(Sorry folks — was without Internet for a couple-few days. We’re back on now, though.)
I’ll make this challenge easy, by which I mean, easy for me. Difficult for you.
I want you to write a story in the form of social media.
Meaning, I want your 1000 words to take the form of:
Twitter, Facebook, a blog post, Instagram, something, anything online.
Meaning, you will tell a fictional story using social media as the framing. You will post this at your blog or other online space, formatted accordingly — it’ll be due by next Friday, 2/5 at noon EST. Any genre will do. Be sure to link back here so we can all see what you wrote.
Now go do.
[EDIT: due to some confusion over the challenge, let me add a bit to clarify — what I mean is, you know how an epistolary work is fiction in the form of a letter to someone or some other document? Assume this to be a digital social media epistolary form. Your story should be written as if it takes place on social media — though, even e-mail could work. It is a fictional construct, a narrative that assumes the form of something other than straight prose. ]
Mariah Avix says:
I’m sorry, I’m confused. You want 1000 words told as in a character is tweeting or blogging or instagramming or tumblring? Because just posting those 1K on a blog is …all of the challenges? So this is a fictional tale told through those things so I could make fake tweets on my blog from characters? Do I get to use back and forth? Sorry, just trying to make sense of it.
January 31, 2016 — 12:31 PM
terribleminds says:
I’m not asking that you actually tweet a story (though that would also be an option) — but rather, write a story as if it takes place on Twitter or through the format of Twitter. Or any other social media: blog, FB, Tumblr, even email.
January 31, 2016 — 2:02 PM
Mariah Avix says:
Ah, this helps very much. Thanks for the clarification. I will go forth and fake tweet. I may even make use of a fake tweet maker.
January 31, 2016 — 2:10 PM
kam2991 says:
Like Mariah, I’m a bit confused. I love the idea, but when we end up posting it you want it to look like some form of social media, correct? Sounds like a fun challenge, not sure how I’ll format that.
January 31, 2016 — 12:38 PM
Mariah Avix says:
Fake tweet makers http://simitator.com/generator/twitter/tweet this is the one I’ve come across. I’m sure there are others out there. But this one looks like it can do twitter and facebook which is a good start.
January 31, 2016 — 2:20 PM
ooakthistle says:
I am not following the challenge at all. A fictional story you post on social media? About social media? Sorry, I don’t understand.
January 31, 2016 — 12:43 PM
Shiny Butter says:
I love you because of that title. That’s all.
January 31, 2016 — 1:57 PM
terribleminds says:
Added a bit to clarify!
January 31, 2016 — 2:01 PM
Camilla & Bonita says:
Is this what you had in mind?
http://www.werewolfwhisperer.com/inquest.html
January 31, 2016 — 2:20 PM
Beth says:
That was great.
February 1, 2016 — 5:46 AM
Camilla & Bonita says:
Thanks, Beth. Glad you liked it 🙂
February 1, 2016 — 9:28 AM
Catastrophe Jones says:
…this was AWESOME! 😀
February 5, 2016 — 2:37 PM
Camilla & Bonita says:
Thank you 🙂
February 11, 2016 — 9:16 AM
Kristin Mireles (@kristinmireles) says:
I’m going to use Twitter! My entire story will be in the form of Tweets. Stay tuned.
January 31, 2016 — 4:36 PM
Kristin Mireles (@kristinmireles) says:
http://mireles-musings.blogspot.com/2016/01/tweet-dreams-are-made-of-these.html
January 31, 2016 — 7:15 PM
Beth says:
Read it. Left a comment.
February 1, 2016 — 5:55 AM
addy says:
that is powerful. its a disgrace that this happens to people on a regular basis.
February 2, 2016 — 9:07 AM
Kristin Mireles (@kristinmireles) says:
Thank you! What’s disgusting is how empowered people feel to unleash all their biases over the Internet.
February 3, 2016 — 11:23 PM
Catastrophe Jones says:
Wouldn’t let me comment, but I wanted to say — nicely done! Considering this is how Twitter actually IS for women, it’s almost hard to read — but good!
February 5, 2016 — 2:41 PM
LesserKnownHero says:
I read it and left a comment. I am not sure if it got lost in moderation though, so you may see two from me, I tried posting more than once. Great Job.
February 2, 2016 — 2:22 PM
Jo-Anne Teal says:
Very cool writing prompt/challenge indeed.
January 31, 2016 — 5:45 PM
jademwong says:
Ooh this is interesting! I hope I’ll be tackling this prompt the right way lol
January 31, 2016 — 6:11 PM
Mariah Avix says:
This one was hard. Hard is good for the learning and growth and all that. And also this post came up at exactly the right time so I got it out fast! (No audio, but pictures.)
http://insani-x.com/2016/01/31/i-dont-facebook-but-my-characters-do/
January 31, 2016 — 6:17 PM
curleyqueue says:
Clever!! Enjoyed this very much. And the details like increased followers- well done 🙂
February 3, 2016 — 2:24 PM
Mozette says:
I did my best… I hope this was what you were looking for, Chuck. 😀
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/virus.html
January 31, 2016 — 7:24 PM
Beth says:
Good one! I tried to leave a comment, but your blog froze. I might have lost the internet. Oh no!
February 1, 2016 — 5:38 AM
Mozette says:
So happy you enjoyed it. Some of it was true … like the NYE party I went to and the Girl’s Day out…. while the rest of it was all made up. The sick old lady in unit 33 was true… but she’s not passed on – yet.
People just keep to themselves so much in unit/townhouse complexes that sometimes you have to wonder, right? 😀
February 1, 2016 — 7:18 AM
Mozette says:
And by the way… your post made it through. 😀
February 1, 2016 — 7:24 AM
Catastrophe Jones says:
This was pretty awesome; thanks for sharing!
I couldn’t leave a reply on the blog — blogger hates meeeee
But anyway, well done! An enjoyable read.
February 5, 2016 — 2:47 PM
Bonita Gutierrez says:
Flash Fiction post: Ronny Hayes “Inquest of the Truth”
A Werewolf Whisperer tale by Camilla Ochlan and Bonita Gutierrez http://werewolfwhisperer.com/inquest.html
January 31, 2016 — 9:27 PM
Beth says:
I loved this!
February 1, 2016 — 9:53 AM
Bonita Gutierrez says:
So glad. Thanks!
February 1, 2016 — 8:26 PM
curleyqueue says:
Nice! Great way to convey the story without really even saying that much. Fun read 🙂
February 2, 2016 — 8:43 AM
Bonita Gutierrez says:
Thanks! We had fun writing it.
February 11, 2016 — 12:12 PM
David W. Blackstone (@DavidWriting) says:
I’m going to point you at the very second long-form story I wrote, back in ’09, a zombie apocalypse story in the form of a twitter timeline, entitled “JenniM16”
http://www.agincourtdb.com/2009/03/jennim16-z-day-story-in-tweets.html
January 31, 2016 — 9:59 PM
Bonita Gutierrez says:
Very cool zombie story. Unique. Intense. Interesting to read from end to beginning.
February 1, 2016 — 8:35 PM
David W. Blackstone (@DavidWriting) says:
Thank you 🙂
February 2, 2016 — 11:20 AM
Beth says:
I think I’m jealous. Genius.
February 3, 2016 — 12:19 PM
Catastrophe Jones says:
Well done. REALLY intense, good read. Love how it speeds up and gets more and more tense, faster paced, nail-biting. Excellent.
February 5, 2016 — 2:51 PM
thesexiestwriter says:
I’m gonna try it…always a good idea to attempt new (and weird) things
January 31, 2016 — 10:37 PM
Andy says:
I tried and never finished something like this 5 years ago. The story of a thief and his crew discovering a great adversary.
It’s kind of weird reading old writing. *tries to burn down internet*
Hopefully I can give it a better ending now than I could 5 years ago. The Twitter handle is @BaronIsaac if anyone wants to follow along.
January 31, 2016 — 10:56 PM
Andy says:
This link should work. I’m gonna try and update it in real time like I used to. Should bring the climax around Thursday night/Friday morning.
https://mobile.twitter.com/BaronIsaac/status/693997185462042625
January 31, 2016 — 11:01 PM
Catastrophe Jones says:
This is actually quite lovely — though your link to a mobile website made it a bit odd to read, but! Not bad. And it’s fun to read the Baron’s voice.
February 5, 2016 — 2:57 PM
Christopher says:
Great job! I really enjoyed that!
February 8, 2016 — 11:43 PM
addy says:
Oh i going to try this out.
it is not only a good exercise but someone has published a book by doing this. Azraels stop. it was made using twitter, each tweet was its own story set in a lovely inn, which is frequented by death himself.
February 1, 2016 — 4:05 AM
Beth says:
Ever have one of those days when your character does all the talking? (Come on, admit it.) Anyway, my take on the challenge is a blog interview with one of my characters: A Blog Interview With Arekan Mor’a’stan. Here Arekan waxes on the value of social media and my marketing skills as an author.
http://bethturnage.com/?p=515
February 1, 2016 — 5:21 AM
Camilla & Bonita says:
Ha! Fun (bleeping) interview.
February 1, 2016 — 9:32 AM
Beth says:
😉
February 1, 2016 — 9:50 AM
Rob Williams says:
Mine is set in a fictional chat room / facebook style social media thingy. I was going to go zombie apocalypse but decided for something much less subtle.
In my format I found going for description near impossible, its mostly 700 words of dialog. But hopefully there is some form of scene setting.
http://tomahawk.net.au/click-bait-short-story/
February 2, 2016 — 9:21 AM
Catastrophe Jones says:
Totally cracked me up. I love the inserted ads. Definitely funny 😀
February 5, 2016 — 3:04 PM
Lacy Muircastle says:
Okay so here’s my attempt – It’s in Second Life. http://wp.me/p226Mq-2Z
February 3, 2016 — 4:01 AM
Jemima Pett says:
If this shows up twice, apologies. Loading the comment got stuck. It’s a bit short, but I hope you enjoy Sir Woebegone’s latest outing.
http://wp.me/p4dmBn-1OH
February 4, 2016 — 5:26 PM
Catastrophe Jones says:
Shit shit shit shit shit I forgot!
And I really liked mine this time.
So… fuck deadlines, I guess?
Come read my story.
http://catastrophejones.com/archives/5460
February 5, 2016 — 2:34 PM
Christopher says:
Wow! Super intense! Good job!
February 8, 2016 — 11:49 PM
Mila says:
I’m a little late on this one, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Story as if it were on twitter.
http://blackwidowart.net/2016/02/05/a-story-in-social-media/
February 5, 2016 — 3:50 PM
Fatma Alici says:
This is a slice of life style story using Facebook. It is kind of dark, because I wrote it. It is really late to be posting, but I spent so much time with it, I felt I had to post it anyway.
http://www.fatmaalici.com/2016/02/05/flash-fiction-challenge-experiment/
February 5, 2016 — 9:59 PM
Christopher says:
Creepy! Nice job. The “boyfriend material” pickup line was perfect.
February 8, 2016 — 11:55 PM
Fatma Alici says:
I actually googled terrible pick up lines. There is a lot more out there than I thought.
February 9, 2016 — 5:46 PM
Christopher says:
I know, I’m super late. I actually wrote it on time, and then forgot about it. Busy week.
Technically, this is an email correspondence, sort of a “You’ve Got Mail” meets “Ring” in under 1000 words. Enjoy.
http://roktyping.blogspot.kr/
February 9, 2016 — 12:42 AM