Here’s the first in a new series of articles for the blog. It’s simple, every so often I’m going to set a writing challenge. The more of you who join in and have a go the better. Just so it’s fair, I’ll also step up and share my attempt so you can all have a good laugh before you try it for yourselves.
The 3 Minute Story
Today’s challenge is the 3 Minute Story. It’s as simple as it sounds, but beware because it’s far more tricky than you could ever imagine. It’s both a race against time and against your own imagination. Here’s what you do:
- Think up a theme for your story.
- Make up some names for your characters. Writing any more than three characters will be nearly impossible.
- Go find a timer/stopwatch (easily found on Google).
- Start writing!
The only rules are that you must stop writing as soon as the stopwatch hits 3 minutes (no cheating!), you’re not allowed to re-draft but you can go back through and correct spelling/punctuation and you’re not allowed to pre-plan your story in any way at all.
So, make your writing quick, snappy and compact. Once you’ve finished the challenge, it would be great if you all shared the results at the end of this article by leaving the finished piece as a comment. Here’s what I managed to come up with:
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Theme: Revenge
Twelve years. Twelve long years since Ilar had looked upon the face of the man he hated most in the world. There he stood, smug as anything and waiting for him to make a move.
‘You’re weak, aren’t you boy?’ Zadai taunted. ‘You’re but a babe still hanging on the apron-strings of your mother.’
Ilar bared his teeth and cried: ‘Keep your damn mouth shut. Your words are poison to me.’
Bringing his heavy blade to bear, Ilar readied himself, sounded a battlecry and charged at the man he had longed to kill. Twelve years. Plenty of time to plan revenge.
* * *
Related articles
- My Writing Challenge – Full List of Posts (mywritingnotebook.com)
- The Value of 20 Minutes a Day (lenleatherwood.wordpress.com)
- Putting them through hell (kasiajames.wordpress.com)
- Neil Gaiman Says Write (idlelore.com)
- What I Learned About Writing Books . . . from Writing Books (bkfuller.wordpress.com)
- Mixing It Up Writers Challenge (butterflydress.wordpress.com)
Fantasy In Motion 
Theme: A Dwarf’s Honor
Hagar al-Kohul knew what was at stake. His ginger beard weighed heavily on his weather-worn features. He would not be swayed away by the words of the naysayers who told him it could not be done.
There were many things valuable to a dwarf. Axes, the knowledge of rocks and minerals; just the proper ways to turn them from a deluge of dirt to a flow of wealth, to feed he and his kin for days to come.
With a groan, Hagar picked up his axe, pulled on his leathers and fastened his shield onto his arm. He started the trek from his rocky abode and crossed the street.
Dwarven urchins stared, cluttering together and slowly letting their mouths hang agape in wonder. Other men, stronger dwarves than he, nodded grimly and knew the path he took.
And behold, before him, was the stronghold in which his destination lay. He pushed open the door and bellowed his challenge.
Across form him, the dark form of Biramelekh stood. The mightiest of them all, who stood unchallenged.
“Ye know what aye’m ‘ere fer,” Hagar said.
Biramelekh nodded bitterly, and reached into the depths of the counter. He slid one tankard of the foul-smelling fluids, foaming like a volcano, to Hagar.
There was but one sip, one sip to end them all and one sip — in inebriation to bind them. And Hagar was satisfied once more.
To hell with sobriety, pride of the dwarves was a strong bock.
Very nice story! Thanks for giving it a go.
No problem! I’ll have to keep my eye out for any other challenges from ya.
Theme: Fear
Day three. Or maybe it was day four now. Hannah had lost track of time after the last touch. She was sure she hadn’t intended to let them in but it had still happened. There was no way of knowing what had occurred in the time she had been unconscious but she could sense the residue of the fever it always brought with it. Her chest rose and fell in quick succession and her vision was blurred by a yellow tinge. It had to stop. The last time had been so bad that she still hadn’t left the house. As she got up and pushed open the door, she took a deep breath, knowing that she wouldn’t like what she was about to witness. She never did.
Nice one 🙂
Thanks for the track back, you’ve got a great site going here.
No problem. Thanks for your comment, very kind of you to visit 🙂