Last week’s challenge: Sci-Fi/ Fantasy Open Swim.
A couple days ago I said something hasty and insane about “killing genre,” and in there I hit on something I really quite liked — giving fiction aspects or elements instead of genres. So, instead of searching for “epic fantasy,” you can search for stories that have “fantasy” and “politics” together. Or “jetpacks.” Or “detective / mythology / death in the family.” Whatever.
So, that’s (er, kinda) what I’m doing here, today.
I’m going to give you three columns.
You have to pick one from each column.
And from that, write a 1000-word story.
In addition, I’ll pick three random winners from this pile of participants and give away some free e-books. I don’t know what, yet, so let’s just say it’ll be a surprise. Kay? Kay.
As always, the details remain the same. You’ve got one week (due by noon EST, Friday the 14th). Post at your blog, and link back here so we can all swing by and have a look-see.
(If you really want to get crazy, roll a d10 or pick random number between 1 and 10 from this Random Number Generator. In other words, let fate pick your choices in each category!)
The three columns (pick one from each) are:
One (Subgenre)
Noir
Erotica
Dystopian
Steampunk
Mythology
Detective
Sword & Sorcery
“Weird”
Body Horror
Romantic Comedy
Two (Element To Include)
Dinosaurs
Serial Killer
Gladiators
Insects
Climate Change
Hotel Bar
Geology
Graveyard
Surgery
Terrorism
Three (Theme / Motif / Conflict)
Love Triangle
Revenge
Divorce
Childbirth
On The Run
Fated To Die
Man Versus Himself
Addiction
Imprisoned
Ticking Clock
Jeff Xilon says:
Definitely getting something in for this week. I can’t help but love random or good ol’ d10s so I rolled for it. Now to craft something involving: steampunk climate change and divorce
September 7, 2012 — 9:16 AM
Jim Franklin says:
I used the generator and got weird, hotel bar and childbirth. Thankfully not erotica and childbirth that’s a mash-up that only leads to an FBI list of some sort.
Anyway, here is my entry: Construction by Design
http://www.thezombiechimp.com/2012/09/07/flash-fiction-construction-design/
September 7, 2012 — 10:20 AM
Mitch Marty says:
Been incredibly busy as of late with my return to school and graphic novel project, but I’ll definitely be taking a stab at this one sometime this week.
September 7, 2012 — 10:32 AM
Chihuahua Zero says:
Did the number generator, although I rerolled the last one. Let’s write this baby.
September 7, 2012 — 10:57 AM
Tom Sharp says:
OK, according to the random number generator, I’d be writing in this genre – “Weird” Dinosaurs Love Triangle. Errr, OK…. *picks up pen and pad*
September 7, 2012 — 10:58 AM
Jessica Burde says:
So, I’ve got Steampunk, gladiators, love triangle. Gonna have fun with this.
September 7, 2012 — 11:06 AM
Andy Taylor says:
Steampunk / Dinosaurs / Ticking Clock for the win. Could be interesting….
September 7, 2012 — 11:39 AM
Mike Manz says:
I rolled 1/6/3 initially, but Noir/Hotel Bar/Divorce was a bit too cliché to be interesting so I re-rolled.
Mythology, Insects and Childbirth it is. That should provide enough grist for my mill – I can feel the crushing weight of some ideas already.
September 7, 2012 — 11:40 AM
Eric H. says:
Well, I accepted your challenge and used the RNG. 2,2,5. Let’s see….
Erotica, Serial Killer, On the Run.
Holy crap. That should be interesting.
September 7, 2012 — 12:07 PM
Darlene Underdahl says:
A Pale Revenge:
http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=182
September 7, 2012 — 1:30 PM
Anthony Elmore says:
I used the random number generator and got Sword n’ Sorcery, Climate Change and Addiction.
Take a hit of this….
http://www.barelyok.com/flash-fiction-challenge-a-game-of-aspects.html
September 7, 2012 — 4:37 PM
Ben Dodge says:
Erotica, Insects, Revenge.
I think I’m re-rolling.
September 7, 2012 — 5:12 PM
Laura Libricz says:
My mouth is watering already….
September 7, 2012 — 5:38 PM
A.M. Schultz says:
I’ve been looking for a reason to pull the trigger on strange.
My lucky combo just squeezed my finger.
This one will be fun.
September 7, 2012 — 5:52 PM
ChrisWhiteWrites says:
Great concept, both for this challenge and the whole “aspects of fiction” – my first randomly generated numbers were too obvious when combined, a detective story, in a hotel bar about revenge (although I may write that one as well.) Back to the random machine!
September 7, 2012 — 6:23 PM
AM Gray says:
Using the random number generator I got – erotica, gladiators, on the run… bwahaha
September 7, 2012 — 7:10 PM
Phlambler says:
Sword and sorcery, surgery and ticking clock. Hmm, think can do something with that 😉
September 7, 2012 — 10:21 PM
Mark says:
I’ve made a spreadsheet (using Excel 2003) to help you:
http://RandMPublishing.com/downloads/RandomTopics.xls
Just press the F9 key and generate three new random topics/themes.
If you want to replace the 30 topics with your own, then you can do that too.
Have fun!
September 7, 2012 — 11:11 PM
gary weller says:
Ok Chuck,
Romantic Comedy/Graveyard/Addiction
Love, or Something Like It
Enjoy!
September 8, 2012 — 2:21 AM
AB Singer says:
Brevity is the soul of wit and laziness is the mother of frankness. I chose ‘Romantic Comedy’, ‘Serial Killer’, and ‘Addiction’.
575. Still there’s no reply…
http://ultravioletandinfrared.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/bewitched.html
September 8, 2012 — 3:23 AM
AM Gray says:
http://amgray.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/flash-fiction-challenge.html
DONE
but title free – thinking…
erotica/gladiator/on the run
September 8, 2012 — 3:41 AM
Rhyll Biest says:
Noir, serial killer, love triangle elements, how could I resist? My entry’s at: http://rhyllbiest.com/2012/09/08/chuck-wendig-flash-fiction-challenge/
September 8, 2012 — 8:30 AM
L. C. Szafranski says:
Got dystopian, surgery and divorce. Halfway done.
September 8, 2012 — 10:38 AM
137minutes says:
Originally started this for last weeks challenge, but was too late. So here for Mythology, Climate Change, and Ticking Clock. But to be fair, I’ll do another, randomly, with Yikes, I got Sword/Sorcery, Surgery & Love Triangle. Nice, I’ll be back…
September 8, 2012 — 10:38 AM
137minutes says:
Helps if I put the link in here:
http://wp.me/p2GNTh-x
Sorry, new here.
September 8, 2012 — 12:24 PM
The Random Blogger says:
I chose Erotica, Terrorism and Ticking Clock.
The result is Tick Tock:
http://www.TheRandomBlogger.com/fiction/tick-tock
September 8, 2012 — 12:34 PM
Shiri Sondheimer says:
I asked my husband if he knew where his D10 was, and went to his computer bag, pulled out a ziplock, and handed me his whole set of dice, the picked a random one for me to use.
Steampunk/terrorism/fated to die. This could get cliche really quickly, so I’m going to have to be creative…
September 8, 2012 — 1:16 PM
Erik Williams says:
I chose Noir/Gladiators/Fated to Die.
The result: A Short Memoir of a Gladiator South of the Border
Hope you dig.
http://erikwilliams.blogspot.com/2012/09/flash-fiction-short-memoir-of-gladiator.html
September 9, 2012 — 1:13 AM
Devin Harnois says:
Sounds like fun! I used the random number generator and got 3, 8, 7. Dystopian, graveyard, man vs himself.
I let it rattle around for a bit and came up with “The Job”:
http://devinharnois.com/2012/09/09/flash-fiction-challenge-from-terribleminds-a-game-of-aspects/
September 9, 2012 — 2:23 AM
angie Arcangioli says:
It’s been months since last posted a Friday Flash on your blog, great prompt, Here is
Little Madame Brest’s Last Cigarette
http://brooksbymemoirs.blogspot.fr/2012/09/little-madame-brests-last-cigarette.html
September 9, 2012 — 11:53 AM
Louise says:
Here we go…
http://ontheedgeofinfinity.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/flash-fiction-2/
L
September 9, 2012 — 1:35 PM
Shiri Sondheimer says:
Almost wussed out and re-rolled ’cause steampunk isn’t usually my bag, but hey, it’s good for me to write out of my comfort zone once in a while.
steampunk/terrorism/fated to die
http://swsondheimer.wordpress.com/this-just-in/storm/
September 9, 2012 — 9:55 PM
Josh Loomis says:
Steampunk. Gladiators. Imprisoned. Enjoy.
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2012/09/10/flash-fiction-in-the-pits/
September 10, 2012 — 7:26 AM
Phil Norris says:
I went for Steampunk – Hotel Bar – On The Run and I got “Run FourE3t”
http://philnorris63.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/flash-fiction-short-run-foure3t/
September 10, 2012 — 7:51 AM
Chris Kobar says:
My bit is Weird fiction set in a hotel bar and about addiction.
http://christopherkobar.com/post/31270504928/a-few-small-changes
September 10, 2012 — 10:25 AM
ChrisWhiteWrites says:
Here’s mine, managed to land the detective angle, I think. Let me know what you think:
http://chriswhitewrites.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/fresh-dug-grave-new-jacket/
September 10, 2012 — 10:49 AM
Erik Mason says:
I got “Dystopian”, “Geology” and “Addiction”. I give you, “Geology Addiction”: http://geekonablog.blogspot.com/2012/09/story-geology-addiction.html
September 10, 2012 — 3:20 PM
coffeecupkat says:
Got “Romantic Comedy/Surgery/Love Triangle” on my first roll, so I re-rolled to avoid getting stuck with Grey’s Anatomy…
“Weird”/Surgery/Revenge it is!
September 10, 2012 — 4:31 PM
Beth L. says:
Steampunk + noir + serial killer + hotel bar + fated to die + ticking clock = Doomsday.
Respectfully yours,
http://knotachance.tumblr.com
September 10, 2012 — 9:59 PM
kacynielsen says:
Hey Chuck. Great idea you have there! Taking a blender to the “genre/theme game” as you’ve done is pretty liberating. I’m loving the stories that are coming out of this.
Here’s my entry. Noir/Dinosaurs/Childbirth
http://outwardbounder.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-noir-dinosaurs-and-childbirth/
September 10, 2012 — 10:59 PM