Chuck Wendig: Terribleminds

Flash Fiction Challenge: That’s Right, I Said “Unicorn”

Last week’s challenge — “An Uncharted Apocalypse” — had some amazing stories, so you should go check ’em out. I’m going to take the weekend pick my favorite five and then toss those five folks a copy of my newest e-book, 250 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WRITING.

I like unicorns.

I mean, not in the sense that I have hundreds of unicorn collectibles on my shelves — *hurries to drop a blanket over my shelves* — it’s just, dang, unicorns crack me up. A pretty white horse with a big horn sticking out of his head and, boom, that’s it. Instant mythological favorite the world around. It’s an absurd animal.

Real reason I talk about unicorns so much — *quick runs to tear down wall of unicorn posters — is that the “unicorn” represents that kind of bullshit special snowflake precious writer mystique, right? The same people who believe a glittery Muse is going to fill their heads with hot notions are the same people who probably believe a unicorn is how babies are made.

Unicorns are just really weird and really goofy.

*darts to closet, slams door before you can see the unicorn cosplay outfits*

Anyway.

Thus, it seems high time to have a unicorn-themed flash fiction challenge.

I want you to incorporate the unicorn into your 1000-word story.

I don’t care how, but you get bonus points for thinking creatively or doing something different with the creature that we haven’t seen or don’t otherwise expect. Bring some attitude to it.

Any genre will do.

You’ve got one week. Friday, July 29th, by noon EST.

Get on it.

Oh! And this week, I’ll pick one favorite.

That favorite will get all three of my e-books.

Peace in the Middle East, yo.

terribleminds

94 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: That’s Right, I Said “Unicorn””

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  21. I’ve probably missed the deadline (stupid confuzzlating international times) but here’s my “contribution” to the burgeoning field of Magic Horse Lit:

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  38. Okay. I gotta tell you, here’s my favorite:

    “The Code.”

    By James Patrick Schmidt.

    Unicorns + 3D printer = an episode of the Twilight Zone on acid.

    James, please contact me at chuckwendig [at] terribleminds [dot] com.

    — c.

    Reply

  39. My favourite unicorn story would have to be Nick Earls’s from the book Headgames…fuck…what’s the name of the story (checks the googlemaphone)>>>>>>>
    eh, screw you google

    Reply

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