The Farewell Bus Tour
A retired public transit driver decides to ride all the bus routes in the city as a farewell tour and unknowingly becomes a hero by helping various passengers along the way with his wisdom and kindness. Chronicle his journey and the lives he touches.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Give your main character a job you know well, and use its details.
- Let a minor character change the ending.
- Set it all in one day.
Writing contemporary fiction
People like us, now, in trouble we recognize.
Contemporary fiction is set in the present day and deals with life as it's actually lived: families, marriages, friendships, work, loss. It sits between literary and commercial fiction, often shelved as book club or upmarket fiction.
What readers expect
- A present-day, realistic setting
- Relatable, flawed characters
- Emotional stakes over action
- Issues readers face themselves
A tip before you start
Today is your setting, so use it: the group chat, the parking ticket, the brand of cereal. Specifics make it feel true.
More Urban Fiction prompts
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- Open Mind DayImagine a world where everyone in the city can hear each other's thoughts for one day every year, known as "Open Mind Day". Write about how this day…
- Farms Above the CityA young entrepreneur decides to bring farming into a bustling city by creating micro-farms on unused building spaces, like balconies and empty lots.…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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