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.
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Charlotte Grubbs (@literary_lottie)
July 21, 2017 at 1:08 PM //
I dunno, Chuck, my “inspirational” quote was “Without pants, there is no reason to live,” and I’m pretty sure that violates Penmonkey Code.
Jade M. Wong
July 21, 2017 at 1:18 PM //
LOL. Was not expecting to read that quote when I scrolled down to the comments.
Daniel M. Clark
July 21, 2017 at 2:26 PM //
My quote is “Don’t write. Let yourself listen to society.”
The hell do I do now? Curse you, Inspirobot!
Adelise M Cullens
July 21, 2017 at 6:03 PM //
This is the best thing. Why have I never heard of this before? Thanks, Chuck.
Anna Nyms
July 25, 2017 at 2:47 PM //
It’s great. I spent some time generating “inspirations”, found a lot of interesting lines that would make great first lines of a story. One of my favorite funny lines Is “First comes the finger, then comes nudity” or “Learn to make your colleague come”.
Adelise M Cullens
July 25, 2017 at 6:51 PM //
Bahahahahahaha I saved so many. It was hard to pick just one. I might have to make it a weekly thing. I got things like, “The reptilians are planning to have faith in the men in the shadows” & “A ghost is eternal particles on vacation.” Best use of AI. lol
Bonnee
July 22, 2017 at 7:34 AM //
This is an interesting little site … though I’m giving some of these quotes a heckin’ frown.
Paul Grignon
July 22, 2017 at 5:17 PM //
Chuck!
Great post! I was up to the Inspirobot challenge and posted it and linked back here. Had a grand time writing it. Thank you for that exercise, and your wonderful post about a bad day writing. I appreciate your wit. Take care,
Paul
Paul Grignon
July 22, 2017 at 5:21 PM //
Addendum: In case my post was not accessible, you can find it here: paulgrignon.wordpress.com
Thank you!
Adelise M Cullens
July 22, 2017 at 8:37 PM //
Well done, Paul!
Paul Grignon
July 22, 2017 at 10:06 PM //
Thank you, Adelise. I appreciate it very much. Can’t wait to read your take!
Anna Nyms
July 27, 2017 at 4:13 PM //
I really liked your story.
Paul Grignon
July 28, 2017 at 6:33 AM //
Dear Anna,
Thank you so much for the kind words! I appreciate your comment. I enjoyed (if that’s the word : ) reading your own dystopian take. Well paced, and great visuals! It made me want to go outside and peer at the sky for streaming meteorites. Excellent job!
Take care,
Paul
Danielle
July 29, 2017 at 7:07 AM //
Great story!
someguyinawaistcoat
July 22, 2017 at 10:10 PM //
I clicked five times and got a different saccharine image each time, but all read the same:
“Fear rimjobs”
… Welp. I guess I’m off to write the most disgustingly terrifying incubus story I can.
Mozette
July 22, 2017 at 11:48 PM //
https://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2017/07/plain-jane.html
A little over 1,000 words… couldn’t be helped.
enjoy.
Danielle
July 29, 2017 at 7:13 AM //
I didn’t see that twist coming at the end. Intriguing! Definitely makes me want to know more about this whole situation.
Lisa
July 23, 2017 at 11:01 PM //
I got “Perversion is the procrastination of another demension.” With my terrible mind, I fear the outcome would be some strange alien romance not suitable for all viewers. L
The Urban Spaceman
July 24, 2017 at 8:40 AM //
“Can you picture how it would be if artists were allowed to tell the truth?”
Approx 500 words: https://theurbanspaceman.net/2017/07/24/artistic-licence-flash-fiction/
Daniel M. Clark
July 27, 2017 at 5:17 PM //
Love it. Well done, evocative. I especially love the idea of creative license as a thing that can be revoked, or that has to be earned.
Sam Brady
July 27, 2017 at 9:30 PM //
Thought provoking, especially in today’s environment. I passed by several potential quotes because they were too obviously political. You’re a braver spaceman than I am.
The Urban Spaceman
July 28, 2017 at 4:59 AM //
Ironically, this was one of the least political quotes I came across, too. 😛 Not sure about braver than you, though. This is a story I’ve wanted to tell for a while, and the quote was a convenient platform to launch it from.
Danielle
July 29, 2017 at 7:17 AM //
Wonderful story!
Daniel M. Clark
July 24, 2017 at 6:48 PM //
“What you have to understand is that fairies don’t *want* to hurt anyone. They live in their small communities and when the big folk get too close, they move out of the way.
Usually.”
Ocean Mist of the Mountain
https://danielmclark.com/library/ocean-mist-of-the-mountain/
Sam Brady
July 27, 2017 at 9:35 PM //
Awesome, and unexpected! Not what I would have expected from the quote. I like the thought of an angry fairy, though. Very cool take.
Danielle
July 29, 2017 at 7:22 AM //
Great story! Loved your take on your prompt. Plus, fairies are cool.
Danielle
July 25, 2017 at 4:35 AM //
This was fun.
Here’s my story.
Regret – Writing Upside Down
https://writingupsidedown.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/regret/
Skye
July 31, 2017 at 3:33 AM //
I really liked this one. Took a bit to realize the inspiration. Good pacing and dialogue.
Danielle
July 31, 2017 at 7:54 AM //
Thank you!
LC
July 25, 2017 at 7:47 AM //
Beth’s paranoia explained in 960 words. Poor Beth. How will she escape this inhumane creature she thinks she loves? What is the price you pay for love? My quote was; “Be yourself, be paranoid, be better” Enjoy! https://thewritingsoflc.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/flash-fiction-challenge-inspired-by-inspirobot/
Danielle
July 29, 2017 at 7:26 AM //
Loved this!
The Writer Jenny
July 25, 2017 at 6:55 PM //
InspiroBot bookmarked for future usage. Think I might be a little messed up from laughing at my final sentence so hard for this challenge. u_____u;
https://jennifersparr.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/a-clove-of-garlic-can-improve-dreams/
aimeethere
July 25, 2017 at 10:19 PM //
Has InspiroBot freaked out on anyone else? Flashing screen asking where am I, then a standby screen for InspiroCorp, and then a background of waves and soothing messages from InspiroCorp between quote generations? It’s hilarious but I have no idea what I did to trigger it.
Daniel M. Clark
July 25, 2017 at 11:48 PM //
Yes, that happened to me, too. Only once, and I think I generated about fifty quotes (I’m stockpiling). No idea what triggered it.
aimeethere
July 25, 2017 at 11:59 PM //
Um, well, yeah. This just sorta happened like this all in a rush. I suppose InspiroBot truly is inspiring.
https://aimeethere.wordpress.com/2017/07/26/full-benefits/
Daniel M. Clark
July 27, 2017 at 5:35 PM //
That was *amazing*.
I’ve seriously never seen anyone so successfully play with tense and POV like that before. I’m blown away.
aimeethere
July 28, 2017 at 8:19 PM //
Thank you! It felt like it was getting away from me a bit when I switched to the plural third, but I just plowed through. I gotta say, it was one of those satisfying times where it seems like what i intended and what I ended up with matched pretty well. I was going for a sort of kaleidoscope feeling, like each switch was a new slide clicking into view.
Sam Brady
July 26, 2017 at 6:48 PM //
Please to enjoy 963 kinda weird words.
https://sambrady.wordpress.com/2017/07/26/chuck-wendig-open-for-business/
Eva Therese
July 27, 2017 at 11:29 AM //
I wrote a thing with robots because InpiroBot told me to. I for one welcome our new robot overlords.. https://evathereseebert.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/inspired-by-inspirobot/
Vicente L Ruiz
July 27, 2017 at 12:03 PM //
This was so hard. I generated at least a dozen and couldn’t make up my mind.
In the end I went with “Can You Imagine What Would Happen If You Found A Way To Be Nice To Everybody?” It’s a different vision on the superhero life…
https://medium.com/@VicenteLRuiz/can-you-imagine-what-would-happen-if-you-found-a-way-to-be-nice-to-everybody-7209bdde5776
grahamwrites
July 27, 2017 at 1:06 PM //
“First comes the break-up, then comes the destruction” was just too good to pass up. Have a read. http://grahamwho.com/grahamwrites/2017/07/27/flash-fiction-half-of-everything/
Anna Nyms
July 27, 2017 at 4:24 PM //
Wow. Talk about splitting custody in half.
C. Jai Ferry
July 27, 2017 at 1:14 PM //
800 words on a mother’s insecurity. Fun challenge~
http://www.cjaiferry.com/blog/july-meme/
Incognito Scribblings
July 27, 2017 at 1:35 PM //
https://incognitoscribblings.tumblr.com/post/163492317785/first-comes-the-breakup-then-comes-the
Wendy Christopher
July 27, 2017 at 5:22 PM //
These are generated randomly, by a computer algorithm, right?
If so, we might need to be very afraid. I got the phrase “Can we reinvent entertainment?” accompanied by a picture of two flies ‘doing it.’ AI is either mocking us or has got us pegged far more than we realise.
pamtanzey
July 27, 2017 at 9:33 PM //
Here’s mine- Remember to Have Fun
https://pamtanzey.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/remember-to-have-fun/
Allison Maruska
July 27, 2017 at 9:47 PM //
I tried for an almost-all-dialogue piece, after I finally stopped being distracted by Inspirobot.
https://allisonmaruska.com/2017/07/27/flash-fiction-perfection-and-regret/
Adelise M Cullens
July 27, 2017 at 10:07 PM //
I did it. I’m not happy with it. But I did it. lol Failure is just as important as success so I posted it anyway. Complete with two alternate endings cause I couldn’t decide which was worse. https://adelisemcullens.wordpress.com/2017/07/28/tinfoil-swords-chuck-wendigs-flash-fic-challenge/
The Writer Jenny
July 28, 2017 at 11:53 AM //
I personally liked the first ending, because it brought a creepier vibe which I inherently gravitate towards for no particular reason.
Skye
July 28, 2017 at 12:29 AM //
YAY! I actually got this one done on time, for once. I’d love any feedback; not sure if it works. http://runnerskye.ca/flash-fiction-first-comes-murder/
Ashleigh Bonner
July 28, 2017 at 1:01 AM //
I got “All absence is always reinventing itself”. This fits nicely with my abstract writing style. I’ll post what I come up with later. Something about all the dimensions we can’t see. I’m excited to read your posts and see your blogs.
Ashleigh @ http://www.ashanauthor.blogspot.com
Jane Arisi
July 28, 2017 at 2:55 AM //
1,130 words (close enough, right?) of a thief in a speakeasy reuniting with the love of her life. Great challenge 🙂
https://janearisi.wordpress.com/2017/07/28/flash-fiction-from-inspirobot-me/
Kenzie
July 28, 2017 at 4:59 AM //
Being the coward I am, I stuck with the inspirational quote here rather than gambling on a new one.
http://www.lavenderwriting.co.uk/?p=111
Ashleigh Bonner
July 28, 2017 at 12:00 PM //
My prompt “All absence always reinvents itself.”
206 words.
Take a look:
https://ashanauthor.blogspot.com/2017/07/inspirobot-prompt.html
Ashlee Jade
July 28, 2017 at 11:48 PM //
So the bot has little messages it displays between inspirational quotes. I just got “Bots are the next stage of evolution” then the quote it generated was “After evolution comes the attack”… I am very, very scared.
Ivy Evelyn Grey (@onauratoujours)
July 29, 2017 at 12:22 AM //
a wee bit late, but i combined your inspirobot prompt with one that was generated for me– hope you like it :).
https://iseeyoureyesiknowyoureyes.tumblr.com/post/163549087941