A Novelist Moves to Paris
Describe the journey of a woman who, after a successful career and an empty nest, decides to move to Paris on a whim, seeking inspiration for the novel she has always wanted to write.
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.
- Make the conflict something the reader has faced themselves.
- Keep what the hero wants and what they need in tension.
- Tell it through the messages, notes or voicemails the characters leave.
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 Women's Fiction prompts
- The Sisters' Buried ScandalThree sisters reunite in their childhood home in the Midwest for their mother's 70th birthday. Over the weekend, old conflicts resurface, secrets are…
- The Reunion WeekendExplore the story of three high school friends who reunite in their hometown for their 20th reunion. Each woman brings with her a life filled with…
- The Divorce Blog Goes ViralDescribe the journey of a woman who, after a public divorce, moves to a new city to restart her life. Along the way, she starts a blog that…
- Three Women and the VineyardTell the tale of three generations of women from the same family who come together to save the family vineyard during a particularly challenging…
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