Coincidences on the City Block
Develop a narrative where the protagonist, after experiencing a profound loss, begins to notice peculiar coincidences that suggest an underlying connection between strangers' lives in a bustling city neighborhood. Explore themes of interconnectedness and destiny.
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 literary fiction
Who is this person, really?
Literary fiction cares most about character, language and meaning. Plot still matters, but it serves the inner life. These are the books that win prizes and start arguments in book clubs, and they ask to be read slowly.
What readers expect
- Rich inner lives
- Prose that rewards attention
- Themes that linger
- Endings that may stay open
A tip before you start
Read your pages aloud. In literary fiction the rhythm of a sentence is part of what you're promising.
More Literary Fiction prompts
- Notes from the Coastal BookshopWrite a story in which a character inherits a small, independent bookstore in a quaint coastal town. The previous owner leaves behind a series of…
- The Road Trip PromiseIn a tale of friendship and betrayal, create a scenario where two lifelong friends embark on a road trip to fulfill a mutual friend’s dying wish. As…
- Saving the Corner CaféConstruct a tale centered around a small, family-run café that is on the brink of closure. Introduce a cast of regular customers, each with their own…
- Saving the Family BookstoreCraft a tale around a small, family-owned bookstore that is on the verge of closing. Introduce a cast of characters including the family members…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
Plans from $9.99 a month. Cancel any time. Your words are always yours.