I went to a website and asked it to generate five random book titles for me, and it did. And then I had it generate five more for giggles. (I didn’t just as this of some random website, by the way — I didn’t like, go to CNN or Amazon and yell at it to give me titles. I used this website right here.)
That gives us ten random titles.
You will choose one of these titles and write a story using it as the title.
You have, mmm, let’s say 2000 words this go-around.
Write it. Post it at your online space. Drop a link here so we can all see it.
Due by next Friday, Jan 22nd, noon EST.
Your ten titles are:
The River’s Mask
The BookFeet
Future Graveyard
Across the Parlour and the Exile
Out of the Carnival and the Soul
The Crow of Nine-World
To Dance Beyond The Hand
The Living House’s Rabbit
Muddy Stars
The Goblet of Lost Chicago
Now go write!
Joe Turner says:
The River’s Mask. Be back with the words.
January 15, 2016 — 8:30 AM
thesexiestwriter says:
That actually generated some pretty groovy titles. Doesn’t even sound random (hardly). I liked the River’s Mask the best, but I’m gonna pick the hardest looking title on here for my story.
The Living House’s Rabbit it is…
January 15, 2016 — 9:10 AM
thesexiestwriter says:
Maybe next time I won’t pick the hardest title…then again, I’m supposed to be working to get better at this, right?
https://criticalsexualmass.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/flash-fiction-again-from-terribleminds-com/
January 19, 2016 — 11:34 AM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Well done!
January 19, 2016 — 1:52 PM
Gretchen Mayer says:
OUCH! I like easy titles. Like Oliver Twist. About a boy named Oliver. Muddy Stars will work. See you next week.
January 15, 2016 — 11:18 AM
James says:
Muddy Stars, hell yes.
January 15, 2016 — 11:52 AM
Sophie Giroir says:
Hmm. I see a fine speculative fiction with The Goblet of Lost Chicago. On it!
January 15, 2016 — 12:02 PM
Derek Harrison says:
Hmm…I’ve never entered any of these before, but why not? To Dance Beyond the Hand it is. See you in a week.
January 15, 2016 — 2:06 PM
jademwong says:
Woohoo, another challenge! Your prompts are some of the most creative and fun I’ve done. I shall be back next week (and hopefully won’t cut it as close as last week’s prompt! lol)
January 15, 2016 — 2:46 PM
jademwong says:
Made it days before the deadline this time! My usually-fashionably-late self is proud xD. Anyway, title: The Bookfeet. Word Count: ~400. ~> https://jademwong.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/flash-fictionterrible-minds-the-bookfeet/
Feel free to read and leave your thoughts!
January 19, 2016 — 3:26 PM
addy says:
that was a very lovely story. thank you
January 20, 2016 — 9:45 AM
disperser says:
So, any genre? I assume so, but being new here I thought I should ask.
January 15, 2016 — 4:16 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Well, strictly speaking it’s a flash FICTION challenge. But no one is policing it and no one is issuing grades. I’m looking at my chosen title and thinking it might be some creative non-fiction this week.
January 19, 2016 — 1:53 PM
disperser says:
Fiction is a given . . . I was wondering about what genre of fiction. I ended up going with a scifi-romance blend that I’m planning to send out and sell.
January 19, 2016 — 1:57 PM
Ashlee says:
I chose “The Living House’s Rabbit”
Please tell me what you think!!
http://cubiclemonster.weebly.com/writings
January 15, 2016 — 5:22 PM
Diedra Black says:
Lovely story. My family actually fostered a stray rabbit recently, and I can tell you that one does get attached to them! Unfortunately, the bunny we dubbed “Izzy” passed away shortly after getting a spot at the local rabbit shelter.
January 17, 2016 — 12:21 PM
Ashlee says:
Sorry to hear about Izzy : (
Thank you for the compliment on my story!
January 18, 2016 — 9:05 AM
rickdries says:
The Living house, the house of the Livings.
Why, you sly, wordful devil.
January 18, 2016 — 10:59 AM
Ashlee says:
*wink*
January 19, 2016 — 2:59 PM
A.B. Sevan says:
This was great! Love the twist ending… very clever all around.
January 20, 2016 — 9:51 AM
Ashlee says:
Thank you very much!
January 20, 2016 — 11:27 AM
Rebekah Spark says:
I loved this story it was witty, amusing, and charming. I found myself laughing out loud many times. You clearly have a gift for charatization, which is a nothing to sneeze at! In fact, between you, me and the fence post I’m convinced it’s JK’s secret to success. You used a lot of cliche, but in this story with these characters, it seemed deliberate and clever and it just worked! I think you need a YEAH BABY!
I wasn’t sure about the ending, I’m not convinced that it was necessary. Which I don’t mean as insult, just that I think it would be a funny well crafted peace of writing with or without the twist. I know twist endings are very popular and they probably sell well and yes I’m thinking of E. Lockhart’s, We Were Liars. I loved that book to death and I so very much wanted the ending to work for me but it just didn’t. Which makes me feel guilty and sad. For me sometimes the clever twist feels more like the fly in the soup rather than the cherry on top, but that’s just me and what do I know.
January 21, 2016 — 8:34 PM
Fatma Alici says:
I went with the Crow of Nine-World. It happened to inspire an idea right away.
http://www.fatmaalici.com/2016/01/15/the-crow-of-nine-world/
January 15, 2016 — 8:02 PM
Samuel hume says:
Neeto. Kinda reminded me of a discworld story
January 17, 2016 — 2:25 PM
Fatma Alici says:
What a great compliment : ).
January 19, 2016 — 9:03 AM
awritersoutlet says:
Going to try my hand at “Future Graveyard”. Hopefully I can make the deadline!
January 15, 2016 — 8:40 PM
Mozette says:
I went with ‘Graveyard Future’ but what I wrote didn’t work out… so I went with title instead.
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/to-dance-beyond-hand.html
January 15, 2016 — 8:45 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Love it! I often wonder how I’d function in solitary confinement. Then I realise that even when I’m with people, half of me is away in my head, making worlds and watching people in them. They say people go crazy in solitary… but what if you’re already crazy before you go in there? Do you come out sane? That would be real punishment.
And I’m still having issues leaving comments on your blog. Ah well. C’est la vie.
January 17, 2016 — 11:03 AM
Mozette says:
Aah! Thank you so much! I was hoping the Ray Bradbury style of world would go down well! 😀 I used some of my favourite places to hide my character (the art gallery storage room is one place I love, it’s so huge and easy to get lost in), but our schools rarely have basements unless they’re very old.
I’m sorry you can’t comment on my blog. I’ve looked into it on my end, and it tells me on Blogger that you should be able to comment. I’m not sure what’s happening either.
January 18, 2016 — 12:43 AM
Tim Whitcher says:
The River’s Mask
Not 2,000 words…
http://helveticasindiehorrorstories.blogspot.com/
January 15, 2016 — 11:10 PM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
Interesting twist at the end! I definitely wasn’t expecting that. But I really like the opening section, the short snappy sentences and the words of wisdom from dear daddy. Very introspective, and a really good use of the title in your story.
January 17, 2016 — 11:17 AM
Tim Whitcher says:
Thank you. I see you chose the same prompt. It will be interesting to see how different our stories are from each other.
January 17, 2016 — 2:07 PM
Diedra Black says:
I agree with Urban Spaceman. That early dialogue was genius.
January 17, 2016 — 12:28 PM
Tim Whitcher says:
Thanks! The rest is kind of shaky and needs a rewrite, though. I pretty much wrote this by train of thought.
January 17, 2016 — 1:49 PM
rickdries says:
I liked the subtle ‘detective’ at the end.
kinda adds a new dimension to how he’s telling the story, I also noticed how everyone with ‘The River’s mask’ (even me) sort of hides the true malevolence in the waters.
January 18, 2016 — 11:11 AM
Rebekah Spark says:
You can tell a good horror writer by their use of tension. It’s I skill I’d love to have in my tool box along with my knives, handcuffs, tooth-pliers, testicle removers. What ha, um, what was I saying? Got distracted there. Anyway this story had it in spades. I enjoyed the sinister daddy’s rant, nicely disturbing! I wasn’t that surprised with what happens. And I have to say I wouldn’t have minded too much if the tables had of been turned and she was talking him out of town for nefarious reasons of her own.(girl power!) I also thought that the detective part at the end was a really nice touch, the cherry on top so to speak.
January 21, 2016 — 10:22 PM
Rebekah Spark says:
Oh I almost forgot there seemed to be some confusion about weather she was a dark haired beauty or blonde bombshell. I know us girls are nothing more than fodder for you boy’s wood-chippers. But hey just thought I’d mention it 🙂
January 21, 2016 — 10:28 PM
Tim Whitcher says:
Thank you! I’ve written a few from these challenges. Sometimes a simple title will just make the story flow from my head!
January 26, 2016 — 10:39 PM
AKjeldsen says:
The Crow of Nine-World is about to take flight.
January 15, 2016 — 11:58 PM
Jena says:
I think I’ll work with Future Graveyard! Yep that sounds right up my alley!
January 16, 2016 — 12:34 AM
Mr Urban Spaceman says:
1829 words – The River’s Mask
https://mrurbanspaceman.wordpress.com/2016/01/16/the-rivers-mask-a-flash-fiction-piece/
Thanks for another interesting opportunity to write Flash Fiction!
January 16, 2016 — 6:09 AM
Doug says:
Future Graveyard sparked something… Gonna go with that!
January 16, 2016 — 9:44 AM
jadefalcon14 says:
I wasn’t sure what I was going to pick but then I woke up at 6:45 in the morning with an idea for “To Dance Beyond The Hand”, so that is what I’m working on!
January 16, 2016 — 11:48 AM
Amber Shaffette says:
Out of the Carnival and the Soul, I called it!
January 16, 2016 — 1:16 PM
Kaelyn says:
The Crow of Nine-World looks like fun! But I’ll save The River’s Mask for something else.
January 16, 2016 — 1:33 PM
disperser says:
I’m in a heap of trouble . . . I wrote a piece, but like it enough to try and sell it. That means I can’t just link it here or I lose my FNASR.
I’ve been told, but I’ve not tested it, that if I publish it on my blog in a password protected post I won’t lose the rights to sell it as an unpublished piece.
Soooo . . . if anyone wants to read it, leave a comment on this post:
http://dispersertracks.com/2016/01/16/a-challenge-its-been-a-long-time/
and I’ll send the password via e-mail.
I realize this is a breach of the conditions stated above, and won’t mind is no one asks me for the password. I just want to let Mr. Wendig know that his prompt (Future Graveyard) worked for me. Thank you.
January 16, 2016 — 1:36 PM
Rebekah Spark says:
You’ve gone and got me all excited now. So I hope you are going to deliver.
January 21, 2016 — 11:28 PM
disperser says:
I’m not sure what that means. Do you mean that I will eventually sell it? I sure hope so, but it’s outside my control. Do you mean you want to read it? If you leave a comment on the post I link above, I’ll be able to e-mail you the password to the piece. Do you mean that it better be good? Well, that’s subjective, but the people who’ve read the piece (of which I am one) seem to like it.
January 22, 2016 — 12:07 AM
Rebekah Spark says:
I mean I want to read it
January 22, 2016 — 11:24 PM
Rebekah Spark says:
It is also exciting that you plan to publish it
January 22, 2016 — 11:25 PM
disperser says:
AARRGH!! the comment went in moderation because I included a link!
OK . . . e-mail me at (ejdalise at gmail dot com) or leave a comment on the post I link above and I’ll send you the password.
January 23, 2016 — 12:03 AM
disperser says:
Well, I would love for you to read it . . . I need to e-mail the password (otherwise it’s a public password). You can either leave a comment on this link:
http://dispersertracks.com/2016/01/16/a-challenge-its-been-a-long-time/
or e-mail me (ejdalise at gmail doc com) and I’ll send it by reply e-mail.
Meanwhile, link to the latest challenge submission is still in moderation. However, that one does not have a password and it’s the latest post on my blog as of this writing.
January 23, 2016 — 12:01 AM
mariahavix says:
Best challenge ever. I didn’t have to write a title for it!
I went with The Crow of Nine-World. http://insani-x.com/2016/01/16/the-crow-of-nine-world/
I’ve added audio as well.
January 16, 2016 — 6:42 PM
Samuel hume says:
That was cool.
January 17, 2016 — 2:38 PM
Chad R Smith says:
I agree, that was cool.
January 18, 2016 — 12:22 PM
killerpuppytails says:
Across the Parlour and the Exile will be mine.
January 16, 2016 — 7:43 PM
the story hive says:
https://thestoryhive.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/out-of-the-carnival-and-the-soul/
here is mine, enjoy.
January 17, 2016 — 4:57 AM
the story hive says:
So here I am, feeling inspired by the titles. Have another flash fiction, 200 word story: River Mask. https://thestoryhive.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/river-mask/
January 17, 2016 — 2:18 PM
the story hive says:
*mwuahahhaahaha* no one can stop me. https://thestoryhive.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/the-crow-of-nine-world/
January 18, 2016 — 4:11 PM
the story hive says:
Oh and the BookFeet, as bonus: https://thestoryhive.wordpress.com/2016/01/17/the-bookfeet/
January 17, 2016 — 9:48 AM
the story hive says:
I misunderstood the challenge a bit – so I kept at 200 words, sorry…
January 17, 2016 — 10:34 AM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Well, if you do 10 at 200 words, it’s the same thing, right?
January 19, 2016 — 1:55 PM
the story hive says:
Kind of… That’s why I’m on a 200 word flash fiction rampage. Thehe 🙂
January 19, 2016 — 1:59 PM
Andre Gonzalez says:
The River’s Mask! ….bbs!
January 17, 2016 — 9:49 PM
Nicki says:
I took a crack at The Goblet of Lost Chicago – http://iveybooks.com/fiction/the-goblet-of-lost-chicago/
January 17, 2016 — 11:11 PM
Kira Jessup (@kirajessup) says:
I liked your take on this one.
January 19, 2016 — 10:21 PM
Scott Dyson says:
I decided to try the same one…http://scottdyson.com/?p=446
I enjoyed your try a lot!
January 21, 2016 — 8:47 PM
R Brown says:
The Crow of Nine-World
http://www.lovebisforbrown.blogspot.com/2016/01/flash-fiction-challenge-choose-your.html
January 18, 2016 — 8:10 AM
Chad R Smith says:
The Goblet of Lost Chicago – I hope you enjoy
https://moralitypuzzle.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/the-goblet-of-lost-chicago/
January 18, 2016 — 12:20 PM
Scott Dyson says:
I tried the same one. I really enjoyed your take.
January 25, 2016 — 10:52 AM
Christy Mann says:
New here and getting a late start, but 2,000 words is a bad day of writing for me (when I know what I am going to write) most of the time. So, to improve my skills, procrastinate even more on my first rewrite (2nd draft, two weeks and counting) and recently started second novel (four days), I’ve accepted the challenge to write Out of the Carnival and the Soul. Words are flowing, and that’s the point right?, but this really is difficult. Writing something I’ve never seen before, as opposed to writing scenes that have played in my head over and over until I write them down, is a new and refreshing challenge. Thanks for that!!!
Off to write something new. See you soon!
January 18, 2016 — 7:46 PM
K. Cain says:
Ha! Muddy Stars is perfect!
January 18, 2016 — 8:10 PM
Matthew X. Gomez says:
Muddy Stars: https://mxgomez.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/muddy-stars-a-chuck-wending-challenge/
January 18, 2016 — 8:26 PM
Fred G. Yost says:
I went with The River’s Mask. http://fredgyost.com/2016/01/18/flash-fiction-challenge-rivers-mask/
Takes place in the same fantasy world as the story I posted last week, but it takes place a few years earlier.
January 18, 2016 — 10:54 PM
Fred G. Yost says:
Oof, now I’m having poster’s remorse. Too late now. These challenges are teaching me to let a story go into the wild after only a few days and not revise it for five years, but I haven’t quite learned that lesson well enough not to have a mini freak out the day after.
January 19, 2016 — 1:41 PM
Princess of Dragons says:
Chose to go with Crow of the Nine-World. Seems to be a popular choice 🙂
https://princessofdragons.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/flash-fiction-challenge-choose-your-title/
January 19, 2016 — 9:07 AM
mariahavix says:
It is weird, one of the reasons I picked it was it seemed like one that no one had picked. But now so many Crows, all very different.
January 19, 2016 — 7:23 PM
pitboss14 says:
Here is my story. I am not sure I am even doing this right? This is my first time. I also liked Crow of the Nine-World
https://bruce190.wordpress.com/2016/01/19/the-crow-of-nine-world/
January 19, 2016 — 12:02 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Lots of people taking my choice, The River’s Mask. I’ll do some reading of them after I’ve written mine.
January 19, 2016 — 1:55 PM