:17 AM //
Not my normal fare, but here is Still Turnstiles at Station 6:
https://dcxli.wordpress.com/2016/05/05/still-turnstiles-at-station-6/
Marion
May 5, 2016 at 12:19 PM //
Your last sentence made me laugh out loud.
dcxli
May 5, 2016 at 3:39 PM //
Thanks! I had my fair share of chuckles while writing it.
Brittany DeBeeld
May 5, 2016 at 7:36 PM //
Loved the twist. “As powerful as her magic was…”
Great job.
M. D. Flyn (@mdflynwriter)
June 6, 2016 at 1:36 PM //
This is awesome, I love it
dcxli
June 7, 2016 at 3:50 AM //
Thanks!
Ana Spoke
May 5, 2016 at 7:25 AM //
Hi, I chose Murder and Wine and the Oblong door: https://anaspoke.com/2016/05/05/murder-and-wine-and-the-oblong-door/
Thank you, Migo, for such a cool title.
Ana
zachary8401
May 5, 2016 at 12:40 PM //
Hey Everyone, I went with “The Blind Tattooist.” Hope you enjoy it! https://zacharymgephardt.com/2016/05/05/the-blind-tattooist/
Mel
May 5, 2016 at 3:46 PM //
https://melodyklink.com/2016/05/05/flash-fiction-the-blind-tattooist/
I chose The Blind Tattooist, AND tied it into the previous “Sins” flash we did! WOO!
Matthew X. Gomez
May 5, 2016 at 4:26 PM //
The Blind Tattooist. More vignette than proper story, but I still dig the title.
https://mxgomez.wordpress.com/2016/05/05/the-blind-tattooist-a-chuck-wendig-challenge/
Modern Authors
May 5, 2016 at 5:46 PM //
Like everyone else, I chose The Blood Lottery by Marion. Yay!
https://modernauthors.org/2016/05/05/the-blood-lottery/
conniecockrell
May 5, 2016 at 6:44 PM //
Loved the MalWhere idea. Here’s my take on it (live 5/6/16) http://wp.me/p6LAko-H4
Joe Turner
May 5, 2016 at 7:09 PM //
I picked Christopher’s: The Girl Who Surfed Tsunamis.
https://joetblogs.wordpress.com/2016/05/06/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-ten-titles-you-made-up/