The Blackout on Ice
On the coldest day of the year, the power goes out in a densely populated neighborhood. Amidst this chaos, two strangers—a seasoned local and a newcomer—navigate through dark, icy streets helping others. Explore their conversations, the urban landscape by night, and how their relationship evolves in this shared adversity.
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.
More Urban Fiction prompts
- The Restaurant’s Second ChanceImagine a young chef is trying to bring a sabotaged family restaurant back to its former glory in a gentrifying neighborhood. Along the way, they…
- The Farewell Bus TourA retired public transit driver decides to ride all the bus routes in the city as a farewell tour and unknowingly becomes a hero by helping various…
- The Cab's Midnight PassengersImagine a character who works as a cab driver in a bustling metropolis. Over the course of one night shift, they encounter several passengers who…
- The Sound Repairer's SilenceImagine a world where urban sounds (traffic, construction, people) create energy. Describe the life of a technician who repairs broken sound…
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.