A Story Every Day - Prompts for January 2024
My streak is about to begin! WISH ME LUCK!
I was going to post this tomorrow, but for those who are joining me I thought you might like a list of prompts a bit sooner, to give your brain a chance to mull on them.
Reminder:
The aim is to post a short story (flash fiction) EVERY DAY in 2024.
Here's the post about it, and the follow-up.
TL;DR
- Word limit is 366 (minimum count 300)
- The prompts are aids only, not challenges (unless you want to use them that way).
- It doesn't have to be perfect. Hopefully a decent standard, but not perfect. Perfection is the enemy of creativity, no? The idea is to get the juices flowing. Stories that are short and sweet, and plenty of them.
- There's a way to keep your streak going if you know in advance you won't be able to get online on certain dates
PROOOOOOMPTS! GITCHORE PROMPTS HERE!
1st (New Year's Day) (It had to be) a story about New Beginnings. Interpret that however you like!
2nd (World Introvert Day) Your main character is an introvert. Any genre, any theme, any perspective.
4th (World Braille Day) A story in the first person where your main character cannot see.
5th (Last Day of Christmas) Sentient Christmas tree decorations.
6th (World Day of War Orphans) Write a story about a child orphaned by war.
8th (Elvis' birthday)
Here's your prompts - choose any of them
- Write a story about a character called Elvis
- Use an Elvis song for inspiration. (Link to it at the start of the story.)
- Some theorise he faked his death. What if he did? Why did he? How did he pull it off? What happened next?
15th (MLK day) Write a story centred around at least one of the issues, themes and qualities MLK is famous for. You've got bags to choose from (this is not an exhaustive list) - segregation, civil rights, disobedience, superb oration. Take your pick.
21st (World Religion Day) Write a story about a fictional religion you've invented
22nd (Cervical Cancer Prevention Week) Write a story with female reproductive health at the centre of it
24th (Day of Education) Write a story set in a school. Base the school, or class, or teacher on the one that was perfect for you, or the one you wish you had.
25th (Burns Night) Include a poem and/or set your story in Scotland
If you have a birthday in January: On your birthday, write a story that is autobiographical, or partly autobiographical.
Photo prompts
Prompts from other Vocal members
(Please leave a small tip for the person who suggested it if you use the prompt)
- From Kenny Penn - Genre: Stoner in Time. Subject: Satisfying revenge. Action: Hanging
- From Stephen Kramer Avitabile - The gravity shifts in, and only in, the main characters house.
From - Alexander McEvoy - Include the line, "I am way too sober for this"
More Prompts
- a title prompt for "Janus", the Roman god with two faces. Use the title Hidden Faces. Someone is not what they seem - a con man, a spy, an assassin, a bigamist with a second family, a shapeshifter, whatever.
- a society where it's unlawful to eat or use animal products
- an undelivered letter changes the course of person's life, or the course of history
- the theme is going sober, or a story set in a "dry" region
- a woman who wants to murder her husband
- someone is trapped in a maze/tomb/laboratory. Why, what happens?
- Start with the line "She made a poor job of hiding the damage"
- a story about a mythical sea creature but NOT a mermaid/merperson
- your main character is a woman who just got her period. It's blue. What now?
- your main character is a child who lives on a farm with strict parent/guardian(s). She wakes up one day with the ability to hear the animals speaking to her.
- a Bond-esque protagonist, but he's not human
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Here are the Vocalites joining me on this adventure (if I've missed you, please let me know in the comments.) Please go and sub if you haven't already, and get your pom poms ready π
Sirena Carroll - The Blind Single Mom
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Thank you for reading! Please leave me a comment so it's easy for me to reciprocate.
More prompts always welcome! π
Comments (27)
Canβt wait to see what treasures emerge. Good luck
Rachel inspired me: https://vocal.media/writers/seven-days-6m1h0w6c
https://vocal.media/poets/january-7th-celebrate-bobblehead-day Jan.7th daily
I submitted 2 stories well over 15 hours ago that are yet to be published. Anyone else going through this issue? Sorry for posting this here, L.C., but trying to keep up with the daily challenge and thought others might be, too.
What a great idea. Loved your story. Iβll have to give this a try too. Thanks for the ideas.
Here's my Jan 4th writing day to day, as best as I can to do that: https://vocal.media/poets/wuthering-heights-sent-to-publisher-on-this-day
Neat, I'm on a list! Awesome collection, LC! Can't wait to see what you bring together throughout the year!
Good luck with this
Still think this is so cool. So many great prompts in there! Iβm excited to try to follow along and read as many as I can. Good luck!
Best wishes to each & everyone of you for a great year of writing. Great prompts, L.C.!
Here's my first effort https://vocal.media/fiction/new-beginnings-0uhj50as4
I am so sorry that I wasn't able to commit to this; the next several months are going to be too full. I will be following the progress of the project, happily binge reading the creations of those who "signed on" and cheering them on.
Can I just say that I feel like I am in good company in this mad escapade? I meant to add that earlier. Forgot. Focusing on ideas and not a lot else. Happy New Year. Got to write a story before tomorrow. Don't panic. It will all be fine. It doesn't have to be good. It just has to be there. Breathe. No pressure.
Oh wow! This is a lot. My head is spinning, but I will reread to get it right. Quite a challenge you have here, sounds interesting. Good luck with it you guys.
I must be mad.
That image. lol. Just. what. lol. Okay. so yeah. This will be fun. Maybe? I'm looking forward to it lol. I meant to ask...and can't remember if it's been covered. Do you want anyone taking part to make a reference to it and all that sorta shizz? Thanks for a whopping great load of prompts. I also meant to ask...do we need to stick to the prompts? Total Paulmoment, asking lots of questions in the last few hours before it all kicks off.
cool idea
These are great. My goal is to Iβm publish an article a day. Some will be fiction but most pieces Iβm writing will be non-fiction pieces that are inspired by life. But the goal is daily.
Oooo, create a new religion, woman who wants to murder her husband and the blue period, those are what intrigued me the most. I wish you or anyone that's joining you would write for thise prompts! π
Good luck!! βΊοΈ
Great stuff L.C.! I'll be doing my own variation of this by writing every day in different genres and not publishing. I'm sure a lot of good will still come out of this development and insight-wise. Plus, I'll have my virtual pom-poms and be "pom-pom-ming" those of you doing this one. RAH-RAH-SIS-BOOM-BAH and keep writing! π
L.C., your works and discipline inspire me to become better by practice. I'll do my best to practice, but can't resolve to do day to day writing. But I'll resolve to try, at least.
All the best... that's an impressive list of great prompts!
Good Luck! The prompts are interesting!
I guess I'm running out of time to commit. Decisions, decisions... BTW, I am thoroughly enjoying Glass Dolls!