Last week’s challenge: “Ten Words Will Give You Five.”
I want you to open it.
I want it to take you somewhere.
And I want you to write about where it takes you.
It’s that easy.
And that hard.
You have 1000 words.
Due in one week, by Friday, April 5th, noon EST.
Post at your online space.
Link back here.
Go.
Knock on the door.
Open it.
Write about it.
Annie Carroll - Writer says:
The Secret Door is the coolest thing I’ve seen in ages and ages! As for Amazon–it’s great!!
March 29, 2013 — 11:14 AM
Jon says:
I don’t have a story for this, but what an awesome idea for a page. Thanks for sharing.
March 29, 2013 — 11:30 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Awesome. I love that link.
My contribution, Beyond the Door: http://mrurbanspaceman.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/beyond-the-door-flash-fiction-challenge/
I didn’t get a name for where I ended up, so I’ve posted a picture at the bottom of my story.
March 29, 2013 — 12:36 PM
Beth L. says:
Great story! I loved the line about you don’t get a perfect ending in 158 minutes. Thanks for sharing!
March 29, 2013 — 1:29 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Thanks for reading/reviewing!
March 29, 2013 — 1:38 PM
jreinmiller says:
Cool concept. I wasn’t sure where you were going with it at first, but that twist was a nice one. Good idea describing the city as a model as you got an actual model through your door.
March 30, 2013 — 1:20 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Thanks, my brain went though about half a dozen permutations of what that model village actually was, before I settled on one I was actually comfortable with.
March 30, 2013 — 4:32 AM
ben wintersteen says:
Interesting story, Reincarnation tourism, might make for a good TV series:)
March 31, 2013 — 1:17 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Cheers. I never thought of that, I’d just need to find a way to accelerate the birth/growing up process and give the series a villain, then maybe sell it to a network and rake in the millions. 😉
March 31, 2013 — 5:28 AM
Trine Schmidt says:
It took me a minute to figure out what your MC was experiencing, but now that I have I feel a little stupid 🙂 what a great spin on the assignment.
March 31, 2013 — 9:35 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Ahh, don’t feel like that… sometimes, nothing is ever as it seems 😉 Cheers for your comment.
March 31, 2013 — 11:33 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Oh I liked this, though I blame my daughter for thinking more Dr. Who than reincarnation. I also liked how they (souls? aliens?) remembered everything while in the “limbo” state so they can pick and choose their next experience.
March 31, 2013 — 10:36 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Thank you! I do think the one thing missing from that map is a building-sized Tardis. I’ll be honest with you – first it was going to be souls (God was going to be there, then I realised how lame that idea panned out), then it was going to be aliens experiencing our world from afar, and it finally ended with being a themepark for angels. Only way they get to experience life is being born into a body and going through the whole mess with no memory of their true nature. But either of them, souls reincarnated, aliens exploring, angels making us their Disneyland, works just as well. Pick your favourite, and that’s what it is! 🙂
March 31, 2013 — 11:38 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Thought I would give this a shot since I wimped out the past two weeks. I, too, posted a picture of the place my door sent me. Now I’m not sure I want to go there!
http://www.elainamroberts.com/tsuchigumo/
March 29, 2013 — 3:02 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Ewww, creepy! But very good. Best story I’ve read yet for this week’s challenge. I am now going to be ever afraid of men claiming to be princes.
And possibly of mysteriously glowing pools of funky-coloured water, too.
March 30, 2013 — 12:53 PM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Thank you! Spiders scare the bee-jeezus out of me so they were the perfect choice for the creepy “Prince Charming.”
March 30, 2013 — 3:14 PM
Trine Schmidt says:
Uhhh great story,deliciously chilling. Loved it.
March 31, 2013 — 9:40 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Thank you! I was nervous about posting but then decided to just jump in and see what happened.
March 31, 2013 — 10:43 AM
disastrouscreations says:
Not sure how I missed this one. Thanks for a great read!
March 31, 2013 — 4:50 PM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Thank you!
March 31, 2013 — 5:09 PM
Joe Petty says:
Amazing story, so creepy. I said out loud, ewww… gross. The BF said, what? I sorta explained and he said, I don’t want to read it. But, man… nice!
April 1, 2013 — 12:42 PM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Thank you! It’s a slight departure from my usual but was super fun to write.
April 2, 2013 — 2:21 PM
jreinmiller says:
Wow! Creepy and grotesque. Really good job. I was cringing at the end.
April 2, 2013 — 12:36 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Sorry to make you cringe! 😀
April 2, 2013 — 2:22 PM
Paul Grignon says:
Superb idea! I just wrote this piece, and here’s the link. http://paulgrignon.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/flash-fiction/
Chuck, you crack me up. It’s always a pleasure getting your emails. I liked the fact that you could check out multiple secret ‘doors’.
Have a great weekend!
Take care,
Paul
March 29, 2013 — 4:25 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Interesting! Makes me wonder where your door opened up to. I liked your protagonist’s conversations with himself. Very wry.
March 29, 2013 — 6:08 PM
jreinmiller says:
Well written, and a hearty ‘hah!’ about the chimes. I didn’t read anyone else’s until I posted mine, but I see those notes struck more than one of us.
March 30, 2013 — 1:26 AM
Paul Grignon says:
Thank you! And your post was quite vivid, with terrifying details. Yikes! You can almost feel the pain the ‘Queen’ was going through. Nice job!
April 1, 2013 — 3:35 PM
Ben Wintersteen says:
As mentioned elsewhere.. cool beans! The frustration is delicious.
March 31, 2013 — 5:25 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Interesting take! Makes one wonder if the door took him to a parallel universe or a hiccup in time. The manikin moving about would have creeped me out far more than the music – even if I did mute it on my own door.
March 31, 2013 — 10:50 AM
Vicki says:
Nice one, Paul. Abstractly, the idea of being left alone in a bar with all the liquor at your fingertips isn’t such a bad one. But you manage to make it deliciously unsettling. Enjoyed this.
April 5, 2013 — 9:09 AM
disastrouscreations says:
Thanks for a great challenge. I feel I improved on last weeks performance but still request the brutally honest critiques. Mine came in at exactly 1000 words (excluding title). Thanks in advance for taking the time to read, comment, or both.
http://disastrouscreations.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/the-secret-door/
Regards,
Mark
March 29, 2013 — 10:25 PM
jreinmiller says:
Great job, I really enjoyed that one. Writing felt smooth and I thought it was a cool concept.
March 30, 2013 — 1:30 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
I echo jreinmiller’s sentiments and have left a little feedback on your site.
March 30, 2013 — 4:41 AM
Ben Wintersteen says:
very awesome. Only constructive feedback is that the word “bears” should have been bolded, or in quotes, or separated in some way 🙂 But what do I know, right?
March 31, 2013 — 6:46 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
I definitely can relate to this! I have a small notebook that is much like that room full of files – it’s full of unfinished projects, synopses, ideas scribbled on a napkin or the back of a receipt. Excellent!
March 31, 2013 — 11:12 AM
jreinmiller says:
Walk through a door he said, see where it goes he said. Well here ya go.
http://www.jqpdx.com/2013/03/30/an-old-door-with-new-tricks/
March 30, 2013 — 1:13 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Enjoyable story, and I liked the contrasts you got between the two destinations – a desert of heat, and a desert of cold. I do have one question, though; is the last word of the story supposed to be ‘monkeys’? 😛
March 30, 2013 — 4:50 AM
jreinmiller says:
Thanks, and oops! It was indeed. I’ve corrected it. 🙂
March 30, 2013 — 12:06 PM
Ben Wintersteen says:
Very cool. I hate it when I hear disembodied monkeys (though that would be a good name for a band)
March 31, 2013 — 7:02 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Oh I did enjoy this! The fascination followed by fear (ahem, worry, sorry). The urge to return to some semblance of normalcy. And then the monkeys. Yeah, I probably would have lost it at that moment.
March 31, 2013 — 11:18 AM
K. L. Kerr (@Penrefe) says:
Didn’t quite reach the word count, but never mind. Here’s my entry: http://penrefe.com/2013/03/30/flash-fiction-i-stand-in-ruins/
March 30, 2013 — 9:37 AM
Ben Wintersteen says:
Cool. I hate it when I don’t notice important details like that.
March 31, 2013 — 7:09 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
I liked the way this unfolded. Just enough information to make us wonder. Poor Mary, and poor Mr. Drysdale, too.
March 31, 2013 — 11:45 AM
K. L. Kerr (@Penrefe) says:
Thanks very much, folks =)
March 31, 2013 — 5:59 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Great story! Keep in mind that 1000 words is the maximum, not something you *have* to achieve. I think your story was the perfect length. I really liked how the echo of that smell kept coming back to Mary, it really helped the narrative to flow. The only minor flaw (for me) is that as soon as Mr Drysdale was introduced, I knew immediately that he was a Reaper and that Mary was dead. But that’s not because of anything you’ve written, I simply read too much Discworld and watch too much Supernatural, to the extent that I have developed a weird sort of spidey-sense where Death and death-related entities are concerned.
I really did enjoy your story though. Very unique, a great read for a few spare minutes during my work break!
April 5, 2013 — 8:25 AM
Mozette says:
I didn’t reach the word count… was around 300 off. But I did my best.
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/the-forest-of-zen.html
March 30, 2013 — 10:59 PM
Ben Wintersteen says:
Gee, thanks for making me feel bad I cant go camping from where I am. Great description!
March 31, 2013 — 7:13 AM
Mozette says:
I’m sorry… 😛
I saw the photo of this and just had to write about it… Chuck said a description; and so when it showed up, my brain went into scenery overload…. it’s just so damned pretty. And seeing I’m a city person and this was a forest scene, I couldn’t resist. 🙂
March 31, 2013 — 8:09 AM
Jesse says:
I feel a bit outclassed here, what with not having a little blog of my very own and this being my first completed challenge, but I think I managed alright. Here’s my story http://mertus.deviantart.com/art/Que-Sera-362585090
March 30, 2013 — 11:45 PM
Ben Wintersteen says:
Interesting. Excellent interaction with the girl. Don’t want to sign up for your service, or Id post something there 🙂
March 31, 2013 — 7:23 AM
Jesse says:
Thank you, I’m very glad you liked it.
And it’s okay about signing up, unless you were going to use the site regularly it’s a bit pointless. I felt I cheated a little since most of it is about the door itself and not about going anywhere through it.
March 31, 2013 — 9:50 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
I found Roy’s inner dialogue about the door to be excellent. I don’t know if I would trust suddenly appearing doors in the middle of Botanical Gardens, either. You never know where they lead.
March 31, 2013 — 11:58 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Not bad for a first flash-fic attempt! I really liked the end sentence, so open-ended, so many possibilities.
April 5, 2013 — 8:37 AM
AM Gray says:
I got a birch plantation in France. 995 words Title free so far… thinking…
http://amgray.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/this-weeks-challenge-from-chuckwendig.html
March 31, 2013 — 12:18 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Okay, now I want to know what happens next! Where will they go? Who was she working for? What did he do?
March 31, 2013 — 12:03 PM
ben wintersteen says:
Here is my contribution, I think I stayed within the intent of the exercise in the vaguest way possible…
“The Other Side of the Gyre”
http://paranthropologist.blogspot.com/2013/03/1000-word-challenge-2-secret-door.html
March 31, 2013 — 12:59 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Vague or not, I’d like to know where you went!
March 31, 2013 — 5:29 AM
disastrouscreations says:
Very nice. I wanted more!
March 31, 2013 — 9:09 AM
Jesse says:
This is really good. I like the full panic leading up to the ending and then the bloodlessness of it all.
March 31, 2013 — 9:52 AM
Elaina M. Roberts says:
Excellent. Her panicked race back to the pilot’s chair had me sitting on the edge of my seat wondering if she was going to make it or not. I’d love to know where your door led you!
March 31, 2013 — 12:13 PM
jreinmiller says:
Good job, especially if you had to chop out 300 words to meet word count. There were a couple minor items with present and past tense, but I really liked the concept. Definitely felt like hard sci-fi to me with a world behind it.
April 2, 2013 — 12:30 AM
Ben Wintersteen says:
Thanks! It inspired me to start collecting artifacts for this world, maybe its the start of something bigger. That tense thing… Its hard to provide background when the protagonist is rushing headlong
April 2, 2013 — 12:36 AM
Ben Wintersteen says:
hrm, seems my description past the door wasn’t clear. Of course, I am stuck trying to describe nothing using words about something. Hrm
April 2, 2013 — 12:39 AM
Trine Schmidt says:
This is possibly the best spot I’ve ever seen on the internet, ever, but somebody should just come over at cut off my internet because I can’t stop walking through that door. I’ll never get a story written if I keep this up.
March 31, 2013 — 8:40 AM
mokkelke says:
got a nice picture and instantly thought about cowboys LOL so enjoy the 996 words that went with my secret door picture. http://mokkelke.blogspot.be/2013/03/chuck-wendig-flash-fiction-challenge.html
March 31, 2013 — 10:04 AM
joeturner87 says:
This one did not come as easy as previous weeks. Still, I made it.
http://joetblogs.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-the-secret-door/
March 31, 2013 — 4:46 PM
Josh Loomis says:
When the door opened, I knew immediately what I would write. That’s something of a rarity.
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2013/04/01/flash-fiction-what-happened-to-stenz/
April 1, 2013 — 9:49 AM
Al Spacealien says:
Here’s mine! I might have creeped myself out a little writing it. http://thisisnotajazzbar.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/flash-fiction-challenge-the-secret-door/
April 1, 2013 — 1:14 PM
Jon says:
Haven’t done one of these in a LONG while. Still haven’t finished this one, but I’m fighting a messload of Life right now, and this is the best it’s gon’ get for now 🙂
http://jdparadise.blogspot.com/2013/04/resistance-incomplete.html
April 1, 2013 — 5:36 PM
David says:
Here you go. Rather over length again, but that’s just me, sorry.
It’s called “Death, Who is the Key” :
http://narratorium.com/2013/04/02/death-who-is-the-key/
April 1, 2013 — 11:36 PM
Beth L. says:
Here’s what the mindspace kicked out this time – Shuttered, or, Assassination In Camera.
http://knotachance.tumblr.com/
April 2, 2013 — 11:15 PM
Jeff says:
Eerie.
April 3, 2013 — 1:10 PM
Beth L. says:
Thanks!
April 3, 2013 — 11:38 PM
Jeff says:
I think this came in right on the 1k mark. Was a slow starter for me, but once it got going, it took me for a ride.
Comments welcome!
http://wp.me/p3kEOo-36
April 3, 2013 — 2:43 AM
kortneearies says:
Meh, I took the idea but designed my own door.
Here ya go: http://steponthejourney.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/flash-fiction-the-door-to-death/
April 3, 2013 — 3:17 AM
Eileen Harris says:
My trip through the Secret Door:
http://antiquedesert.blogspot.com/2013/04/flash-fiction-challenge-secret-door.html
April 3, 2013 — 1:15 PM
Shelly Tennyson Taylor says:
Great Idea! I took the door and it lead me to a suspended bridge in the Grand Canyon.
Here is my story!
http://oldmomsunite.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/the-secret-door-facing-fears/
April 3, 2013 — 1:37 PM
Jaime & Raechel says:
Here’s what we did with this prompt:
http://RandMPublishing.com/the-secret-door-an-example-of-twisted-flash-fiction/
April 4, 2013 — 6:06 AM
crow365 says:
I went waaaaaaaaaaaay over the word limit (~6000), but felt I wasn’t doing the story justice by trying to keep it to only 1000. *shrug* Oh well, here’s “The Scent of Jasmine”: http://nickegelhoff.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/flash-fiction-challenge-the-secret-door/
April 4, 2013 — 9:07 AM
Vicki says:
Soooo….this is the first time I’ve done one of these.
http://www.vickilynnwilson.com/
April 4, 2013 — 10:54 PM
Paul Grignon says:
Great little story. You can feel the anxiety in David’s mind. Nice descriptions as well!
April 5, 2013 — 8:33 AM
Vicki says:
Thanks, Paul. A nice welcome for my first time here!
April 5, 2013 — 9:11 AM
welltemperedwriter says:
So it’s called “The Other Door” instead of “The Secret Door”. So sue me:
http://welltemperedwriter.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/the-other-door/
April 5, 2013 — 2:28 AM
V Rose Dahrke says:
It’s only 474 words, but I figure if I’m going to flail I should at least be quick about it. Brilliant challenge, but probably the most difficult I’ve ever done. http://tentavailetimes.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/the-audience/
April 5, 2013 — 2:35 AM
NeoAuthor (@NeoAuthor) says:
Here is my entry for this weeks challenge. This is my first piece of work to show to anyone so feel free to criticize it to your hearts content. I need it. Thanks!
http://neoauthor.tumblr.com/post/47189530833/the-door
April 5, 2013 — 9:33 AM
Troy L says:
Here is my entry. This gave me the chance to explore a bit out of my current story. Enjoy! http://wp.me/p31vkg-3d
April 5, 2013 — 10:03 AM
Serena Saint-Marceaux says:
Excellent and fun challenge! I will certainly be using the Secret Door again, too, that’s neat.
Here’s my story:
New Door – http://archiveofourown.org/works/749177
April 5, 2013 — 11:21 AM
swordsoftheancients says:
Here is is. http://swordsoftheancients.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/the-secret-door-writing-challenge/
April 5, 2013 — 12:22 PM
swordsoftheancients says:
Ugh. I can’t type today. Here IT is. http://swordsoftheancients.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/the-secret-door-writing-challenge/
April 5, 2013 — 12:22 PM
alexanderthesoso says:
shoot, a few minutes late, but here. http://stories.dreamfantastic.com/alexhss/index.php/short-story/thedoor/
April 5, 2013 — 1:18 PM
rebeccadouglass says:
A day late, but I’m putting it up anyway:
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2013/04/f-flash-fiction-friday-even-though-its.html
April 6, 2013 — 12:34 PM