Postcards from Unknown Cities
Tell the story of a character who begins receiving postcards from cities they’ve never visited, all signed with the same enigmatic initials. As they piece together clues in an attempt to discover the sender’s identity, they also embark on a journey of self-discovery.
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.
- End on a small gesture rather than a speech.
- Give your main character a job you know well, and use its details.
- Let a minor character change the ending.
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
- Coincidences on the City BlockDevelop a narrative where the protagonist, after experiencing a profound loss, begins to notice peculiar coincidences that suggest an underlying…
- 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…
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