There are a lot of stories written about money, usually either trying to get a lot of it, such as in a bank robbery story, or not having enough of it. The lack of money, specifically, is a very common source of conflict. Money can’t solve all problems, but it can solve a lot of…
Nowoman’s Land
Nowoman’s Land Her arthritic fingers ached as she laid kindling in the fireplace, checking for moisture. The surrounding bomb-blasted houses provided plenty of wood, but most was wet, which made smoke. Smoke spotted from her chimney would mean certain death. She was boiling water when she heard a crash. She crouched, peering out. Below, three…
Muse on Monday – February 13, 2023
Story Prompt: February 13, 2023 Write a story based on the picture below: This is a picture I made with my niece. It has kind of a creepy feeling, but that doesn’t mean you need to write a creepy story if you don’t want to. A lot of the fun of fiction is subverting expectations….
Dawn Run
Dawn Run Just run. My feet pound on the path, invisible in the pre-dawn darkness. Monotonous rhythm drowning out the anxiety and images: bank balance, angry texts, landlord letters. Don’t run. Running burns calories, which means more food, which takes money. Every step is costing you. Just stop. Just run. I stop a minute. Heart…
Circling Back
Circling Back The project was simple: a group picture where each artist painted one square of a picture. I gave John the middle since he was our virtuoso. The outside came together quickly. I started emailing. Tactfully. Hi John, just wanted follow up about the bridge picture . . . John, just circling back about…
Muse on Monday – February 6, 2023
People like to share messages—to share a bit of themselves with the world. This is common online, but it’s also common in the real world in subtler ways, such as bumper stickers, T-shirts, baseball hats or stickers on their books or laptop. Right now I am at a coffee shop wearing a shirt that says…
Muse on Monday – January 30, 2023
Hello Musers, and welcome to another Monday! Setting is an important part of storytelling since where and when a story takes place will have a big impact on the story. There is something wrong if a story that takes place in India in the 1800s and on Mars in the 2400s are exactly the same….
The Hieroglyphics Teacher
The Hieroglyphics Teacher There was a teacher named Ben who worked in an archipelago. He had his own boat and would putter from island to island, teaching hieroglyphics at the local schools. He taught at a different school every day of the week. This was just his day job, however. His real dream was to…
Muse on Monday – January 23, 2023
This week’s muse prompt is a story scenario. You finish the story. Story Prompt: January 23, 2023 A girl goes out in the woods with watercolors and a sketchpad. When she tries to come back, she finds that she has lost the way. If you want to share your story, you can either email me…
The Green-Walled Treehouse 