Write Better Fiction / 115 posts found
2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 7
Yesterday, we focused on character. Today, let’s focus on plot. For today’s prompt, write about a workplace drama. Remember: As mentioned yesterday, these prompts are just starting points; you have the freedom to go wherever your flash of inspiration takes you. (Note: If you happen to run into any issues posting, please just send me an e-mail at mrichard@aimmedia.com with the subject line: Flash Fiction Challenge Commenting Issue.) Here’s my attempt at writing a workplace drama: Reconciliation “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.” I can’t remember my first confession. It’s not totally unusual—when you get to be my age, […]
Alana Quintana Albertson: On Giving a Tragedy a Happy Ending
Alana Quintana Albertson has written 30 romance novels, rescued 500 death-row shelter dogs, and danced 1,000 rumbas. She lives with her husband in sunny San Diego with her two sons and too many pets. Most days, she can be found writing her next heart book in a beachfront café while sipping an oat-milk Mexican mocha or gardening with her children in their backyard orchard and snacking on a juicy blood orange. Find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Alana Quintana Albertson © Berkley Jove (TR) 2021 In this post, Alana discusses how she reimagined Romeo and Juliet with a happy […]
2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 6
For today’s prompt, let’s focus on character and character motivations. This past fall, our Editor, Michael Woodson, wrote a wonderful article about the pitfall of the characterless character. This got me thinking about character motivations; and when you only have a maximum of 1,500 words, it’s important that those motivations are clear to the reader if you’re writing a character-driven piece. For today’s prompt, write about a character attempting to be heartfelt. Remember: As mentioned yesterday, these prompts are just starting points; you have the freedom to go wherever your flash of inspiration takes you. (Note: If you happen to […]
Try One More Thing: An Award-Winning Fairytale
Once upon a time, there was a writer staring at computer screen and an open email message for the Sisters In Crime Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging Writers of Color selection committee. (Rachel Howzell Hall and Alex Segura Discuss the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging Writers of Color Award.) A million thoughts went through the writer’s mind. What was she doing? Why was she sending this email? Did she really think she could win? No, she didn’t think she would win because until now, every attempt she’d made to query her story about a Ghanaian female assassin—really a […]
2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 5
I hope this challenge is serving you well! I’ve been finding some of the prompts a little bit difficult, but hopefully the further we go, the easier the stories will come! For today’s prompt, let’s get mysterious! Whether it’s a mystery about to be solved, one that will never be solved, or one that’s just beginning, let’s dive right in. Remember: As mentioned yesterday, these prompts are just starting points; you have the freedom to go wherever your flash of inspiration takes you. (Note: If you happen to run into any issues posting, please just send me an e-mail at […]
Choosing a Setting for Your Fight Scene: FightWrite™
In my last post I said that this month we would look at how to start a fight. But then the WD Blog made a special request for another subject, and I could hardly turn them down. (They gave me donuts.) So, in this installment of FightWrite on the WDB, we will be looking at where a fight takes place. Which, you wouldn’t imagine that where a fight happens would be so important, but it absolutely is. In fact, where a fight takes place is more important than who is fighting. Think about it like this: would you rather fight […]
Mastering Vivid Descriptions: Draw Upon the Backdrops of Your Life to Reimagine Your Descriptions
Without a sense of place, your dialogue exists on a black movie screen. Without a backdrop, your characters and their actions are floating in space. Without specific details, that setting of yours can pass beyond the familiar and into the territory of cliché. (The Four Doorways Into Story and How to Use Them to Create a Bestselling Novel) But you can be better than that. You already have all the tools you need to be a maestro of settings. Give yourself credit, writer. You’ve lived a life. You’ve seen some things—and more important to this conversation, you’ve seen some places. […]
2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 4
As always, if you’re on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram (or anywhere else), don’t forget to use the #FlashFictionFeb hashtag. For today’s prompt, let’s write about a dream coming true. Remember: As mentioned yesterday, these prompts are just starting points; you have the freedom to go wherever your flash of inspiration takes you. (Note: If you happen to run into any issues posting, please just send me an e-mail at mrichard@aimmedia.com with the subject line: Flash Fiction Challenge Commenting Issue.) Here’s my attempt at making dreams come true: Ever After Jay paused in the doorway, the takeout bags bumping gently against […]
How to Make Tough Topics for Adults Into Experiences for Children
Here’s the thing about tough topics: they may feel tough for you, but for someone else they are just life. In Alphabet Rockers, we write and create for children, from two Grammy-nominated albums about racial justice and gender justice to our first published picture book, You Are Not Alone, which is about empathy and inclusion. Our work invites us all—adults and children—to create the world of belonging and equity we need. Our writing is not just for kids, but inclusive for generations. We’re here to build a new cultural foundation, and it’s our responsibility to evolve and do the work […]
2022 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 3
Let’s keep this going! If you’re on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram (or anywhere else), be sure use the #FlashFictionFeb hashtag. For today’s prompt, write something based on the dialogue “Where does this lead?” “Nowhere good.” Remember: As mentioned yesterday, these prompts are just starting points; you have the freedom to go wherever your flash of inspiration takes you. (Note: If you happen to run into any issues posting, please just send me an e-mail at mrichard@aimmedia.com with the subject line: Flash Fiction Challenge Commenting Issue.) Here’s my attempt at writing based on a snippet of dialogue: Place Your Bets When […]