Farms Above the City
A young entrepreneur decides to bring farming into a bustling city by creating micro-farms on unused building spaces, like balconies and empty lots. Detail their challenges—from battling city regulations to convincing residents of its benefits—and their first taste of success.
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.
- Set it all in one day.
- Make the conflict something the reader has faced themselves.
- Keep what the hero wants and what they need in tension.
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
- Three Days Without PowerDescribe the intertwined lives of residents in an urban high-rise during a citywide blackout that lasts for three days. Explore their interactions…
- The Garden's Buried MapAn urban gardener discovers an old, encrypted map buried in a communal plot in a city park, suggesting a hidden treasure or a forgotten piece of the…
- The Corner GroceryCraft a story set in a gentrifying neighborhood, centering around a small, family-owned grocery store struggling to stay afloat amidst the changes.…
- Three Views of the Park SculptureA small, overlooked city park becomes the center of controversy when a local artist unveils a provocative sculpture. Write from the perspective of…
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