Last week, I said, “Hey, write a really great sentence.”
And you did.
Lots of you did.
This week, I’m saying, okay, go check out those sentences in the comments, pick one of your favorites, and use it in a new short piece of flash fiction, ~1000 words long.
Post that story at your online space.
Link back here so we can all see it.
Make sure to identify which sentence you used!
Give credit both in comment and your posting.
Due back in one week: by next Friday, noon EST.
Go. Pick. Write.
192 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: From Sentence To Story”
Okay, I jumped the gun and wrote this last weekend. I only wrote 500 words, but that seemed like the natural length for what the story wanted to be. My sentence was Laurie Jameson’s:
“The tree’s skeletal fingers stroked the ground as if to comfort the girl who lay below.”
http://kevjava.blogspot.com/2014/10/flash-fiction-from-sentence-to-story.html
Impressive! 🙂
Thank you so much!
Loved what you did with the sentence. Beautiful story.
Thank you. I’ve been binge-watching True Detective lately, and it’s put me in a weird place :).
You did a wonderful job Kevin. Thank you.
Thank you, Laurie! I read that sentence and immediately recognized it as the one I should have written, so I added to it. I was hoping to have done it justice :).
Nice! I really enjoyed this.
Thanks, I’m glad! I enjoyed dusting off the old writing desk and getting back to work.
Nice work. I love how you brought it back to the tree at the end.
Thank you kindly. That first sentence was the thing that spawned the whole piece, so it seemed only fitting.
I took the line “I open my eyes and the sky explodes” from Justin (sithbomb)
It’s short, really short – I always seem to do around 3-500 words.
But I hope you enjoy!
http://literarybandit.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/if-i-had-control-over-judgement-day/
That was nice.
Peaceful.
Wow, loved this!
Hey! Thanks a lot!
You have great voice.
I liked the vague ending, it leaves many possibilities. Also, I looked up The Firebird by Stravinsky and I found it to be perfect theme music for your piece. That was a smart choice.
Whoa, ditto that on the Stravinsky bit specifically – I didn’t make the connection the first time I read it, but that’s pretty awesome. I love when authors give homage to other art like that. It feels like a little Easter egg.
Okay, so I am a serious Tech Neanderthal. Where is my” Online Space?” Anyone to help me please?
I used Blogger (http://blogger.com/) for mine. WordPress is a good one too (http://wordpress.com/).
Robert, go to google blogspot and start an account for free. Warning, you’ll be hooked!
I had to create a blog, too. I used wordpress.com. Not as easy to navigate as I would like, but I managed it.
Ha ha ha. I had the same issue and wound up putting my story on two separate websites plus one more time in the wrong place on this one. Oh well, live and learn.
I used Angela Cavanaugh’s ” I received visual confirmation through the thin spiral of wires that had been nestled into my cornea.” I got 700-ish words out of it, I hope that anyone who reads will enjoy.
“The Supreme’s Affair”
http://hollygeely.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/the-supremes-affair-a-short-fiction/
Thanks for using my sentence. I like the direction you took it. Way different from the place I thought of when I wrote it. LOL. Good job. 🙂
It was a great sentence, thank you!
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Arrgh, not *another* fabulous writer to make me feel inadequate! Great job, Holly!
Thanks so much!
Wow, thank you so much! 🙂
A robot named Gorgeous — that’s a stroke of sheer genius.
Thanks for reading 🙂
[…] Mark Gardner Chuck has us writing a story to go with a line of our choosing from last week. I chose Steven Cowles’s line as my opener. […]
I chose Steven Cowles’s line as my opener. After adding 774 words to his, I give you Kanoni: http://article94.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/kanoni/
That was really good! interesting and magical. A dark whimsy.
Thanks!
That was lovely.
Thanks, Holly!
This story reminded me a great deal of obscure myths I studied in one of my English classes.
I’m taking a comparative religion class this semester, so I guess it would make sense it would read like a religious creation story.
Well done, chap. I enjoyed the direction you took that.
Thanks, mate. I had a lot of fun continuing it.
I used the sentence “Go back to sleep, Wallace” by JR Simm and made a 1k short story. Almost. English is not my mother tongue, so there might be some mistakes, but I tried to avoid them.
Also, it’s a horror short story.
http://deegrimm.blog.com/2014/10/03/pinocchio-made-of-flesh-flash-fiction-challenge/
Wow, I feel a bit disturbed now :). The boy’s voice was convincing, and I liked the story.
Don’t worry at all about your English. It might be better than mine.
Thank you! I managed to disturb myself with this one Haha 😀
I really enjoyed the line, “She comes back, like a vengeful angel.” It was an evocative description and convincing. Your ability to comment on abuse and manipulation through this story is also well done.
When I read Sweetsoleah’s sentence last week, I knew exactly what story I wanted to tell. http://lisacle.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/flash-fiction-challenge-one-really-great-sentence/
I liked how you bent the rules and made the first sentence the last sentence. Clever! Also, the relationship is believable.
Okay, this was fun. Thank-you for the challenge!!!!
I used “I really did try.” suggested by marshskpop. Such a simple sentence, and the story wrote itself!
I have no idea how many words it is…. but, I know I had a blast typing each one. Happy reading!!!
http://autismanswersbytsara.blogspot.com/2014/10/short-story-to-try.html
Tsara this was excellent. The writing is clear and concise. The characters were believable and their motivations and relationships well developed in a short amount of time. I loved the details and the characters actions. I am now a huge fan.
*characters’
I’m thrilled that you took the time to read my story, LeeAnn. And I’m really really happy that you enjoyed it!!
I also found the tale you wrote in response to the challenge to be woven masterfully!! I was curious and anxious until the end.
My favorite thing about visiting your site, though, was “I’m a writer because I have stage fright.”
I’ve remembered that line randomly and often since I read it a few weeks ago, and every time I smile!!
Hugs hugs!!!
~Tsara
Thank you so much for reading my story and for the kind compliments. 🙂
A great challenge – and so many choices! I picked:
‘All I got for my 19th Birthday was pregnant and a criminal record’ by Russell Appelt.
Enjoy!
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/criminal-minds.html
Whoa!~ Great intrigue. You had me the whole way. Well done.
Awesome story with a creepy twist, I loved it.
Thanks guys! And the strangest thing is…. *drum roll thunders around us!*…. it’s my birthday this Sunday (5th, October!) …. the creepiness continues! 😛
Happy birthday Mozette! I almost chose your sentence because it just seemed to have so many possibilities. Howver, I didn’t choose your sentence just because it had so many possibilities and I figured several people would run with it. Does that make any sense?
Man, I am such a bonehead. I meant to say I almost chose the same sentence. Doh!
Yeah, that makes sense… 😀
I always wonder to runs with my one sentence things when Chuck throws us stuff like this… 🙂
So happy you enjoyed what I did with your line… I read it and knew kind of what the story was going to be about, but had to figure out how to work it… 🙂
I used Jonathan Dayton’s sentence:
“Standing on the hill overlooking the warlord’s capital city, my hand rattled on the hilt of my sword as I felt feeble against the army of hill giants guarding the gates”
http://angelacavanaugh.com/2014/10/04/1081/
Hehe, surprise ending
That was fun 🙂
It really was fun. Great job with it. There was a nice balance of suspense that really lets you enjoy the ending.
I used Goldfishbob’s sentence: There they were, the hunter and the hunted, staring each other down with a loathing that had grown from years of pursuit and evasion.
http://allisonmaruska.com/2014/10/04/flash-fiction-those-they-hunted/
I’m quite fond of this one. You should continue this – it feels to me like it needs to be part of a longer work.
Thanks, Kevin! I’m a novelist who tries to write short stories, so my short pieces tend to feel that way. Sometimes I see if they deserve to become more. In fact, one of these challenge pieces from last spring is now my current WIP. So you never know. 🙂
I really enjoyed your story Allison…
Thanks!
This is really cool. I admire your ability to write great dialogue which I struggle with.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
[…] yes, here we have the results of Chuck Wendig's Friday Challenge where we were supposed to take a sentence from Last Week's Challenge and build a short story around […]
I used Mike’s “Juan Carlos Torquemada y Torremolino bore an unbearable name.”
http://www.brdmusings.wordpress.com
I really enjoyed this story, Betsy. The characters were complex and interesting. I especially loved Juan Carlos’s grandmother! 🙂 Great job!
Thanks so much!
Ditto betsy, great job. (I responded earlier to you from the wrong link.)
Thanks, Mike. I’d love to see where you thought the sentence would go when you wrote it.
Betsy,
The Juan Carlos story is up under “Juan Carlos” in the menu. http://www.stillpoint.com. Enjoy.
Mike
I decided to desecrate Teddy Fuhringer’s brilliant “I don’t remember how I died or who it was that killed me, but I’m absolutely certain I deserved it.” for my story. And some day, he may find it in his heard to forgive me for it…
http://manyfacesof.wordpress.com/2014/10/04/flash-fiction-double-tap/
Whoa, well done. That was cool.
I chose Anne’s:
“The corner of his lip curved, his fingers withdrew. She sighed her displeasure. He reached for his glass nestled between two pillows. The liquor gutted him like a machete pulled from flames and thrust into flesh.”
http://geletilari.wordpress.com/2014/10/04/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-rated-pg-13-or-a-little-more/
A must read!
Thanks so much for reading it and commenting. I’m glad it came out okay. ^_^
I used coolerbs sentence: “On the day that you’re destined to die they serve cake, with exactly thirteen candles.” It’s in second person, which was challenging. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
http://lnholmeswriter.wordpress.com/2014/10/04/flash-fiction-challenge-1-death-cake-and-teenagers/
I liked the imagery of the black and white balloons, and the surprise twist at the end. Excellent read!
Thank you very much! 🙂
Great job Betsy! Thanks for picking up on it.
It was a nice tale. Your writing is pretty darn good too.
😀 Thank you! 🙂
I’m having one of the most fun Saturdays I’ve had in a while!! Coffee and short story reading all day long! And such an eclectic and fun group of stories too!! One moment I’m creep-ed out, another I’m touched and thoughtful, then suddenly I’m whisked away to wild worlds and futuristic foretelling. Such delicious fun!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Here’s my story, I used the sentence from Pavowski – “Take my hand,” he said, unscrewing it and placing it in mine. A Long Way Down. http://underastarlitsky.wordpress.com
Very cool take on my “stem”. Not actually so different from what I’d imagined.
I appropriated Ryanjamesblack’s quirky little diddy: Merlin leaned against the bathroom sink, stroking his smoky beard self-consciously, studying the instructions on the “JUST FOR MEN” box with the surly frown he usually reserved for translating incantations scribed in a dead tongues.
Here, then, is “Merlin in Midtown” : http://wp.me/p4p1YR-ho
Excellent alliteration in the title! 🙂
I love to alliterate when I can ; it’s kind of a guilty pleasure. Problem is, as soon as I published that title I thought of a much funnier direction to take the story. S’what I get for rushing, I guess…
Great job! I really enjoyed it!
If the author of the original is pleased, that’s good enough for me. Thanks!
Loved it!
This was very clever. The archaic words in the modern setting were fun.
Thanks — this was a lot of fun to write.
That was great!
I was inspired by “I open my eyes and the sky explodes” from Justin (sithbomb).
Here goes…..”Kid Lightning”
http://ryanjamesblack.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/kid-lightning/
Awesome. I expected Mulder and Scully to show up on scene at any moment.
Thanks!
Thank you Robert Niemann for the perfect first sentence. My story, The Kitten, can be found at:
http://lauriejameson.wix.com/scribblings
I hope I made you proud.
I also put it up on wordpress since that seems to be the favored site.
http://lauriejameson.wordpress.com
Wow, tough topic, and so well done. Really great stuff.
Thank you so much Kevin. The encouragement is really appreciated.
I chose shainorton’s “I dream twice a night; the first one’s free.” and called it A Dream to Save the World.
You can read it here: http://tonij.net/2014/10/a-dream-to-save-the-world/
I love the ending.
Really good. And creepy! Losing your mind is a good addition to the dream world stories.
I took Noel’s (no website) “She couldn’t be sure that the fish was a condescending dickhead, but she was starting to suspect as much,” and turned it into this. Please forgive me.
http://sixgunwizard.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-tale-of-racist-fish.html
[…] As a result of Chuck Wendig’s challenge: […]
I started here: “I open my eyes and the sky explodes” from Justin (sithbomb), but I am a poet, so feel free to bend the rules a bit including editing out the starting sentence…
http://www.adair-author.com/flash-poem-thanks/
Flash Poem
You said use the sentence and I thought
I saw a sentence once
but never heard it because it censored itself
and you said a thousand words but
I heard use only what you need
and I say unfettered I would be
unfettered I would have you be
politicians answer the questions
they would have you ask
I would have you ask
I would have you ask
I picked a sentence written by miceala on September 26, 2014, her blog site http://quillaquiver.com. The sentence is: “Then finally, the scars would stop whispering”.
Here is my link.
http://colinjkeats.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/slice/
Wow… incredible. I love the tie-in with the Weeping Woman.
Thanks!
Wow, that was powerful.
Thanks Holly, first time I have written with a character as a different gender so wasn’t sure it would work.
[…] time I entered one of Chuck Wendig, o’er at Terribleminds.com’s flash fiction challenges, and last Fridays seems like too good an opportunity to […]
here is my entry. I took Jen Spears sentence…
“There was a lesson in this somewhere, probably something along the lines of always get a receipt when you make a deal with the devil.”
…and came up with this little tale… The Devil’s in the Details.
http://keyboardpizza.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/flash-fiction-the-devils-in-the-details/
Thanks for using my offering! I definitely liked the twist on the character’s wish, as well as the wry narrative voice!
[…] Based on this Flash Fiction Challenge. […]
This is my story, Morality, going from the sentence, “My mortality and I was (changed to ‘are’) well acquainted.”
http://kosmopolite.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/mortality/
Really great character voice in this!
Thanks so much! Very kind.
I used AE Smith’s sentence:
http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php
I used AE Smith’s sentence. I tried to post the link before and I used the wrong one. This should work:
http://cubiclemonster.weebly.com/
Great story, I liked that it very much had an Old West saloon-type feel despite being set in the here and now. Thanks for using my sentence!
[…] this week’s Terribleminds Flash Fiction Challenge, I chose the sentence written by Vicente L Ruiz. […]
I chose Vicente L Ruiz’s sentence: “I have witnessed the end of humanity.” Enjoy.
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2014/10/06/flash-fiction-you-had-to-have-it/
Liked very much! Commented at your site as well.
[…] written in the last several days. Take note, though. The flash fiction challenge has been posted at terribleminds. The challenge is as […]
[…] Yep you guessed it, another Terribleminds Flash Fiction Challenge. […]
I picked Elisa M’s sentence: “For Oscar Baron, life had been complicated long before his butler’s corpse fell out of the chimney”
It’s been a while (self-imposed Sabbatical – if there’s any other kind) https://joetblogs.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-from-sentence-to-story/
Interesting change of tone. Nice work.
Thanks! 🙂
Really loved it! Sabbatical my foot. I can’t tell.
Thanks Tedra 🙂
I used the sentence “Demons and angels are sometimes hard to differentiate, and they are even harder to kill.” Thanks, CDNWMN. http://andreaspeed.com/2014/new-flash-fic-challenge-rapture/
Nice twist.
Thank you.
Nice! Really my kind of story.
[…] Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenges are always a blast–this week we had to choose a sentence submitted for last week‘s challenge to start off our […]
I chose a sentence by corrosiverabit:
http://crossroadsandcrossbones.wordpress.com/2014/10/07/variable/
Good job!
Thank you!
[…] This story was created from a sentence via Chuck Wendig’s blog post Flash Fiction Challenge… […]
I used the sentence “There they were, the hunter and hunted, staring each other down with a loathing that had grown from years of pursuit and evasion.” by Goldfishbob
http://www.fictionjourney.com/
I used the sentence It took her six months to return from the grave where I put her. by kathleea
http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/JessaJ/1423669/
I chose Kirsten sentence: “There was an awkward moment as my breath hitched, my mouth too dry to swallow and my knees just seconds away from sending the rest of me folding into a pile of sweaty flesh at his feet, when I saw him smile.”
And since it’s October, I decided to make a horror story out of it.
I call it Showbiz!: http://coolerbs.com/2014/10/08/flash-fiction-challenge-from-sentence-to-story/
(Yes the exclamation point is part of the title, tacky I know)
Hope you guys like it.
d this. Parts of it gave me the heebie-jeepies, but guessing that was the intention, good job 🙂
[…] was a result of Chunk Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge “From Sentence to Story”.The one I used was from […]
I am quite new at this but I found Goldfishbob’s sentence so good that I had to give it a go.
(“There they were, the hunter and the hunted, staring each other down with a loathing that had grown from years of pursuit and evasion.”)
http://blogatonium.wordpress.com/2014/10/08/flash-fiction-check-in/
This was delightfully creepy. I used this sentence also, and our stories are so different!
I’m done! I really like how this turned out actually, and I hope you all do too!
I used the sentence originally posted by @kathleea
“It took her six months to return from the grave where I put her.”
http://ronnehbook.blogspot.com/2014/10/perchance-to-dream-challenge.html
I wrote a story around OzFenric’s sentence.
‘She rises through black waters, leaving the City behind, and as the light above glimmers and grows, she knows she will need to remember how to breathe.’
It isn’t really completed, it’s turned into a possible opener for a longer story. I’ve aimed it at a YA readership, so if your comments could tell me whether I hit the mark I’d be very grateful.
http://nanowrimoroman.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=61a252d84cc0ddde
Thank you so much. I’m glad you liked mine. I didn’t know where you were going with it but the when the spaceship arrived, it peaked my interest. I’m just sorry it ended before we found out what was going on.
Faded, the highest compliment I can pay your story is that I’d love to read it. 🙂 So much potential in so short a time. Completely different to what I had imagined for this sentence, and completely wonderful. Thank you. 🙂
Thank YOU kind Sir. (Blushes) I’m so pleased you liked it.
I took Anthony Crociata’s sentence for a spin.
http://mxgomez.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/nothing-like-getting-rained-on-a-chuck-wendig-challenge/
It feels half-formed to me, and not enough of me in it, but I like some of the concepts I played with here.
Arrg, forgot to include what the sentence was: “I finally step outside after three weeks of healing, thinking and plotting, the bullet still lodged somewhere in my gut.”