Tuesday 18 December 2018

FlashFlood Advent Calendar 2018: Day 18



Day 18: He's Makin' A List, Checkin' It Twice

For some people (and not just Father Christmas), December is a month of lists.  Shopping lists.  Gift lists.  To-do lists of Everything that Needs to Get Done before schools break up.  Is NFFD going to give you a break from all this December list making with our latest writing prompt?  Not likely.

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Write a character sketch in the form of a shopping list.  What kind of story can you tell with only a list of items to purchase?  What might a list say about a character's situation, needs and aspirations?  If you'd like an extra constraint, limit your shopping to a grocery store or supermarket.

Try to resist adding in any extra context or information that wouldn't appear on a typical shopping list.

For an extra challenge, try to tell a complete story through your shopping list.  Can you construct a narrative just through the items on the list?  What changes for your character by the end of the list?  Or, can you surprise the reader with a twist-ending of a final item?




And since we love lists so much, let us give you a list of the word counts for upcoming NFFD projects in 2019! 

  • The Anthology: 500 words
  • The Microfiction Competition: 100 words
  • Flash Flood: 500 words
  • The Write-In: ???  (Tell us if you're interested in seeing this project revived!)

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Find out more about National Flash Fiction Day at our website or get in touch if you'd like to learn more about how you can get involved.


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