Kathy fish, Writing Prompts & Craft Articles

Bonus Unexpected Sabbatical: March 23

Same Song, Three Verses

Welch Witch

Today, I invite you to embrace some playfulness and boldness in your flash. Your prompt:

Write the same ONE paragraph story THREE TIMES. Keep repeating the same elements, but change something in each version that takes the story in a new direction. See how this changes the overall arc from the first to the last story. See how you can create a sense of movement and rising tension simply by moving things around. Do not be afraid to get a bit strange or surreal in this. Keep subverting the reader’s expectations.

An example is my own “Three Likely Stories” which was published in The Forge Literary Magazine.

If you need a nudge, here are some words/images you might incorporate:

Stevie Nicks!

kangaroo

thunderstorm

an extra dry martini

basketball

“I make my own rules.”

hand sanitizer