I’ve been caught up in the exciting world of ten minute flashes, drabbling, and six sentence stories. I’m not sure if it’s the challenge this presents to my wordy self, or that creatively it’s fun and inspiring, but I love writing ultra short shorts.
“Wait just a darn minute,” you say. “Six sentence stories? Are you mental?” No, I’m not. Not at all. Well…perhaps a little, but about the sentences I’m serious. Six sentences. (wow, that’s a lot of s’s) No run-ons, avoid semicolons and their brother the colon, and tell a story in just six sentences. Brilliant idea. My very first one I submitted to a contest. I figured, meh why not?
Now, I have a challenge for all of you. I’m going to propose a little contest. Until July 7th, I want you to post a story in the comment section of The Edge. I don’t care what it’s about, swears are fine (F-bombs don’t scare me but the C-bullet will bring my heavy hand down on the delete button), all I ask is that it fits one of the guidelines I post below. At the end of June I’ll post each story and from July 7th to July 20th, you lovely people and whoever else wanders over to The Edge with us, will vote. The winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card from me. (Wendy did this kind of prize first and I love it) During the posting phase you will be allowed to edit your submissions if you choose to. Just let me know that the previous one is withdrawn. You can submit as many stories as you like. Coolio?
The rules:
Your story must fit one of these frameworks:
1. Ten minute flash fiction: Take ten minutes and only ten minutes to write a story. The average writer will get under 500 words in ten minutes, so that’s going to be the limit for this. Under 500 words. You may edit when you’re done. I don’t want any adverbs, run-on sentences or shitty dialogue ruining my appetite. You will have a prompt for this, makes things easier. The prompt: Use the words ‘kerfluffle’ and ‘pickle’. That’s it.
For those of you who need it plain and simple:
-Write a flash of under 500 words in ten minutes.
-Must use the words kerfluffle and pickle somewhere in the story.
-use as much time as you need to edit.
2. Drabble: Write a story using exactly 100 words (NOT counting the title). Any subject, any genre but it must be a full story with beginning, middle (as in conflict), and end (as in resolution). Anything not a full story will not be posted in the final post to be voted on.
3. Six sentences: Write a story using only six sentences. No word limit, but please remember a comma between two sentences does not make it one sentence. If the punctuation isn’t correct, it will be disqualified. Try as best you can not to use semicolons. I will allow ONE semicolon. It’s tough. I know. Like the drabble, this must be a story. Not a scene or a vignette. A full story as described above in Drabbles.
And you don’t have to be a ‘writer’ to submit to this contest. I want everyone to dig deep into their creative selves and send something in. You never know, you might just find a new passion.
So, get writing. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Don’t forget, an Amazon gift card goes to the winner.
First Prize: Best Story $25 Amazon Gift Card And your story featured on my blog
Second Prize: Funniest Story Book of your choice And your story featured on my blog
Third Prize: Random pick Mystery Prize
Dangling on the Edge of Insanity 
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I wrote a six sentence story… I've written 6 word stories before and thats initially what I thought you wanted, but nope. Not sure if I am supposed to post here or email to you. I think I'm a little lost.He looked so beautiful in the moonlight. The strange pallor of his skin always seems luminous at this hour. Sirens draw closer, the bright halogens flick on. Our perfect dark world thrust out of the shadows into this sterile light. They take my love away from me zipping him into a plastic bag. My love preserved in the shadows.
Oooh. Creepy yet…pretty. Thanks Lauren. And yes, they're to be posted here on the blog. You did exactly as you were supposed to.Six sentences isn't hard at all, is it?
no never. what would make you think that?
Is it okay if it's something I posted at 6S today? If so…"If Only"She wondered how things might have turned out differently, if she hadn’t majored in that, followed this career path, married him, had those children, lived there and there along the way. When given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step through the cosmic membrane between realities, she jumped at the chance. She had to know. Was she happy, this alternate version of herself? Did she love her life?No more than should have been expected.
Thanks for stopping by Milo. And definitely submit any writing you like. Very…real, this piece. I have asked myself the same questions from time to time. Kind of sad to me, but definitely something relatable. Nice job. The competition is going to be tough. Boy, am I glad I left voting up to everyone else.
Wow, exciting contest Renee. I may enter, but I'll have to work on it a bit. Great stories submitted so far too!
Oh, and I forgot to mention, you're new blog, or blog revamp is gorgeous!!! I totally love it. Beautiful and well plotted on the website. I will be visiting more often. 🙂
My 100 word drabble sub."Magic Eyes"JM PrescottMagic is just another word for a wish. Asha’s wishes always came true except for one; Asha wished she had my eyes. She said blue was her favourite color and she hated brown. “When the flowers die they always turn brown,” she said.She grew up happy, having everything she ever wished for, until I got sick. The cancer bit and chipped at my body until I was nothing but empty bones and blue eyes. She wished for healing, but her magic never worked on me. I died the day before the flowers bloomed. Every one of them was blue.
Thank you Paige. I can't take any credit, my sister-in-law is an artistic genius. Jo: Very sad. Love the words and even the flow was very poetic. Nicely done.
500 words or less, using Kerfluffle and Pickle. *giggle*Kerfluffled Anna chomped down on the end of the pickle that came with her deli sandwich. Sour, green juice launched forward, splattering on her friend, Liz’s, blouse. Liz didn’t notice. Her focus centered on the French fries she constructed into a hut and the conversation spoken in hushed tones into her cell phone.Anna chewed, loudly, as she waited. Liz had been in the middle of a bitch-fest about her chauvinistic boss when her phone rang. Whatever name showed up on the caller ID morphed Liz’s expression from disgust to a red-cheeked grin. Anna had no doubt it was a man. She watched Liz twist her fingers in her hair in between intermittent, girlish giggles. Definitely a man. Finally, Liz hung up and leaned over to put her phone in her bag.“So who was that?”“Huh?” Liz shot up, wide eyed. “Who was who?”Anna smirked. “Who do you think? The mysterious caller who has you all… kerfluffled.”“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Liz studied the soda in her glass as she sipped from her straw.“Yes you do. You’re fidgety, your face is like a tomato, and you’re playing stupid.” Anna took another bite of her pickle. “Spill.”Liz looked down at her fry hut. She slowly disassembled it, pushing the fries over with her fork. “I don’t know…”“We’ve been best friends for almost ten years. You can tell me. Who is he?”Liz took a deep breath. “There is no ‘he.’”“Bullshit. What’s his name?”“Her name…” Liz folded her hands to keep them from shaking, “… is Lucy.”
**giggles** Love it. So four awesome submissions so far. All very different. You guys are the best. I can't wait to see what else you have. Did I mention you can submit as many as you like?
Gatos! Really? Yay!
There's some fierce competition here, but I had fun writing this so here goes. A flash with a kerfluffle and a pickle.No PeaceBy Susan GriscomShelby went to window and slammed it down. Locked it just to make sure it was tight. When was it going to end? Her head ached from the pounding and sawing. What were they building over there anyway?She was all for improving the neighborhood, but damnit, it was her day off. Her first one in two weeks and all she wanted was a little peace and quiet. Was that too much to ask? Even with the window closed, the raucous still clamored throughout the house. There was no escape. She went upstairs, grabbed her iPod off her nightstand, stuck the little headset around her ears, and cranked up the volume. Plopping down on the bed, she twirled the knob, searching for something to drown out the racket next door. "Let's see, something lively, some rap? No. Bon Jovi… that should do it."She closed her eyes and sang along. "Wanted, dead or alive, I'm a cowboy…"Life was, once again, blissful.A deafening kerfluffle jostled Shelby and she bolted up, yanked the earplugs from her ears and ran down the stairs.The roar happened again, sounding like walls tumbling down. The house shook around her as if the world was coming to an end. Shelby grabbed on to the newel at the bottom of the stairs for support. After several seconds, the shaking stopped and men's shouting replaced the kerfluffle."What in the name of Christ was that?"Shelby wobbled toward the horrifying sound, stopped at the kitchen door and gasped. Her quivering jaw hung open as her shoulder slumped against the frame. A huge yellow bulldozer sat in the middle of the floor, the man inside wiped at his brow shaking his head looking befuddled. He looked at Shelby, scrunched his shoulders and raised his hands.The wall and bay window she loved, crumbled around the gigantic machine. It smashed the refrigerator, toppling it over on its side, the door smashed and propped open. A carton of milk pooled out over the floor among the cheese, butter, and a chocolate cake with a pickle sticking out of the top. Broken glass and pickle juice mixed in with the milk and seeped its way toward the antique Oriental rug, once owned by the late Marilyn Monroe.Shelby sunk down in the middle of the mess and cried.
Very funny Susan. I love the way you tied the unusual words in. If that had been me, I'd have done more than cried, that man would have been missing a limb or two. Nice. Very descriptive too. I can see the mess and shudder appropriately.
Haha yeah. I'm sure once Shelby gets over the shock she'll have a few choice words for Mr. Bulldozer driver along with wanting to sever a couple of his limbs. Thanks Renee
Here's a 100-word story:A present from Mao Tse-TungHe would show you round his country house, the elder statesman, wave airily at a hideous vase, sigh, and say in a world-weary way – "A present from Mao-Tse Tung….."The stateman never married and had no children. He left all his money for his house to be kept as a museum. If the vase is some day broken by a coat carelessly swished by one of the few who visit, it will not be reported, even in the local press. Of course, there are many such vases. Like a child's goldfish, it can be replaced and no-one will know.
Interesting, Cath. Thank you for submitting.
FlashbackAs revellers gathered to celebrate a nation's birthday, Margaret sat in her small living room nursing a cup of tea. The arthritis in her fingers made it difficult to hold the cup.Too often now she would find herself suddenly old after slipping back in time. It had become harder to hide the confusion and she saw the concern loved ones tried to conceal.At dusk the sky exploded with the flash of bombs. Margret cowered paralyzed with fear. The London of her youth already stolen, she braced herself as the Blitz continued wondering if she would survive this attack.
Nice, Janet. I like the little details that put the reader there, like the arthritis. The way she slips back in time without actually stating this is well done. Thanks for submitting.