Fiction Writing Exercises
Hello,
today I did a trusty old Google search for fiction writing exercises and got to this site here. The key with these things is to have fun with them and see what you can come up with. So I’ll try one that comes up, on page 4 called The 81 word story as described on the site like this:
This exercise encourages you to write a complete story using very few words, and helps you learn how to avoid overwriting. When undertaking this exercise, it’s essential to edit your work carefully. Strip out anything unnecessary and make every word count. Here’s how it works:
- Take any novel from your bookshelf
- Turn to page 9
- Take the 9th word from the 9th line on the page
- Use that word to start a story
- Write a story that is exactly 81 words long
- If you’re feeling particularly clever, use 9 sentences that are 9 words long
The book I took off my book shelf is Salem’s Lot by Stephen King. The 9th word on the 9th line on the 9th page is “Son.” So here goes my 81 word story.
Son, I have a son. That was the dream of every reigning monarch for thousands of years. Then darkness fell over the kingdom. And I did not want my son to have to face the invasion. He is hidden where you will never find him. Along with my queen and princesses. Like a good king, husband and father, I give up my life for their safety and for the freedom of my people I’ve sworn to protect. That is my legacy.
I hope you enjoyed it, I’ll probably try another one sometime in the future.
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