ASSIGNMENT IS NOW OPEN!

”DRABBLES AND FLASH FICTION”

This week is learning about the magic of drabbles and fiction condensed into a mere 100 words and less! This is a sweet little introduction to Blurbs which we will cover next week!

What is a Drabble?
A Drabble (also known as “Microfiction”) is traditionally a work of fiction that is exactly 100 words, nothing more and nothing less. Their purpose is to test’s a writer’s ability at concision, condensing their ideas or concepts into such a short space.
”100 Word Story” is a popular example – it’s a magazine that started in 2011 that centres and publishes stories that are exactly 100 words in length.

Despite the short length, drabbles are still full complete stories – they have a beginning, a middle and an end just like any other tale. Wherever possible, steer away from poetry and non-fiction because a drabble is specifically prose fiction. When attempting to write a story with so few words, you should keep in mind that you won’t be able to create an epic story with background details and multiple characters. More often than not, a simple scene works very well. But remember, the scene needs to be engaging and complete.

How to Write a Drabble
All Drabbles start with an idea. That part is obvious. However when approaching a Drabble you need to be completely clear about what it is you’re writing about.
Like always, design your first draft with everything that you’ve thought out written in. Remember to keep it simple though; unlike novels, poems and even film scripts, you don’t have the word count to elaborate on everything, including complex mindsets of characters, the characters themselves or to even expand on your setting.
Writing drabbles are very much like writing actual academic essays for universities. Chances are, your first draft will exceed the 100 word-cap, much like I often exceed the word count of my controlled assessments when I go to write them – but that’s okay! When editing, it’s important to take out any superfluous words or sentences that can decrease your word count so you hit the overall mark.
There’s always at least one sentence in your story that doesn’t add anything, so write outside the word limit to begin with. Keep the characters few and watch out for elaborate descriptions. Again, it’s all about making every word count. This means that your descriptions must serve to create an effect and do so in the fewest amount of words possible.

Tips for Writing Drabbles
• If your drabble has dialogue, keep it short and snappy. Ideally no more than a couple words.
• Clarity is hugely important. Drabbles are supposed to be read quickly, and confusion is the last thing you want your reader to feel when they finish your story.
• A twist in the tale can often be the cherry on top. Usually at the very end.
• Make sure the first line captures the reader’s interest and the last line gives a satisfying conclusion.
• Editing is the most important part when creating drabbles. Even though your story is only 100 words, several edits should be expected. A fifth or sixth draft will look significantly different from the first one you were happy with. With stories this short, a single word can be like a bum note that spoils the entire piece.
• When you’re confident you’ve trimmed your story to perfection, read the final draft aloud and get others to take a look too. Leave it for a couple of days, then return to it and polish (there’s always a word or two that needs tweaking when you look at your story with fresh eyes).

Examples of Drabbles Found Online
#1:
They came at dawn - the Fallen and their shadow master.

At first I thought it was a trick of the light, my eyes adjusting to the morning mist.

Then, the bodies emerged, suspended in mid-air like dark marionettes.

By then, it was too late to run. I tried, but something tugged me back.

An invisible string wrapped around the core of me. Wove inside my mind.

I was pulled into the sky, back to join the others. My mouth smiled with dark delight. Together we would take over the town.

Deep down though, I screamed to be let go.
#2:
Everybody wanted to live in The Shade. The cool district.

Every morning I’d wake up to the scorching sun in the city and look over. They hadn’t woken yet. Didn’t know the meaning of tropical insanity. The inability to sleep because you lay all night in a pool of sweat.

Their air-conditioning took the remaining power that didn’t go into irrigation pumps. Said we were lucky we could eat. We had shelter. Had lives while the rest of the world was a desert.

The Shade was the place to be, but only because of us who worked in the sun.

”55 Fiction”
55 Fiction is exactly as it implies – they’re a version of drabbles that condenses stories into a mere exact 55 words!
The same guidance can be applied when approaching this type of writing – the only thing to really keep in mind is that ideas must be even simpler and there can be no room for superfluous descriptions or words!
Examples of 55 Fiction
#1: Twelve
Twelve is my lucky number.
I guess that's why I crashed on 12th Street.
And that's why I have 12 stitches to keep my ear from falling off.
I was going 12 miles per hour over the speed limit.
I assume 12 isn't the other victim's lucky number.
They died 12 minutes after the crash.
#2: Up, up, and away
Today is my sixth birthday. Today, I get six balloons. I go to the store with my mom to pick them out.
The lady fills them up. "I put extra helium in these." She smiles and winks at me.
I take them outside to the car, and suddenly I feel super light.
"Andrew!" Mom screams.

Flash Fiction
Flash Fiction is another popular form of short story writing – the cap-off word count is traditionally 1,000 words. So while there is enough room to slightly expand on a character or a setting, it still nevertheless tests your ability to see how much you can compact your idea into a mere couple pages whilst delivering the impact you want.
While there are many other forms of microstories – such as Dribbles, Sudden Fiction and “Twitterature” – Drabbles, 55 Fiction and Flash Fiction are the popular trio that many writers consider good practice to test out their ideas before expanding them into fully fleshed out stories.

So, this week’s task, I’d like you to have a go at writing either a Drabble (100 words) or 55 Fiction (55 words). We’ll save Flash Fiction (1,000 words) for another time… Trust me, we haven’t seen the last of it… 😉

CRITERIA:
- Drabbles – Must be exactly 100 words
- 55 Fiction – Must be no more than 55 words – Try to keep it at 55 (some writers go just below but the majority get bang on the word count)
- Remember: Fast Fiction is all about dipping your toe into your idea, testing it out in a broad but vague scale. Don’t go too much into detail to save word count nor make it complex and complicated.

MY EXAMPLE:
- Drabble: The Dragon Egg
The sphere in the cell rattled, it’s presence echoing across the shackled walls. A tiny twitch was the sign of it finally awakening from its thousand-year slumber, a time where dragons were on the brink of extinction. Its fragile form broke free of its confines and stumbled into the world. It’s innocence knew not of the bars in the cell it was sheltered in. He padded along the cold floor and escaped out of the cell. Seeing daylight, he nestled by the window. His power grew alongside the rising sun and before long he flew away from his timeless prison.
- 55 Fiction: Waffle
Waffle Sundays were the best. I stack them with chocolate and ice cream. Drizzled in sauce and cream thrown on top, I inhale it like a caterpillar. The next one comes and the cycle repeats itself. Mum comes in.
“That’s plenty.”
I chime in. “Don’t waffle, it’s my turn today.”

DEADLINE = 05/07/2024 - 11pm UTC/GMT

Echoes of the Heart

The old man sat on the park bench, watching children play. His wrinkled hands cradled a tiny wooden box. Every day, he came to this spot, lost in memories. Today, curiosity overcame a little girl. "What's in the box?" she asked.

He smiled, opening it to reveal a delicate locket. "Memories of my wife," he said softly, tears in his eyes. She took it gently, seeing a photo of a young couple, deeply in love.
"She’s beautiful," the girl whispered.

"She was," he replied, the past warming his heart. The locket and its memories now shared, he felt much lighter.

Petals of Promise

In the crowded café, Sarah’s eyes met his. A spark ignited. She scribbled her number on a napkin, passing it to the barista. Hours later, her phone buzzed.

“Meet me at the park, sunset,” the text read. Nervous but excited, she went. Under the glowing sky, he smiled, holding a single rose. The magic began.

A faint scraping sound. Knocks, growing louder. The earth shifted, releasing the scent of damp soil, roots, and decay. The air was dense and heavy, almost suffocating, and each knock seemed to send a vibration through the ground. The soil was strangely warm, underneath her fingers.

Air, at last. A rush of fresh oxygen mixed with the smell of wet grass and cold stone. She rose, staggered, feeling the wind gently brush her skin, awakening her numb senses.

With one last glance at her freshly opened grave, she left the cemetery, her heart beating once more. She had been reborn.

A mini story of Keiichi Katakura from Rainbow Days:

Keiichi Katakura appears to be a nice guy who is skilled in everything. He truly is a nice guy and is friends with everyone on the basketball team. But, he's also a sadist, and he even has his whip! Keiichi goes by his nickname, Kei-chan, and loves older women. Heck, he even dated his tutor! But that didn't go well. Currently, the boy is single and just started his third year in high school. But what'll happen if his best friend's younger sister falls in love with him just because he helped her out while she was at the beach?

— The Values are Not Equal. —

I once knew all your secrets. You knew everything about me too. We were best friends.

But that does not apply now. Ever since you stole his heart, I can’t forgive you anymore. We had made an oath. No relationships with each other’s family members. But you; you broke it.

That sunny morning, I won’t forget. I woke up at 4 in the morning; I just couldn’t sleep anymore. I went down to the kitchen to drink some milk. There, I saw you. You and my brother. Kissing. Your relationship ended our friendship. Which one did you really value more?

ASSIGNMENT IS NOW OPEN!

”Don’t Judge a Book By It’s Cover!”

This week is learning about the magic and importance of blurbs and synopsis texts! Despite the minor role they play in novels, it’s nevertheless a special one to entice your readers!

I’m sure we’ve all done it… We’ve all picked up a book and looked at its stylish artwork and fancy lettering without even reading much on what it’s about or why the book itself is favoured among critics and the community. Well, we’re about to dissect on two of the most important aspects that reel in readers – the blurb and the synopsis.

Blurbs? Really?
Don’t raise your eyebrows at me! I know what you’re thinking!
Blurbs are an underrated, effusive – and undoubtedly elusive – part of any and most novels. While much marketing for novels can be done through websites, book sales, book awards and newspaper promotions, a huge bulk of the promotional work will be on the book itself.
They’re usually reviews – of no more than a couple sentences – from critics to help sell the magnificence of your work.
For Example, the popular blurb for “Trust Exercise” is = “A Russian doll of a novel” as described by the Daily Telegraph, since its structure is depicted as a retelling if one story across three acts.
Don’t get confused – Blurbs are not the synopsis text on the back of your novel – I know many people who have had that epiphany! And again, not all books have them.
BUT – This week is not only about blurbs – The thing I want to focus a bit more on is writing a stellar synopsis to catch your potential reader’s eye. They want to know what makes your book unique. They want to know what’s in it for them otherwise why else would they buy your book other than for the pretty front cover?

The Art Behind the Synopsis
The synopsis, as we know, is the taster for what to expect before we dive into the main story. Sure, you could just list the characters and what one can expect; “We’ve got Arthurian knights fighting vampires led by Darth Vader!” But that tells you nothing about the knights themselves, what the vampires want, what Darth Vader wants or why any of this should make sense in the first place!
To give your synopsis the “oomph” your story needs, here are some pointers:
- Start with a lil’ background – What kind of world it is and any golden rule it lives by.
- Name your main character(s) – Describe briefly (emphasis on “briefly”) what their role is and what they want.
- Describe your inciting incident – this is your plot point and main focus that pulls the story along = “X character must do Y to achieve Z goal.”
- Leave the climax ambiguous at the end – otherwise known as “Will our heroes survive?!” moment.

So, for this week = I’d like you guys to think up of a synopsis for yourselves! This can be a rewrite of a favourite book of yours, a plot you have for your characters or any other ideas that come into your head!

CRITERIA:
- Max. Word Count = 150 words.

MY EXAMPLE:
(Based off Em's Second Year journey...)

"Returning to her second year at Hogwarts, Emily now has her sights set on uniting humanity with the forces of nature in hopes of purging the darkness that divides them both. With the newfound confidence and her desires clear, she sets out to bring peace between her and magical creatures, beasts and being alike. As her expeditions into the abyss increase, so does the mystery around Casey and his missing brother on the side-lines.

Teaming up with friends old and new, Emily finds all suspicion pointing to the one place she's continually warned not to go near. But if anyone can wander into the dark and come back out alive, it might just be her..."

OPTIONAL TASK: If you were to write a blurb, what would you say? If you wish, you can take my example or someone else's and give one sentence on how you'd describe their "story."

DEADLINE = 11/07/2024 - 11pm UTC/GMT