There is a type of novel called a roman à clef, which is French for a “novel with a key”. It is a story based on real events or real people where the names or other details are changed.

You can do this with short stories too. It is a good way not only to get ideas for a story, but also a way to tell stories from your life in a fictional setting.

It’s good to change the names of people in the story, but you can also change the setting, the genre, or other details. Why would you do this? There are several reasons: to protect actual people in the story, to be able to add fictional details to make for a better story, or just to tell an event from your life in an entirely new way. It’s up to you.

Story Prompt: October 17, 2022

Write a story based on an event from your life.

If you want to share your story, you can either email me at info@greenwalledtreehouse.com or submit it at the link here. I’d love to publish your story as well.