Her Startup Against the Odds
Imagine a young female entrepreneur who starts an innovative tech company in a male-dominated industry, facing not only the usual startup struggles but also relentless skepticism and bias. Detail her journey of balancing her personal life with her career, and the mentors and foes she encounters along the way.
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.
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- 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…
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