Short Story Challenge!
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flash-fiction
2015-05-19 19:40:36,
2015-05-30 18:46:15
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Hey Everyone, 


      My Name is Lt Nathaniel Flint of the Landship Scorpios, here I'm known as Lt Joel Arnett or Kent Nicholas. I'm known for some of my writings on the sight, like Rise of the Scorpion or Glassless Garden. All eyes roll at how large they are.


      However, I want to try something new. All of our contests and suggestions are always falling flat. Well, I want to try a flash writing exercise. Now, without a further ado, I present:


Antiford's Flash Flood

of Fiction


      Antiford is experiencing a dry spell. Although the citizens are not worried, many have taken notice. Now it's up to a group of writers to help flush out some color in the world. 


      Your mission is to write a short story. That's right, a Short Story. How short? Try 250 words! Seriously? Nah, not seriously. Your goal is to write a short story with a goal of being around 300 words. Under no circumstances go over 500 words. 

      Why should we, Nathan? This is a waste of my time! Well, picture this: At conventions or events, Citizens of Antiford can discuss what it is we do here on the website. What do we do? We write! Drawings, props, sculpting? Those aren't on this site. We don't have artists sharing those on our website. No, we have words. We have stories. Now... we cannot very well hand them A VonKressar Adventure or a Arnett novel can we? They are big. They are walls of text. No, go ahead. Find a good story on the website that is complete and not a wall of text. I'll wait.

      Finished? Not easy... so we need something we can display. About half a page of words. A short, good story. With relate able or hate able characters. A decent setting. A well developed plot.

      So, here's the deal:

  • Min 100 words
  • Goal roughly 300 words
  • Absolute max 500 words
  • Must be stand-alone
  • Must be completed
  • Must be canon

      Simple enough for you? I hope it is. Good Luck Writing, kids. 

"But Lieutenant, what am I supposed to write about with only 200 words?"

      Whah? What do you mean? A short story. Do something small... or charming... or something.

"You don't understand, Lieutenant. Captain Iliad Nightwing doesn't take shit from anyone. No mere 300 words can contain is amazingness and amazingly thought out stories. He has character archs and deep plot twists and amazing battle scenes whose prologues don't even stop at 500 words."

      Well, use your imagination, you turd. Fine... I guess I caan give you some help.

What Can I Write About?


      300 Words isn't alot. The point of this challenge isn't to be easy or over glorify your characters. The point is to be short, engaging, and show off the world we call home to people who don't give two craps about it or us. We need to engage them. Trap them. Let them see the kind of stories await them back here, on the website.
      So, how do you do that? let me give you some prompts if your stuck.

  1. Write About Your Character
            How can you write about your character in so short a span? Why don't you use this as an opportunity to develop them both in depth and description. Developing in Depth is how you make your character more relate able, edgy, or less gary-sue. Write about how Captain Nightwing has a drinking problem his crew disproves of. Write about how he feels like he has failed his mother. Write about how they feel without their weapons. Write about how Captain Nightwing goes about preparing to die each time he takes the SS Potassium Novice on a Mission.
            How about writing about your character, but from another's point of view?

  1. Write About Another Character
            Are you really close to someone else on the site? Why don't you take 300 words and write from their point of view. Why not discuss your characters thoughts on them? Why not have the two characters meet. Why not write about their take on a major world event?

  1. Write About An NPC
            Why not throw caution to the wind and make up a new character! Write about another profession, and another country. Write about another time. Write about the revolution. Write about how exciting the lives of all the main characters seem compared to their simple, NPC lives.

  1. Write About a World Event
            Write about a world event. Write about another country. Introduce us to a location or a aspect of life on Orr we're not used to. Write about the Airship Races, the World's Fair, the Landship Derby. So much stuff!

      Try to make us care about a character, a plot, or an area in only 300 words. A good way to start is aim for 600 words. Wow, 600. Then... edit the hell out of it. How can you shorten? What doesn't need to be said? What doesn't need to be shown? Learn how to actually edit a story and say more with less!

      And with that, I am done. I'll get off my soap box. Even if you don't care about the cons, think about how much we need a new flush of stories. So do it for the website. Do it for the stories. We must do this! Well... or not. But won't it be fun? I think it will be. Should be fun, anyway.

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