To end the year, I’ve decided to spotlight my top 10 favorite blog posts from 2015. Each of these made a special impact on me and readers, so I hope you enjoy them (again or for the first time). Today, I present to you my 9th favorite post from the past year:
Can You Write A Story In 150 Words
Writing stories under 1,500 words is tough. Writing stories under 150 words is insane! That’s why I liked this post. It offered a tough, but terrific challenge to writers (including myself). It also offered a lot of fun.
So, check out the details below and, if you haven’t already, consider entering one of Ad Hoc Fiction’s free contests!
A few weeks ago, my online writer’s group introduced me to a weekly flash fiction contest hosted by Ad Hoc Fiction. Basically, writers are given a prompt word (ex: feather, bark, note) and must incorporate it into a 150-worded story…Yep! That’s it. Just 150 words to address all the vital components of a story and satisfy readers.
*gulp*
Once the deadline passes, the submissions are posted on Ad Hoc’s website and the public votes for a winner. It’s free (yes, FREE), it’s fun, and it’s a great way to challenge yourself. So give it a shot! Whether you want to learn, warm up, or win, you’re sure to have a blast with Ad Hoc Fiction.
Below is a story I submitted a few weeks ago. The prompt word I had to include was “plaster.” Enjoy!
“Crumb Layer”
by Jenna Willett
When I was little, my mom would let me help her frost cakes. “Remember, Annie,” she’d say, “the first layer is the crumb layer. You frost, wait, frost again, and—voila! See?” She’d point at a finished cake. No crumbs, no blemishes. The decorating method worked beautifully.
It still does.
I hum to myself as I spread a second layer of white goo over the crumbly surface. I dip, swirl, smear, and wipe my metal spatula down and up, left to right. Over and over. I work carefully, but quickly. I have to. Even with the heater on, the house is cold and the cold makes things set faster.
I give one final swipe and stand back to study my handiwork.
I smile.
The plastered wall looks great. With a layer of paint, it’ll look perfect.
Nobody will ever suspect I hid a dead body behind it.
To learn more about the contest and Ad Hoc Fiction, click here.
Photo credits: 1
Yep! That’s it. Just 150 words to address all the vital components of a story and satisfy readers.
Jen's Pen Den 