I was first introduced to this idea on Jeffrey Callison's Sacramento NPR radio interview show called Insight. He interviewed Jason Sinclair Long about his blog "Flash Fiction 365". You can hear the interview here.
The challenge is to write a micro-story each day. The length of the story is determined by throwing a pair of dice, preferably of different colors. One color represents the tens digit and the other the ones digit. So the story can be from 11 to 66 words. Of course some lengths are left out using this method. You could also use one die and throw it twice. Or use a die with 8 sides. Or you can do what I did and create a random number generator in Excel. This method doesn't miss any of the numbers. Mine will return a random number between 11 and 99. I am happy to share the formula if you email me.
The title is not part of the word count. Most word processors have a word count function that is very useful. You can start with a title or add it later or you can have someone suggest a title. Even though the original idea is to write a story, I plan to include poetry and perhaps essay.
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Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Story: 139
Words: 86
Title: Night Scene
It was early evening as he walked along the city street taking in the sights and sounds.
Hay, she said from the steps of one of those great Victorians downtown.
Ah, hay, he said turning toward the voice.
What brings you out tonight?
The city. And you?
The people going by.
Yeah, it’s cool imagining them going to a club or maybe to dinner.
Or coming home late from work.
Want to go get a coffee?
Maybe a mocha.
And some chocolate.
It’s an awesome night, isn’t it?
Words: 86
Title: Night Scene
It was early evening as he walked along the city street taking in the sights and sounds.
Hay, she said from the steps of one of those great Victorians downtown.
Ah, hay, he said turning toward the voice.
What brings you out tonight?
The city. And you?
The people going by.
Yeah, it’s cool imagining them going to a club or maybe to dinner.
Or coming home late from work.
Want to go get a coffee?
Maybe a mocha.
And some chocolate.
It’s an awesome night, isn’t it?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Story: 135
Words: 56
Title: Time Out of Time
Time.
What?
I said, time.
And?
Not enough of it-it just slips away.
What are you talking about.
Maybe it’s about getting older, but time is speeding up, don’t you think?
I hadn’t thought much about it, yeah, maybe some.
I feel desperate right now.
To get it all done before you die?
No, we’re damn out of beer!
Words: 56
Title: Time Out of Time
Time.
What?
I said, time.
And?
Not enough of it-it just slips away.
What are you talking about.
Maybe it’s about getting older, but time is speeding up, don’t you think?
I hadn’t thought much about it, yeah, maybe some.
I feel desperate right now.
To get it all done before you die?
No, we’re damn out of beer!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Story: 133
Words: 38
Title: Absolution
The church was cool and damp the day I sat down in the pew to asked for absolution. A stranger sat next to me and said, “You can’t forgive what has not occurred.” I left, having found peace.
Comment: The quote refers to the perspective of A Course in Miracles about forgiveness. You can find it here.
Words: 38
Title: Absolution
The church was cool and damp the day I sat down in the pew to asked for absolution. A stranger sat next to me and said, “You can’t forgive what has not occurred.” I left, having found peace.
Comment: The quote refers to the perspective of A Course in Miracles about forgiveness. You can find it here.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Story: 132
Words: 56
Title: Self-Reflexive
I was talking to myself the other day when I heard that I am a very intelligent person. Nonplussed, I asked what evidence there was to support such a claim. The answer I heard was that it must be true because I came up with the clever assertion. Now, who am I to argue with myself.
Words: 56
Title: Self-Reflexive
I was talking to myself the other day when I heard that I am a very intelligent person. Nonplussed, I asked what evidence there was to support such a claim. The answer I heard was that it must be true because I came up with the clever assertion. Now, who am I to argue with myself.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Story: 130
Words: 74
Title: Unusuals
One thing we know for sure-it was not an animal that clawed at their door last night. The claw marks were too high and too deep…
That’s how the local news started the story. It was all so much embellishment and sensationalism. We all know that vampires don’t claw at doors. So it must have been a Lycan or some other shape-shifting entity. Surprise, when “unusuals” walk the streets how can anything shock us?
Words: 74
Title: Unusuals
One thing we know for sure-it was not an animal that clawed at their door last night. The claw marks were too high and too deep…
That’s how the local news started the story. It was all so much embellishment and sensationalism. We all know that vampires don’t claw at doors. So it must have been a Lycan or some other shape-shifting entity. Surprise, when “unusuals” walk the streets how can anything shock us?
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Story: 129
Words: 56
Title: Casino
Spent a long day at the casino pulling handles and throwing dice. The free drinks keep me lubed but the free buffet wasn’t worth it. I dropped a couple of c-notes before long. The smoke was too much to take so I had to leave. I spent the rest of the day coughing up my losses.
Words: 56
Title: Casino
Spent a long day at the casino pulling handles and throwing dice. The free drinks keep me lubed but the free buffet wasn’t worth it. I dropped a couple of c-notes before long. The smoke was too much to take so I had to leave. I spent the rest of the day coughing up my losses.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Story: 125
Words: 62
Title: Alone
He woke hungry as he got up from last night’s bed in the alley, knees stiff, a bit dizzy. He gather the few belongs he still owned and walked to the street. People were already crowding the sidewalk as he started to play his harmonica. He watched a fiver land in his hat. Was that taste in his mouth wine or egg?
Words: 62
Title: Alone
He woke hungry as he got up from last night’s bed in the alley, knees stiff, a bit dizzy. He gather the few belongs he still owned and walked to the street. People were already crowding the sidewalk as he started to play his harmonica. He watched a fiver land in his hat. Was that taste in his mouth wine or egg?
Monday, April 12, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, April 09, 2010
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Story: 118
Words: 51
Title: Reciprocation
He asked, Would you get me a glass of water while you’re up?
She answered, Sure.
She returned and snuggled into his shoulder to watch the TV.
The next day:
She asked, Can you bring in the clothes from the dryer?
He said, Right after this play.
She said, Pause it.
Words: 51
Title: Reciprocation
He asked, Would you get me a glass of water while you’re up?
She answered, Sure.
She returned and snuggled into his shoulder to watch the TV.
The next day:
She asked, Can you bring in the clothes from the dryer?
He said, Right after this play.
She said, Pause it.
Monday, April 05, 2010
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Story: 116
Words: 71
Title: Salvation
The Easter-egg-resurrection-bunny had come early to the Smyth household. When they had all converged in the kitchen they found a note on the table:
“Find all the eggs and you will be granted salvation.”
Not ones to let opportunity go by, they started the egg hunt. An hour later they had 13 eggs. But how many had been hidden?
Two weeks later the rotten egg smell dispelled any hope of salvation.
Words: 71
Title: Salvation
The Easter-egg-resurrection-bunny had come early to the Smyth household. When they had all converged in the kitchen they found a note on the table:
“Find all the eggs and you will be granted salvation.”
Not ones to let opportunity go by, they started the egg hunt. An hour later they had 13 eggs. But how many had been hidden?
Two weeks later the rotten egg smell dispelled any hope of salvation.
Saturday, April 03, 2010
Friday, April 02, 2010
Story: 114
Words: 76
Title: April Fool
“What’s with the long face?” he asked.
“Just got fired,” was the reply.
He orders pizza and a pitcher and says, “Wow. That’s the pits.”
“Yeah, just when I was getting out of debt and stuff.”
“How long can you hold out?”
“A few months, not much more.”
The pizza and beer arrive and they eat and drink in silence.
“April fool!” he exclaims.
“That was yesterday,” he says.
“Yea, thanks for the beer and pizza.”
Words: 76
Title: April Fool
“What’s with the long face?” he asked.
“Just got fired,” was the reply.
He orders pizza and a pitcher and says, “Wow. That’s the pits.”
“Yeah, just when I was getting out of debt and stuff.”
“How long can you hold out?”
“A few months, not much more.”
The pizza and beer arrive and they eat and drink in silence.
“April fool!” he exclaims.
“That was yesterday,” he says.
“Yea, thanks for the beer and pizza.”
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Story: 113
Words: 97
Title: Point of View
Jean,
Just got settled at the Holiday Inn Express in Cape Town and thought I would drop you an email. The Cape Doctor is blowing today, so the visibility is great. I can see Table Mountain which seems to isolate the city from the rest of the African continent. So far I can say this is not a town I would choose to visit. It has a bad vibe and the people speak this Afrikaans language which sounds weird.
What ever happened with that meth lab up the street from our house? Anybody get busted?
Love, John
Words: 97
Title: Point of View
Jean,
Just got settled at the Holiday Inn Express in Cape Town and thought I would drop you an email. The Cape Doctor is blowing today, so the visibility is great. I can see Table Mountain which seems to isolate the city from the rest of the African continent. So far I can say this is not a town I would choose to visit. It has a bad vibe and the people speak this Afrikaans language which sounds weird.
What ever happened with that meth lab up the street from our house? Anybody get busted?
Love, John
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