Contemporary Fiction writing prompt
The Family Birthday Task
Develop a story about a unique tradition in a family where each member must complete a particular (and peculiar) task when they turn a certain age. Focus on one family member approaching the landmark age and how they prepare for and execute their task.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
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Pick a sprint, start the clock and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
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Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- 1Let a minor character change the ending.
- 2Set it all in one day.
- 3Make the conflict something the reader has faced themselves.
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