So, Friday I wasn’t able to lock and load a new flash fiction challenge — I got back too late from traveling, and whilst on the road it’s incredibly difficult to actually work on new blog stuff (WordPress in mobile format makes that trickier than I’d like). But, really, that’s probably okay — the flash challenges go by the wayside during the month of November for obvious reasons.
As such, I’d like to posit a different challenge:
Go to your online space.
Grab 1000 words of your NaNoWriMo work-in-progress (or, really, even if you’re not participating, any WIP of yours), and slap those 1000 words online for all to see.
Grab the 1000 best words — or, at least, the ones with which you are the happiest.
Then link that post back here in the comments.
That’s it.
No criticism necessary.
Just sharing the work. Camaraderie and commiseration.
DO IT NOW OR YOU GET THE HOSE
terribleminds says:
(For the record, don’t post your snippets here, please — the comments don’t really look great when it’s 1000-word post after 1000-word post. Post to your blog, then link back. Thanks!)
November 23, 2015 — 7:29 AM
Mozette says:
My NaNoWriMo still hasn’t got the bounce it once did… but I’m still plugging away at it. More shit has hit the proverbial fan since the last time we spoke… bugger. 🙁 But I wrote more on Sunday during a Christmas Party bus trip – and people thought I was being anti-social. 😛
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/the-gates.html
November 23, 2015 — 7:29 AM
lukeofkondor says:
Looks good. What’s the plan for it?
November 23, 2015 — 7:35 AM
Mozette says:
Well, God’s chucked the biggest dummy spit of all time, and Michael feels it’s up to him to get him to put Earth back the way it was before the Garden was invaded by the Serpent. 😀
It’s going to have the usual big hitters – Lucifer, Demons, other Angels – and us Humans get stuck in the middle of it all too. 🙁
November 23, 2015 — 8:37 AM
lukeofkondor says:
Ah the classic “God’s thrown a wobbly” genre. lol it sounds fun!
November 23, 2015 — 8:40 AM
Mozette says:
It’s going to be. I see those post-Apocalyptic ones out there but have never read one where the Angels are on our side knowing that we’re the ones who are getting hurt… so it’s going to have humour, fun, sex and a bit of violence thrown in for good measure. 😀
November 24, 2015 — 7:24 AM
Susan K. Swords says:
I really like this! I’d love to read more. I’m laughing at the bit about “that new planet smell.” Great description.
November 23, 2015 — 10:09 AM
lukeofkondor says:
Ooohhh … woops.
Okay here’s the linkage:
http://www.lukekondor.com/snippet
It’s the opening 1000 words from The Hipster Who Leapt Through Time.
November 23, 2015 — 7:31 AM
D.H. Sayers (@DHSayers) says:
Interesting opening. I really like the first 20 lines, that really gives a punch, a beat to the writing. Really well done.
November 23, 2015 — 11:11 AM
lukeofkondor says:
Cheers!
November 23, 2015 — 12:26 PM
boundbeautifunk says:
I love this opening! I want to devour it. 🙂
November 23, 2015 — 11:42 AM
lukeofkondor says:
Aw bless yer cotton socks. Thanks!
November 23, 2015 — 11:44 AM
boundbeautifunk says:
Actually, they’re wool. It’s kinda chilly today. 😉
November 23, 2015 — 11:46 AM
Frances Pauli says:
Fantastic hook and your title is brilliant! Love it.
November 23, 2015 — 1:19 PM
lukeofkondor says:
Ha thanks Frances.
November 23, 2015 — 1:36 PM
Adina says:
Great title. Definitely want to know what’s next. Really well written!
November 23, 2015 — 2:57 PM
lukeofkondor says:
Aw thanks for the kind words. 🙂
November 23, 2015 — 4:46 PM
Aimee Ogden says:
Really interesting intro! Really want to know more about the concept and the rest of the story now.
November 23, 2015 — 4:29 PM
lukeofkondor says:
Thanks Aimee! There’s some info here if you’re interested http://www.hawkandcleaver.com/the-hipster-trilogy
November 23, 2015 — 4:48 PM
nannersknowsnothings says:
Mine’s slowing down a great deal too what with midterms, essays, and exams filling my schedule and work draining me. Yet, this is my longest work yet and I’m intent on seeing it through which NaNoWriMo has helped do. Here’s my snippet –
http://thetshinanu.tumblr.com/post/133792190343/nanowrimo-snippet
November 23, 2015 — 7:54 AM
Adina says:
Very vibrant world you are creating here. Even not knowing the story I have a good picture of what the world is going to be like.
November 23, 2015 — 5:30 PM
Aimee Ogden says:
Most of stuff I’ve written so far that I like the most deals with the tertiary main character, which is probably because her story arc involves the least political maneuvering. Here’s one scene with her, from a bit before the novel’s midpoint:
https://aimeeogdenwrites.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/nanowrimo-excerpt-remember-the-zyraua/
November 23, 2015 — 8:00 AM
Lynn C-H (Goth Kitty Lady) says:
Oh I liked that. It already reads like part of a good book.
November 23, 2015 — 4:43 PM
lukeofkondor says:
Yeah this reads really pro. Well done Aimee. Do you have a plan for this? You going to publish it?
November 23, 2015 — 5:02 PM
Adina says:
Really good! I very much want to read the rest.
November 23, 2015 — 5:38 PM
Selfmanic says:
I’m working on a web serial. Eight posts are up.
https://offthemarkandroaming.wordpress.com/2014/08/04/a-snippet-from-a-short-story-i-am-working-on/
November 23, 2015 — 8:02 AM
Charles Ray says:
Way too busy to do NaNoWriMo this year, but am working on a new book – dipping back into fantasy for a change of pace. Here’s an excerpt from chapter 1: https://charlieray45.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/excerpt-from-wip-here-there-be-demons/
November 23, 2015 — 8:11 AM
Aimee Ogden says:
The characters are like-able enough so far for me, but I don’t have a strong sense of what the story might be about, despite being 1000 words in — I wish I had a better sense of where conflict might arise in the story for being this far in. (Unless the book is really about him battling a mountain of paperwork for 300 pages … but that has its own problems 😉
November 23, 2015 — 4:33 PM
conniejjasperson says:
This year I have been compiling a backlog of multi-genre short-stories, drabbles, flashfiction, and poems. Loaded to the gills on NyQuil and ibuprofen, I’ve managed to cobble together a whopping 85000 words! A lot of scifi in my drugged up head this year, and poetry. I submit for your poetic dining pleasure:
https://conniejjasperson.wordpress.com/2015/11/13/flashficfriday-silence-and-love/
November 23, 2015 — 8:26 AM
Alison DeLuca (@AlisonDeLuca) says:
I love this! The rhythm and simplicity are breathtaking.
November 23, 2015 — 12:45 PM
George Kelly says:
I loved this (and this is from someone who isn’t usually a fan of poetry).
November 23, 2015 — 12:52 PM
Josh Neff says:
Lovely!
November 23, 2015 — 12:54 PM
Adina says:
Beautfiul.
November 23, 2015 — 5:45 PM
Tom Erdman says:
This isn’t actually my Nano WIP, but one that’s close to my chest. It’s sort of ‘percolating’ right now, but I intend to finish it when I’m done with my nano piece.
http://riptorn41.tumblr.com/post/133793355509/forerunners
November 23, 2015 — 8:29 AM
Beth Turnage says:
Please. Not the hose. Here:
http://bethturnage.com/?p=398
November 23, 2015 — 8:33 AM
D.H. Sayers (@DHSayers) says:
Wow, that draws the reader in. Your cover art is amazing, I am supremely jealous 😉
November 23, 2015 — 11:13 AM
Beth Turnage says:
Aw shucks and thank you! See? It isn’t true an author shouldn’t do her own cover art. 😉 (Oh, ok, I had several years of art training.)
November 23, 2015 — 2:40 PM
M.A. Kropp says:
That was very good. Love the cover art, too!
November 23, 2015 — 3:29 PM
Beth Turnage says:
Thank you!
November 23, 2015 — 4:13 PM
David Wilson says:
This is from my novel, which I started on NaNo 2013.
http://gigaclon.blogspot.com/2015/11/work-in-progress.html
November 23, 2015 — 8:37 AM
Christopher says:
Here’s part of my intro. A little post-apoc feel to it. Hope you enjoy it. http://roktyping.blogspot.kr/2015/11/wendig-nanowrimo-flash-1000-word-sampler.html
November 23, 2015 — 8:38 AM
Lynn C-H (Goth Kitty Lady) says:
“That’s a big paw. Advanced condition. Look, five claws.”
I think they’re really lucky it couldn’t remember how to work a door. 😉 Good start for your story intro, it really drew me in!
November 23, 2015 — 5:10 PM
Christopher says:
Hey, thanks Lynn! Glad you enjoyed it!
November 24, 2015 — 7:34 AM
Skyler says:
A scene of mine I’m trying to bring to life! Not sure how long it’ll end up being, but for now I’m just enjoying the ride. 🙂
http://www.skylerhammond.com/our-writing/2015/4/9/the-woman
November 23, 2015 — 8:47 AM
jay says:
Really beautiful piece. really. Please turn it into something longer.
November 23, 2015 — 9:39 AM
Skyler says:
Why thank you! 😀 I am certainly trying. I wonder, where, if anywhere, do you picture it going yourself? Just simply something I’m curious about because I’ve not yet decided if the direction I’m heading in is the right one. But I suppose that’s a common predicament here. 😉 Anyway, thank you kindly for giving it a read nonetheless!
November 23, 2015 — 9:54 AM
gmartins says:
First post here http://everetmartins.com/a-snippet-of-book-5/
November 23, 2015 — 8:50 AM
byjuliekolb says:
The next story written for a grandchild. This is the struggle of trying to get started. The idea is solid, the execution is quicksand.
http://byjuliekolb.com/2015/11/23/work-in-progress/
November 23, 2015 — 8:56 AM
byjuliekolb says:
This is for an older grandchild. No, I am not old enough for that, but some of us start young. Comments, even negative would be appreciated. Getting started is not my strongest skill.
November 25, 2015 — 7:32 PM
deb says:
Yes, no time for Nanowrimo because of this. Closing in on done.
http://cookingthehook.blogspot.com/2015/11/1-bell-set.html
November 23, 2015 — 9:02 AM
Tiggs says:
1,000’ish words from Elitocracy, here: http://www.stevencowles.com/?p=603
November 23, 2015 — 9:03 AM
SamKD says:
Intriguing…
November 23, 2015 — 3:26 PM
boundbeautifunk says:
Here’s 1,000 words from Hal.
He’s a terrible person.
I try not to take responsibility for what he says.
https://cheesywriterblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/1000-words-from-hal/
November 23, 2015 — 9:24 AM
gloriousmonsters says:
OK, I had to take a look because I also have a character named Hal who’s kind of awful, but I think your Hal beats him out on the awfulness scale. He’s really engaging to read, though – just funny enough that you don’t mind staying with his viewpoint despite his unpleasantness, and clearly a character with a lot of interesting things going on around him.
November 23, 2015 — 10:43 AM
boundbeautifunk says:
I am so glad you use the -a- word! My personal tagline for managing Hal has been: Awful people tell awful truths. I conceptualize his voice as a genre fiction Mark Twain gone bad. I keep a copy of The Innocents Abroad at hand to ease me into Hal’s head-space when I lose it.
November 23, 2015 — 11:39 AM
lukeofkondor says:
lol “Or, more correctly, people like Bun, with my arm jammed up past the elbow in his ass.”
Great line.
November 23, 2015 — 11:48 AM
gregmulka says:
That was delightful.
November 23, 2015 — 3:43 PM
C.Steven Manley (@cstevenmanley) says:
Hate to risk the wrath of hose wielding, word-count ninja ferrets but I couldn’t figure how to chop this up without losing context. So, here’s a thousand-ish words from Unveiled: Paragons Book Three
http://cstevenmanley.com/blame-this-one-on-chuck-wendig/
November 23, 2015 — 9:27 AM
Madeleine Fehlman says:
Protag, meet Antag: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13Fr6_V9KlcjXTAPITr4oui1K6FI6zKEPxcWUlky4hT0/edit?usp=sharing
November 23, 2015 — 9:28 AM
SamKD says:
A stalled-out short story: http://samkdsonlinepace.blogspot.com/
I know where I want to take it but the time-funding for blazing that trail hasn’t been distributed yet.
November 23, 2015 — 9:30 AM
Dusty Miller says:
This is about nine hundred words from Constance ‘Dusty’ Miller’s new short story.
http://hotboox.blogspot.ca/2015/11/esxerpt-from-pickup-by-constance-dusty.html
November 23, 2015 — 9:40 AM
Susan says:
A snippet of Kassandra.
http://susan-reads.blogspot.com/2015/11/nanowrimo-one-week-to-go.html
November 23, 2015 — 9:43 AM
Paul Woolcock says:
Here is a little flash fiction I wrote up last week: https://ello.co/pauldw/post/oZVPhuXWke_JINof09S5MQ
November 23, 2015 — 9:55 AM
Josh Neff says:
Here we go:
http://www.goblin-cartoons.com/2015/11/23/nanowrimo-2015-a-fragment/
November 23, 2015 — 9:56 AM
Sophie Giroir says:
This was so interesting because it’s quite different. I’d like to know more about The Elf…which sounds oddly sinister.
November 23, 2015 — 11:09 AM
Josh Neff says:
Thanks! I’ve learned more about how I write best this month than I have in a long, long time. This is very much me-writing-to-me but also me-finding-my-own-voice-for-others. 🙂
November 23, 2015 — 11:11 AM
Lynn C-H (Goth Kitty Lady) says:
I liked this a lot. More please!
November 23, 2015 — 5:17 PM
Josh Neff says:
Thank you! I’ve written a lot more. How much of that will see the light of day, I’m not sure. 🙂
November 23, 2015 — 5:23 PM
snapshooter4hire says:
A teaser from my soon-to-be-released novel “May Day” by Divertir Publishing:
http://snapshooter4hire.com/2015/11/23/may-day-teaser/
November 23, 2015 — 9:57 AM
Susan K. Swords says:
A snippet from Here not here, my NaNo book that I started in 2013. But I’m making good progress! And I’m going to finish it no matter what.
It’s a YA sci-fi about an 18 year-old girl who’s suddenly transported to other worlds.
I hope you like it. I welcome any comments.
https://skswords.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/a-snippet-of-my-book/
November 23, 2015 — 9:59 AM
kaylimckenzie says:
This is… something. From my WIP novel.
*disclaimer of this being a rough draft and please don’t try to hold this to any kind of standard* http://clodofthenewworld.tumblr.com/post/133797170566/
November 23, 2015 — 10:10 AM
The Daily Assassin (@TDA_Rook) says:
Little longer than 1000, but here’s a snippet
http://thedailyassassin.com/therookery/?p=149
November 23, 2015 — 10:12 AM
Johnny D Starks says:
Here is about 500 words from my upcoming novel about a family man turned drug dealer who is going up against the the Mob. http://johnnydstarks.com/train-ride/
November 23, 2015 — 10:12 AM
Steven says:
The problem is, the point of NaNoWriMo is to write without looking back, thus, how am I to know which is my best 1000 words? Most of us don’t have the luxury of time to look back until it’s over.
November 23, 2015 — 10:16 AM
terribleminds says:
Don’t think too hard about it. Just go gut check and grab 1000 words. (Though, at the same time, no requirement to share, either.)
November 23, 2015 — 10:19 AM
Josh Neff says:
It wasn’t all that difficult for me. There are some days when I write and write and write, and at the end I think, “Ugh, that was a slog through a swamp of shit.” Other days, I write and end up thinking, “Damn, I was on fire today! What I wrote wasn’t half bad!” So I shared something from one of those days.
November 23, 2015 — 10:22 AM
M.A. Kropp says:
One of the bits I like best (so far) from my NaNo WIP this year:
(It’s sci-fi, space opera)
https://makropp.wordpress.com/nanowrimo-2015-excerpt-from-twos-company/
November 23, 2015 — 10:20 AM
Beth Turnage says:
I like it. Good job,
November 23, 2015 — 2:47 PM
M.A. Kropp says:
Thank you!
November 23, 2015 — 3:24 PM
Sophie Giroir says:
Flit escapes death.
https://lifeinmyshoesandsometimesout.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/absent-night-chapter-two-flit/
November 23, 2015 — 10:21 AM
Josh Neff says:
I like this and would like to read more. 🙂
November 23, 2015 — 11:02 AM
Susan K. Swords says:
Wow! This is really good. I enjoyed reading, and I’d love to read more.
November 23, 2015 — 1:02 PM
boundbeautifunk says:
I love your descriptions of death.
November 23, 2015 — 4:39 PM
anitanobleiar says:
I posted my progress every day for the first week, then started writing like a caffeinated toddler off her ADHD meds–a paragraph in this chapter, a random smattering of notes in another, a long string of dialogue in a third–it became too complicated to write things in a linear fashion, but I’m still on track to win two days before December 1st! Here’s a piece of it, in all it’s dirty, awkward first draft nastiness.
http://www.stumblingthroughfiction.com/2015/11/the-nanowrimo-experiment-it-puts-words.html
November 23, 2015 — 10:35 AM
Sarah_Madison says:
I can’t wait until I get off work to read all these snippets! This is from my WIP, about 1950s secret agents who investigate paranormal events. I like to think of it as Ward and June Cleaver meets the X-Files. http://www.sarahmadisonfiction.com/2015/11/nano-snippet-sharing/
November 23, 2015 — 10:50 AM
dhsayers says:
Sorry about that, I can be a little too exuberant 😉
Here is a link if anyone wants to read – http://starry-eyed-potboiler.com/2015/11/23/just-a-snippet-of-the-frozen-lotus/
November 23, 2015 — 10:54 AM
boundbeautifunk says:
I enjoy the employment of a traditional grimdark-i-ness opening, mashing into “a woman will kill you all!” hopefulness. I like its genre twist.
November 23, 2015 — 6:32 PM
gloriousmonsters says:
I’m lagging behind on NaNo and feeling kind of discouraged by the fact I’m more in the late beginning/early middle section of the book than the ending (I tend to write big stories; some months that works better than others) but I’m tentatively happy with this scene. Writing my antagonists is often a lot more fun than the heroes, at least at first.
https://gloriousmonsters.wordpress.com/2015/11/23/gut-forest-excerpt-1k-words/
November 23, 2015 — 10:57 AM
boundbeautifunk says:
1. I adore the name Shroud.
2. The child-eater creeps me the eff out.
3. Awesomeness.
November 23, 2015 — 4:41 PM
Jeff Davis says:
Read ’em and weep, word monkeys.
http://jd-savage.blogspot.com/
November 23, 2015 — 11:00 AM
faithanncolburn says:
Linked is the prologue to my historical novel. I’m not participating in NaNoWriMo. Too much revising to do this year. Some marketing too. http://faithanncolburn.com/wordpress/the-reluctant-canary/
November 23, 2015 — 11:07 AM
Fred G. Yost says:
This is all pure rough draft mind vomit, so I don’t know about best or happy with, but here’s the 1k with the images I like the most.
http://fredgyost.com/2015/11/23/nanowrimo-challenge-a-snippet-of-your-work-the-cicadas-drone/
November 23, 2015 — 11:18 AM
Kate Pavelle says:
There’s this old rusted sword, and people want it. Bad. In this excerpt we get to meet the guy who’ll get to draw it first, Burch. Contemporary thriller/crime suspense.
http://katepavelle.com/free-reads/
November 23, 2015 — 11:19 AM
W. L. Bolm says:
This is actually from last year’s NaNoWriMo. I’m working on getting it ready to submit; almost there. This year, I wanted to work on a Dr. Who Meets 50 Shades erotica, but a big move and surgery were working against me.
http://www.ohnowendygo.com/first-look-feral-beginnings/
November 23, 2015 — 11:39 AM
Barton Carter says:
Part leading up to the inciting incident on my novel. It’s my second novel, and it’s about as shitty as I would expect it to be, but it’s better than my first novel. I’ll take improvement all day long. Any comments or thoughts, would be greatly appreciated!
http://bartoncarter.com/2015/11/23/drug-mule-nanowrimo-snippet/
November 23, 2015 — 11:47 AM
boundbeautifunk says:
Delicious action!
November 23, 2015 — 6:37 PM
Trick Dempsey says:
Here’s a link to my snippet. It’s from an early chapter of my novel, but it’s a good introduction. The novel is a first-person horror story set in present day San Mateo, California. A normal day at an office job becomes a tale of murder and betrayal when an otherworldly creature sets up shop.
http://trickdempsey.com/index.php/2015/11/23/preview-the-data-collector-a-novel-by-trick-dempsey/
November 23, 2015 — 11:58 AM
todddillard says:
Here’s the first 1k of my super-hero novel. Not sure if I’m the happiest with these words, but since they’re the first words, I’ve gone over them the most, so they’re the closest to happy I can currently get. Enjoy!
http://www.doodle-doodle.com/writing/first-1000-words-of-my-nanowrimo-work-in-progress/
November 23, 2015 — 12:06 PM
Lynn C-H (Goth Kitty Lady) says:
You should be happy with these words, they’re good! Sounds like it’s going to be a great read when it’s done.
November 23, 2015 — 5:31 PM
todddillard says:
Thanks! I sure hope so 🙂
November 24, 2015 — 10:12 AM