Submit a poem or short story of 100 words or less, inspired by a weekly photo in this fun, flash fiction group. You can read submissions or add your work HERE, or click on the little blue guy at the bottom. Writing tips, typo alerts and comments welcome, as long as they are respectful and helpful, not hateful.
Category: Writing
Words: 98
Rating: PG-13
copyright el appleby
“Talk about brain-dead!” she shouted.
Every week a small group of talented writers gathered together over a shared photo prompt, to write a story. Only this week, NOTHING! She gazed at the picture and thought about teen fads, twisted kids with sewing needles, serial killers who left odd clues and particle accelerators, but still she drew a blank! What was left? A circus train accident? Cloning, genetic mutation?
Flipping her computer the bird, she grabbed a beer, signed off and leaned into her lounge chair to watch the frogs around her pond.
“Maybe next week,” she muttered.
Musings From the Turnip Patch 
Dear Turnip,
I laughed out loud. I could just see her flipping off her computer. What a fun non-story.
shalom,
Rochelle
Boy, do I know that feeling! I wrote one about a writer dying in front of his monitor trying to come up with a story for the prompt. Your way is a whole lot better!
I was half-tempted to back out this week too – the inspiration just wouldn’t come. Glad you made it though.
Very clever! I love it.
I think you did a great job! I write about magic all the time, so this was an easy one for me – but I’m not sure what else I could have come up with 🙂
Nothing wrong with the brewski finger cure and a post card to say , “see you next week.”
Ah, the brewski, finger cure! Do I need a prescription?
I’ve been to this point more than once during the time I’ve been part of FF. Usually when I’ve given up completely, something comes to mind. I can see we’re going to change the name from Friday Fictioneers, as people are beginning to do non-fiction as well. Good jog!
janet
Why, what ever do you mean? This is a a writer, a figment of my imagination in this story. Surely I would never flip off my lap top. 🙂
“Oh, no, of course not”, I said hastily. 🙂
Now I feel bad for sending in such a hard prompt. If it’s any consolation, I was stumped too when my photo came up – seriously! I love your non-story. 😀
I think the prompt was fine! It was my mind that went on vacation this week. If you see it wandering around somewhere, would you send it home?
I’ll take responsibility, EL. You just sent me the photo. I decided to use it. And I don’t feel bad at all.
And you shouldn’t feel bad lol. I think it worked out as it was meant to be. I enjoy my little story, the frustrated writer in his/her glory. 🙂
Hope you enjoyed that beer!
I enjoyed two actually, and the pond. Er, I mean the made up girl in this story did.
This was me until an hour ago! Well written, nonetheless!
Thank you.
Yup. Sometimes it goes like that, and then at the last moment, something really cool comes out, like this piece. Good one!
I didn’t struggle with this week’s prompt. You describe how this block feels well.
Sometimes, that’s just exactly the way it goes.
🙂
(Though not for me, not this week.)
I don’t call that “giving up” at all.
Scott
Mine:
Very clever. How about the circus train accident? I’d loved to see that worked into a story – not sure 100 words would be enough though. 🙂
A lot of good ideas, and I certainly have seen a few materialized in the community but yours was better.
lol oh but you’ve listed plenty of brilliant ideas there!
I’ve felt like doing that to my computer sometimes. 🙂 Quite a clever idea, to write a story about not being able to write a story. I like your ideas though.