The Road Trip Promise
In 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 they travel, the landscapes they cross bring to light unresolved issues and a secret that could destroy their bond.
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.
- Give your main character a job you know well, and use its details.
- Let a minor character change the ending.
- Set it all in one day.
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
- 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…
- The Thrift Store LetterImagine a character who finds an old, unmailed letter in the pocket of a vintage coat purchased at a thrift store. Driven by curiosity, the character…
- The Garden GraveImagine a story where the main character is an amateur gardener who discovers a mysterious, unmarked grave in their backyard. Delve into how this…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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