The Artist Goes Viral
Describe the life of a struggling artist in a bustling New York City who gains unexpected fame from a viral social media post. Explore the impact of sudden fame on their relationships and self-identity.
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 Contemporary American Fiction prompts
- The Subway Driver's JournalDescribe a day in the life of a New York City subway driver who discovers a lost, handwritten journal on the train and becomes obsessed with finding…
- The Techie in AlaskaTell the story of a Silicon Valley techie who moves to a remote Alaskan village to escape the pressures of the tech world, only to find that the small…
- The Intern and the ScandalDescribe the life-changing day of a young Wall Street intern who accidentally discovers confidential information that could lead to a major financial…
- The Green Business GambleExplore the life of an entrepreneur who starts an innovative, eco-friendly business in a big city, but struggles with balancing their personal ethics…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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