No Workout Gear Required
That is, unless you really want an excuse to buy some new yoga pants, or that cute top that’s on sale, then go ahead. Tell your hubby it’s necessary for your “exercise regime.” He doesn’t need to know you’re planning on working out your mind. Besides, some days just getting those creative juices flowing can be considered work. Besides fighting off the distractions of social media, getting your mind focused on the story can be exhausting.
Granted, writers need to keep moving to stay healthy and on
top of their health, but the same thing can happen to your writing muscles if
you don’t use them. Your story might get stagnant, or you forget the direction
it was heading, or you hit a wall with the dreaded writers block.
How Can Flash Fiction Help?
There are lots of definitions on word count for Flash Fiction,
including the 6-word story, but most consist of writing a tight, complete story
in a few hundred words. It might hint at a larger story but the piece can stand
on its own.
This is a great way to practice trimming the fat from your stories. When every
single word counts, you tend to notice…
·
Extra, unnecessary words
·
Backstory dumping
·
Excessive dialogue tags
Plus, as a bonus, it helps you practice writing
a concise tweet (140 characters or less
is not much to work with—challenge accepted?)…and it’s fun!
So…You Wanna See How Good You Are?
Writing prompts can be a great way to become inspired to
write a flash fiction piece. Some people choose to use a picture to develop a
story, you can buy a book of prompts, or just Google writing prompts to find
tons of places to choose prompts from or compete with other writers.
You can use this writing exercise to wake up your muse at the start of your day, or if
you need to crank up your creativity. Once the juices are flowing you can
return to other writing with fresh inspiration.
Show & Tell
I’ll share one of mine. This is my 250-word prompt on aging.
THE MIRROR NEVER LIES (241
words)
“Where’s my baby?”
“Here
you go, Elizabeth, she’s fine.” Judy handed her the doll. “Let’s get dressed.”
“George likes me in red.
He says it showcases my hair.”
“How about this, then?”
Judy laid the flowered dress on the bed.
Elizabeth gently set the
doll aside. “She’s not crying anymore.”
“Perhaps Joan will visit
this weekend,” Judy said.
“George is the only one
who calls me Beth,” she slid the dress over her head. “Is he here for dinner?”
“Not tonight, but it’s your
favorite dish.” Judy brushed her hair. “How shall we fix it?”
“I used to wear it in
braids.” She wrinkled her nose. “But I think it looks better down.”
“How about a nice
barrette?” Judy offered several.
“I like this one, it’s
pretty,” she giggled. “George says I’m pretty, maybe we’ll get hitched one
day.”
Judy raised a brow. “I
think there’s a good chance of that. How about shoes? These look comfortable.”
“Shouldn’t I wear heels
with my dress? What will the other ladies think?”
“Oh, these are all the rage.”
Judy pointed at her own white sneakers.
“Alright, but I thought
the war was over. Why isn’t George home?” Elizabeth pouted.
“All your friends are
waiting.” Judy helped her stand and they walked past the mirror.
Elizabeth gasped. “Who is
that old woman?” She pointed at the reflection. “She’s wearing the same dress
as me! People will talk.”
“It looks better on you,”
Judy whispered.
Do You Have a Favorite Writing—or get ready for summer-Exercise? Please share it so we can ‘get in physical & mental shape for summer’ together.
