I recently attended a wedding online, meaning the bride, the groom, and the officiant were all in different locations, even in different countries for some of them. It got me thinking of the unique setting for stories that online video calls present. For example:

• You cannot smell anything online
• You can be doing something else while you are on the video call that the others there can’t see
• You can be talking to more than one group at a time through chats
• There are technical difficulties that can either stop or interrupt the call
• In the future, it’s possible you won’t be able to know if the people on the video call are real or AI-generated

All of this presents opportunities for extra conflict beyond the normal conflicts between people. It is a good chance to experiment with story forms as well, especially if you have multiple chats or video calls happening at the same time. At the same time, it gives constraints since the whole story has to happen with a phone or computer or such device.

Story Prompt: September 28, 2026

Write a story that takes place on a video call

If you write a story for this prompt, send me a link to your story on your own site, either in the comments or at info@greenwalledtreehouse.com.

Enjoy the cooler weather.