Faith in a Moral Crisis
Write a story about a small, close-knit community facing a moral dilemma that challenges their religious beliefs. Explore how different characters respond to the crisis and how it affects their relationships with each other and their faith.
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.
- Tell it through the messages, notes or voicemails the characters leave.
- Write the scene everyone else would skip: the morning after.
- End on a small gesture rather than a speech.
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 Contemporary Faith Fiction prompts
- The Professor’s Unexplained VisionAfter surviving a near-fatal accident, a renowned atheist professor has an unexplainable spiritual experience. Explore his internal conflict as he…
- Stormbound at the FestivalDuring a large religious festival, a massive storm traps attendees and locals together in a small city. Among them is an atheist doctor and a deeply…
- The Artifact in the AtticCreate a narrative around a religious artifact discovered in an unexpected place, such as a family attic or buried in a public park. How does this…
- Scandal in the ChurchWrite a story about a small town's church community confronting their beliefs when a scandal involving their beloved pastor comes to light. How do the…
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