Hey hey writertron! Here’s your Flash Face Off prompts for the week.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and find out what we’re actually doing. Or quick links here:
Book the Flash Face Off live reading
The week’s prompts are:
COMPASS Vs IMPASSE
But even now you find yourself often at gas stations. The magnetic pit of need within you points there like a compass. You step inside, and the door chime plays too loudly, and the cashier does not look at you.
Speedway Families by Connor Harding in Flash Frog
Bring your black and white branches.
Lay your icy clouds on the table.
The roads are impassable.
Snow Pudding by Jane Duran
I light a cigarette to put off the journey till later / To put off all journeys till later / To put off the entire universe till later.
Compass by Mathias Énard
easy to have something
stick in the mind all it takes
is a moment of inattention
but to get it out is harder
another thing altogether
big inept stuck-in-the-mind
simply stands cap in hand
panting like a stable of studs
not clear how to address it
“Sir” would be too much
“beat it Jack” — would be too familiar
so stuck means stuck stocky and apathetic
Stuck in the Mind by Zbigniew Herbert
Close up of a compass by Barby Dalbosco on UnSplash
Architecture’s tools By Orsna on Pixabay
Fallen tree by Quick PS on UnSplash
Two people in bed by sasint on Pixabay
What are these prompts for please?
Every week, we post a set of flash fiction prompts. You write a super small story (500 words or fewer), post it on our forums, give and receive feedback, and at the end of the month we pick our faves for a Friday night online open mic night. It’s pretty amazingly awesome and you should definitely join us. Yes you should.
It works like this:
Use the prompts to write in any way that inspires you. Pick a side, pick both, pick a quote or pick an image, or just go with the general aesthetic and vibe of the themes. Whatever floats your writerly hoozits. And remember—flash doesn’t have to be dark and traumatic to be effective.
Edit your writing into a beaut 500 word story and post it on the Flash Face Off forums (please submit no more than 2 stories per week thanks!)
While you’re waiting for the awesome writerly community to read your story and offer wise words and critique, read at least two other stories and give your constructive feedback.
That’s it! At the end of every month we gather all our faves and have a big ol’ open mic party. Sign up here.
NO WAIT ONE MORE THING!
Please do make good use of the workshopping forums to offer feedback to others, receive feedback on your own story, and tweak/edit as much as you like. This really is the absolute best way to develop your writing (and it’s a really nice way to be part of this
Ok now we’re really done. Go write.
