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:
CANDLES Vs BULBS
Under Sewerby Hall’s Lantern of Demosthenes
I found a pebble the exact shape of a light bulb.
Then, suddenly, as if in one of my old Beanos,
another lit above my head in a thought bubble
An Arbitrary Light Bulb by Ian Duhig
A candle is made of paraffin wax,
made of petrol, crude oil debajo
de la tierra,
donde viven los difuntos.
When I say difuntos,
I mean we come from seeds.
A candle is a spine that holds all
our bodies.
How Candles Are Made by Lupe Mendez
Light is good company, when alone; I took my comfort where I found it, and the warmest yellow bulb in the living-room lamp had become a kind of radiant babysitter all its own.
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
The letter was the first thing I noticed when I walked inside. It was on the table as I’d asked, and it sat next to a burning candle, one I’d never seen, one that dripped with wax a bit too freely. The power was out, the place more silent than a mime fight.
On My Day Off by Benjamin Niespodziany in Lost Balloon
Electrical System, by Nancy Holt, 1982
Candle, by Gerhard Richter, 1983
There is always Hope by Ron Smith on UnSplash
Bulbs by Annie Spratt on UnSplash
Table with Candles and Glasses by Siednji Leon
Bear Candle by Matt Kowalczyk on Flickr
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.