“The real voyage of discovery consists…in having new eyes.” ~ Marcel Proust
This month’s prompt asks you to explore, traveling in new directions. Perhaps you tend to write in only one particular genre, or in one particular voice and style for a particular audience. This month become an explorer by selecting a genre or a voice/style that you haven’t worked in before (or rarely). Write for a different audience. Do a little research. Then tell us how you saw with new eyes, what you discovered and if you would consider further writing in this genre.
I tried Flash Fiction, and here’s my experiment.
My niece Joelle, a teacher, couldn’t find foam chips to fill large cushions her mom was making for her students. She had looked everywhere.
“Maybe you’ll just have to drive to the US for some,” I suggested.
“Oh, sure, sure,” she said. “I can just see the customs agent checking through all those bags for drugs.”
Suddenly I visualized a scene: Joelle at the border as the customs agent, head and arms in the bags, searched through those foam chips. Finally in frustration and without finding drugs, he banged the stamp in her passport and waved Joelle on…with foam chips, unknown to him, all over his face.
“Now if I were a novelist,” I told her, “I would add that anecdote to my novel.”
A short time later while thinking about this month’s blog topic, I decided to write Joelle’s story as flash fiction. I didn’t need to be a novelist to write it.
The story grew as I added incidents from my own experiences and observations at border crossings and airports. And as I had filled figure skating costumes with foam chips before, I knew how full of static they could become.
I enjoyed writing. Similes and hyperbole came easily. The flash-fiction style of dramatic introduction, complications throughout and surprise ending opened my eyes to how I could write more effective scenes in my ongoing writing.
Will I try flash fiction again? Yes, definitely, as I discover other inspiring prompts. Who knows what this may lead to?
And now over to you. I can’t wait to read your experiments and discoveries this month.
