Here is your challenge this week.
Go to Google.
Go to Google IMAGES.
Type in “Strange Photos.”
You will find a panoply of, well, weird-ass images.
Pick one.
Use it as inspiration for a piece of flash fiction. (In the fiction, make sure to link to the photo or post to page, with all credit to photographers or designers, please.)
Length: ~1000 words
Due by: Friday, 2/16 noon EST
Post at your online space.
Drop a link to the story in the comments below.
Mark Gardner says:
I decided to revive my YA writing project, Mental State, after a photo that just spoke to me. I stopped after 1200 words, and then wrote 600 more… Oh well. TRIGGER WARNING for suicide and self-harm.
https://article94.com/2018/02/09/truth/
February 9, 2018 — 2:04 PM
Mozette says:
Brilliantly portrayed! And just like in high school… it’s exactly what would happen.
February 10, 2018 — 11:53 PM
Mark Gardner says:
Thanks Mozzie!
February 12, 2018 — 8:15 AM
Maria Rachel says:
Mine is called “No More Bones.” I stopped just shy of 1000 words.
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/mariatakesprompts
February 9, 2018 — 7:24 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
Hmm, sorry, I can’t access your story to read it.
February 12, 2018 — 7:37 AM
Maria Rachel says:
Whoops! That was the wrong link. Try https://mariatakesprompts.tumblr.com/ instead, that should work.
February 13, 2018 — 11:44 AM
The Urban Spaceman says:
Cool, I found it: https://mariatakesprompts.tumblr.com/post/170700456383/no-more-bones
But as I don’t have a Tumblr, I may not comment. Still, it was a fascinating story that feels like a part of a much larger work. Sad to learn about the dragons post-posthumously, though.
February 14, 2018 — 9:36 AM
Matt Aldridge says:
I found a photo of a space man holding a beer. This is my story. https://r9r9q8.wixsite.com/abraxas/single-post/2018/02/09/A-day-of-remembrance-and-reflection
February 9, 2018 — 9:52 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
Bye bye, planet Earth! We hardly knew ye. And when we did know ye, we didn’t treat thee with deserved respect. But your story makes me want to know more about Mathias and Saxra. Where did they come from? Where did they go?
February 12, 2018 — 7:41 AM
Matt Aldridge says:
Yeah that’s something I’d like to know too. But they are characters that’ll appear in all of my stories so, whenever I get around to writing that…
February 13, 2018 — 2:26 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
I made a story which is 999 words long, and four cookies valiantly gave their lives during the writing of this piece. Trigger warning for narwhals and cruise ships.
Just kidding—there’s no narwhals.
https://theurbanspaceman.net/2018/02/10/feathers-flash-fiction/
February 10, 2018 — 5:19 PM
Mozette says:
Now you’ve gotten us all started on this one… how does it end???
February 13, 2018 — 6:40 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
I don’t know! 🙁 Maybe I’ll write an ending one day and find out.
February 14, 2018 — 3:32 AM
Allison Maruska says:
This was fun!
https://allisonmaruska.com/2018/02/10/flash-fiction-bella-and-button/
February 10, 2018 — 6:49 PM
Mozette says:
https://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2018/02/premonition.html
I have seen ‘Doctor Strange’ and love the imagery in it… so found a picture from that and used it. 😀
enjoy.
February 10, 2018 — 7:16 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
Now I don’t know what’s real and what’s not! 😮 I wonder what catastrophe befell the Earth that acrid rain is so potent.
February 12, 2018 — 7:55 AM
Mozette says:
Strange thing is that I’ve had dreams just like this – so real that when I’ve woken from them, they’ve left me wondering if they’re real or not. It was difficult to write it though.
February 12, 2018 — 6:17 PM
The Urban Spaceman says:
I can imagine.
February 13, 2018 — 4:59 AM
the story hive says:
Hey, my take on the crooked forest, but It’s just the first part (bear with me) https://thestoryhive.wordpress.com/2018/02/11/devils-peak/
February 11, 2018 — 8:23 AM
David says:
Just a sidebar, but you know that’s basically how Ransom Riggs wrote “Ms Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” right?
February 12, 2018 — 12:48 PM
grahamwrites says:
Went over the thousand, but hey the picture made me do it.
http://grahamwho.com/grahamwrites/2018/02/12/flash-fiction-hungry/
February 12, 2018 — 6:05 PM
Sam Brady says:
1,000 words exactly. And some are even in italics! Come on over and check it out if you wanna. And you know you wanna.
https://sambrady.wordpress.com/2018/02/13/chuck-wendig-libera-me/
February 13, 2018 — 3:14 PM
andys says:
Here’s my ridiculous little piece: A Date With Death. http://andreaspeed.com/2018/flash-fic-challenge-a-date-with-death/
February 14, 2018 — 4:02 AM
The Urban Spaceman says:
I laughed, I cried, I wanted to be there as a flower-person at the wedding, even though I get hayfever. This is definitely one of my most favouritest stories ever.
February 14, 2018 — 9:48 AM
andys says:
Well, you might be in luck, because I’m sure, with Mort around, they’d have to be silk or plastic flowers. (Thank you!)
February 14, 2018 — 10:25 PM
the story hive says:
OMG. Brilliant! I wish I had this kind of ridiculous pieces in my repertoire…
February 14, 2018 — 12:03 PM
andys says:
You should try! They’re endlessly fun to write.
February 14, 2018 — 10:24 PM
afewimaginedworlds says:
892 words. *shrugs* Close enough.
https://afewimaginedworlds.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/flash-fiction-challenge-the-dog/
Thanks for setting this challenge. Really threw me out of my normal writing patterns, and I love it.
February 14, 2018 — 10:54 PM
M. Lori Motley says:
I got close to 1000. Had fun with the Strange Photos prompt.
http://mlorimotley.com/strange-photos-writing-prompt/
Feels good to write creepy again.
February 15, 2018 — 1:12 PM
Vicente L Ruiz (@VicenteLRuiz) says:
I couldn’t pick a photo I was happy with. In the end I found one, and wrote the story.
Just below 1000 words, here’s “Téo”: https://medium.com/@VicenteLRuiz/t%C3%A9o-caab8808fee8
February 15, 2018 — 7:47 PM
Dena Marie McKinnon says:
First story I’ve ever written so go easy. I write poetry and for screen so this was just for ‘fun’.
Lusus Naturae “Imperfection will not be tolerated.” 1000 words
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Uy1RqAF1yq0wF3kQczoZv1JlR32gNsNNckeiwCccOCI/edit?usp=sharing
February 16, 2018 — 12:05 AM
writertrudie says:
Kinda scared myself with this one…
The Collector – https://writertrudie.blogspot.ca/2018/02/terrible-minds-flash-fiction-challenge.html
February 16, 2018 — 12:34 AM
J. Huff says:
Mine is called “A Fine Addition” and clocks in at 879 words. This is my first attempt at doing something like this, I’m trying to stretch myself.
https://medium.com/@huffimus_prime/a-fine-addition-88713372c80f
It might be a little dark. I can never tell.
February 16, 2018 — 3:29 AM
amberleygriffin says:
Nice… dark but in a good way
February 16, 2018 — 5:22 PM
dougkzeigler says:
Different than what I usually write. A bit out there, but that’s the fun of it, I think. 982 words of oddness. https://scotchfullyyours.wordpress.com/2018/02/16/ahead/
February 16, 2018 — 7:54 AM
amberleygriffin says:
Nice! I enjoyed it!
February 16, 2018 — 5:29 PM
amberleygriffin says:
Did I make it on time… https://fuckthelemonade.wordpress.com/2018/02/16/the-floating-room/
February 16, 2018 — 4:24 PM
Susan Monroe McGrath says:
I’m late… But here is my strange photo inspired story.
https://susan-reads.blogspot.com/2018/02/wings.html
February 16, 2018 — 10:19 PM
Mel Gutiér says:
http://fictioninmyhead.com/2018/02/16/neonach/
Thanks to you sir and to my Amberley Griffin, my LemonLovely for inviting me to do this.
February 17, 2018 — 12:49 AM