/lit/ - Literature

Last thread was pretty short-lived, just two flashes posted (both well worth a read if you missed them):

>a boutique perfume designer needs a break
>>17884528

>the wind doesn't stop and gradually grows stronger
>>17890098

Another prompt
>a bonsai tree nursery refuses to return a tree to its owner

47/50. This anthology is coming together way faster than expected.

>>17905127

>>17905137

>>17905127
Thanks for doing all of this!

Have you been editing as you go, or will that come after we hit 50?

>>17905544
I'll do one editing pass after we hit 50. The whole project is fun to work on. Great to read the stories anons come up with.

>>17903996
Forgot to add one of the prompts from the last thread:
>A novice conman does a confidence trick successfully

bumping

>>17908453
Aww, that pup takes me back!

>>17907549
Working on this one (as a * only)

>>17903996
Any sites that I can publish my flash fictions?

>>17910772
Not a website exactly, but an anon from the last thread posted the following (which includes flash-length entries):

>>17883291
>https://thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com/Search/ByFilter
>This site is your best friend if you ever want to publish anything. And if you click on the name of the magazine it will show you reported stats from other users who've interacted with that magazine, so you can see how active it is and what percentage of submissions it accepts.

>>17911768
I’ll add that magazines are sometimes listed as accepting flashes in general because they sometimes run flash fiction contests. But generally they only accept 1500+. So make sure you read each mags guidelines on their website. And there are some flash publications too.

>>17908453
love this dawg

bump

It’s been a while, folks, we only need 3 more!
How’s the progress coming along?

Thanks so much for everything you do, OP. I was so scared the project would go under, so thank you for keeping it alive.

>>17914785
I might be able to write one, but school is finishing up so im currently a bit swamped with homework and essays

>>17915456
It will finish, no worries there. Only three more stories and no rush. And I have two more slots before hitting my limit of five.

>>17916169
Sorry -- I'm not OP but the editor.

>>17916176
You’ll always be OP to me

Bump because I'm thinking about the world domination prompt.

>A politician fantasizes about world domination
"My rule will be brilliant. Like a flash of lighting I'll conquer the entire earth. My armies will swarm out in the motion of a hurricane and swallow all that comes before them. The magnificence of my strategic mind will guide my generals to victory against China, Russia, and America. With them gone nothing will stand in front of my power, not even Finland. Many might die, but it's fine as long as it doesn't damage my voting base. Hehe, it's perfect, my voters will increase proportionately while the opposition's die for my glory. Then, when all the oceans and the lands bow before me, I'll declare myself emperor of the world, the first of my kind.
Or, there's the subversive option, but that isn't grand at all. Oh how disheartening it would have to be to lurk in the shadows, pulling the strings of paper mache representatives of the multitudes. What's the point, if not my own glory? I haven't an agenda to achieve. I desire the Earth for glory!
But then, even worse, the hated economic route is available. I could squirm my way into international trade and manipulate the world economy to my whims, but to what end?
No, none of that is any good.
I've got it! The ultimate option. With my political influence I will gain a stranglehold over all the world's shipyards. Then, my commandos will destroy all the cargo ships in their ports, putting a cork into the bottleneck of international shipping. Planes will never be enough to move all those goods around. Thus, the entire world shall beg for my shipyards to produce cargo ships, but I won't. Not until the world grants me the power and glory I crave. First one nation will starve and beg then they will make me king, then another, and I will enforce my rule in resisting nations with the power of the earlier and most loyal nation's combined military might and my economic stranglehold. Hahahaha HAHAHAHA!! Oh, my glory shall be known forever, I'll be greater than the Great Khan!"

"You're magnificence, there's a phone call here."

"Thank you Bridgit." I told my campaign manager.

"Yes this is Thomas."

"Congratulations Mr. Thomas, you've been elected to the Tipperary City Council."

"Hehe, all according to plan."

>>17918381
Haha, exactly the twist i was hoping for!

Anons, do you have any favorite stories from either issue? Or perhaps the most memorable one?

>>17919177
Great idea! Here’s my top 5 from each volume (slow clap for all the anons that wrote these):

Vol 1:
>A raven spies something rather peculiar during its flight
>An explorer from medieval europe travels to China
>A boy discovers they can talk to bears
>A chef cooks a meal for a very unpleasant guest
>A girl finds a key that unlocks a very special door

Vol2 (so far):
>A monster dad explains to his son not to be afraid of the bright
>A skeptic encounters real magic (the coin one)
>A man tries to connect unrelated stories through a ridiculous theory
>A pair of hawks guide a flock of sheep
>Santa’s sleigh enters a no fly zone

(That said, i have high hopes for worm-dog-frog based on the intro and hope to see it completed!)

>>17919177
Top 5 is hard. One or two of them would probably change with my mood.

01
> They Build a Town Around Where The Tree Fell (Extremely good storytelling, the ending floored me. Should win a Hugo.)
> A Raven Spies Something Rather Peculiar During Its Flight
> A Teaching Assistant Is Pestered by an Undergraduate Student
> A Mysterious Button Is Found With No Known Function
> Can't choose between 3 for the last slot

02
TBD

>>17905137
#37, the goose story is still called "duck". The original prompt did say "perspective of a goose/duck battling for thrown bread", so either change the title for both, or call #37 "perspective of a goose...".

>A cockroach wishes to become human

Zgnytzny grazed his antenna against the rough edge of the paper. "My love, my love, my love" he whispered in his tiny ultrasonic voice "today is not just another day my love my true love." His life was a teeter-totter, impending death on one seat and infinite largesse on the other, a hoard of crushed husks that had been his relatives among piles of moldy oreos, pizza crusts and sugary liquid.
He pulled his foreleg against the paperback's binding. The light of the room shifted and he froze, sniffing the air. The mist of rotten food stirred around a ribbon of aerosolized semen. Zgnytzny tasted the huge sour breath oozing through the bookshelf. His envy surged blood through his shiny protonum. The obese shadow receded among booming footfalls.
Zgnytzny sighed and craned his head towards the yawning room. "my love my truth my savior" he creaked, "I must explore you. forgive my impatience". He gripped the yellowing spine and pulled himself upward with a dry ripping noise. The room shuddered into life. The air resonated a cacophony of odors and motion. A flash of light, a stinking shadow and then Zgnytzny fell towards oblivion. He landed on his back and blinked out of consciousness.

Gregory inspected the book in his left hand, a greasy controller in his right. "Someday I'm going to turn into a fucking roach".

>>17920983

I'm new to writing narrative fiction, so I'd love any feedback

Here's my prompt:

> A flash fiction writer receives advice on 4chan from the reincarnation of Cervantes

>>17920983
I like it, and it made me sad. Tragic unrequited love. But also a touch of comedy -- maybe, almost. The very last line, the dialog, wasn't quite the punch I was hoping for, but it works.

>>17921378
Good point, that last line should be much more clever. Thanks for the feedback!

Just finished
>A former viral star struggles to extend their 15 minutes of fame
I'll sleep a night on it and read it again before posting it tomorrow.

>>17921963
Thanks for taking so much care. Looking forward to reading it! If we consider it already in, there's only 1 spot left.

>>17903996
I would like to thank everyone that read my entries and everyone whose prompt I completed. Contributing to this was the highlight of my creative endeavors, but writing is not me for me. Everyone, stay well. I look forward to purchasing the second book.

>>17922983
Thanks for the contributions, anon...sorry to see you go.

If you don’t mind me asking, which flashes were yours?

>>17923216
.t John Dice

Outlaw, talking dog, gymbro, conspiracy guy(Coca-Cola China), and drive thru.

>>17923350
Those were some good ones!

>>17923613
Agreed. If it's fun, you should keep writing anon.