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Flash Challenge #72 is about to begin!
A little competition never hurt anybody. No, wait. A little writing never hurt anybody. Hmm, that doesn’t seem right either… Okay, how’s this: join, login, write, and nobody gets hurt. Yeah. I can get behind that 100%. Prompts go up early Sunday. You have until Tuesday night to view the prompt. Write a story, a scene, an idea, whatever you can make, heads or tails. But careful: once you get the prompt, you only have 90 minutes. It’s like a race, kinda. But without the panting and sweat. It’s easier on the knees, anyway. Do you have what it takes?
Yes! Sign me up >>
Read last week’s entries >>
By Richard | October 1, 2008

Dear SMYL,
I want to write a novel but I have absolutely no discipline or motivation. None, whatsoever…
See just there? I almost stopped writing this letter. That’s how bad it is. I should go back to bed. What can I do?
Indifferently,
Lazy in N.Dak.
Dear Lazy,
Participate in our 100 Word-a-Day Novel Writing Challenge!
- SMYL
Dear SMYL,
I am constantly revising-
I am continually revising-
I can’t make it past my first line! Help!
Sincerely,
Insecure in Oklahoma
Dear Insecure,
Participate in our 100 Word-a-Day Novel Writing Challenge!
- SMYL
Choose any two or more among the following prompts. You can ignore the really ingenious or complicated ones if you so choose.

Pick one of the following reflections (although you may choose more than one if you are a glutton for punishment. Although this instruction tells you to “reflect” you need not include such a reflection within the flash story but only briefly refer to some product of your reflection):
- 1)Reflect upon something from the Hippie Era (or whatever term you find non-prejudicial in reference to the time of Peace and Love in the 1960s.) however loosely connected and show some contrast between it and the modern era (or another era such as historical period where your flash may be set). You do not need to refer to the aspect of the Hippie Era by name; for example, you might mention the Bohemians of 19th century or Prague, or the wild abandon of the mauve age (the 1890s.) Hippies would be easiest, I think. Neither the character nor the narrative voice need mention hippies, as events can indirectly resonate with the hippie age in the readers mind.
- 2)Reflect upon some aspect, technical or moral or nationalistic or psychological, of the war of the Greatest Generation upon the Nazis, and show some contrast it to the modern era or another era such as historical period where your flash may be set.
- 3)Reflect upon some aspect of how technology of communication affects culture, and you can use communication in any period or two periods of history you chose.
Hey, this “reflect upon” thing is a pretty cool prompt-except that it is too damn hard to simply read.


- Fashion is nothing but an induced epidemic.
George Bernard Shaw
- If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.
George Bernard Shaw


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Best of the Best:
All the Tea in China by JayMG
Best Flash:
Scion by Michael Smith
All the Tea in China by JayMG
Half and None by Errid
Best Narrative Voice:
Scion by Michael Smith
Anzio, 1944 and 1961 by fayfran
All the Tea in China by JayMG
Best Characterization:
The Shrunken Distance by Copperstone
Royalty Free by Pepper
All the Tea in China by JayMG
Half and None by Errid
Best Setting Development:
Royalty Free by Pepper
The Face Pressed to Mine by Anonymous
Political Potential by Roman Wilderness
Best Dialogue:
The Effect of Technology on the Will to Rise Up Against Oppression by Mark DeMoss
Political Potential by Roman Wilderness
Best Use of Topic:
Scion by Michael Smith
Anzio, 1944 and 1961 by fayfran |