Flash Fiction Challenge: Must Contain A Map


Maps are glorious things. With them we find treasure. We make our way across counties, states and countries. We use them to mark DANGER. Maps can be public, secret, or something interstitial. Maps can be magic or mundane.

Maps are cool.

So, you will write a piece of flash fiction that contains a map.

Not a literal, drawn map (though if you can do that, you’re extra-awesome). No, I mean, in the fiction itself, a map is a part of the story. That’s it. That’s the only stipulation besides the usuals:

Length: ~1000 words

Due by: Fri, June 10th, noon EST

Post at your online space. Give us a link in the comments. The end.


132 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: Must Contain A Map”

  1. […] I finished this at a thousand words in a gripping cliffhanger. I decided that that was just too dark. I added an additional 267 words, and I think it made the story better. Prompts from Inspiration Monday, Three Word Wednesday, The Writing Reader, and Chuck Wendig’s weekly flash fiction challenge. […]

  2. I am a secret writer. I’m also English and therefore repressed. Oh, and I’m fairly old, so have no clue how to post my 1,000 words without friends and family seeing them (secret, see?). I have no website, only Facebook. Am I stuffed?

    • Hello, Shyandretiring.

      Couple suggestions, you could make a free blog, and use that to spread links of what you write here.
      Or you could use google docs, which is basically a word processor on the internet. But you can share it so readers can view it only and not edit it.

  3. I recommend starting your own website on a free platform like WordPress (a very common one). It’s very user-friendly, doesn’t require any knowledge of programming, and you can choose whether to plaster your real name all over it or give yourself an alias if your only goal is to link to your stories from here. And congrats on considering posting your work for others to read! I’m eager to see what you have in store for us, and I bet other people here are too 😉

    • Thank you, all tips welcome, but a website? Haven’t got much to put on it yet. Would my 1,000 fit in the comments box, just for now? At the moment, because I’m not sure what I’m doing (or why, is it any good etc) , I’ve not let anyone read what I’ve written so would appreciate … impartial comment! I am grateful for your advice and encouragement, and will try to post my bit here. Enjoyed your piece, looking forward to reading others. Many thanks.

      • Blogger is another free platform as well. I’ve been working with Blogger for years – since 2008 – and it’s so easy to work with the backgrounds and fonts. However each blog platform is different, you have to pick your style and stick to it. 😀 And as Christopherslagle said, pick a screen name… I’ve been Mozette for a long time; over a decade and have plenty of blogs under my name as well as a few websites working on Wix.com too (which is a proper website-builder).

    • On the wordpress thing, it’s also super easy to import posts from your old free blog if you ever buy hosting or upgrade your plan on wordpress.

    • I love the world-building here; really makes me curious about what the overall situation’s like (other than apparently dismal).

    • I loved this. Really reminded me of The Road, with things seeming to have gone terribly wrong. Great story-telling, and I felt like I could relate to the characters. One suggestion: Turn the questions into ideas or thoughts. So instead of him asking himself “Should I kidnap her?,” he could think, “If I kidnapped her I could get to water.” This just would make it flow better. Questions remind the reader it’s a story instead of pulling them into the world of words.

    • Interesting story, but kind of painful. Having once been burgled by someone after a fix, I sort of hope she gets caught.

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