This is an exercise taken from Ursula Le Guin's Steering the Craft. To write a piece with no punctuation. It's a terrifying thing to do, but the result is unexpectedly interesting... The air is filled with the sounds of people calling to each other and calling to get out of the way and berating those …
I woke to unexpected heat. The weather had decided to take a turn back to mid-summer and I had to dig out something cooler to wear to visit one of my forest neighbours as planned. The unseasonal weather was not something she’d welcome. As a mushroom sprite, Amanita prefers the darker, cooler weather we’d been …
Exercise using a single word prompt Simeon opened his eyes to darkness. He was lying on what seemed to be a bed, quite a comfortable one, and his surroundings held the soft hush of fabric and wealth. There were no drips or draughts or strange creaks to be heard. While this was welcome in one …
I woke one morning with no plans other than a consultation with a new client. Someone had seen fit to turn the town mayor into a badger and he’d asked for my assistance. For no other reason than to hear the story behind it, I agreed and further agreed to wait on him at his …
The Crossing Guards: The crossing guards at a busy intersection of the city do more than just help the living humans walk across the street. It was the quiet moment. You know, that time when the day seems to pause, take a breath and think, before breathing out again and hurrying on exactly as before. …
The room was spacious and shaped like an L, with windows on the two long sides. From what he could see, the furniture was simple, well-made and well-used. A bed, a small table next to it with a lamp and a book, a larger table that seemed to serve as a desk under one of …
Maya glanced away from her computer, her phone was ringing. Unusual for the middle of the work day. Also unusual that it was a blocked number. Might be a scammer, might be a recruiter. Maya decided she was bored enough that she'd take either. "Hello?" "Maya? I need you to find an excuse to get …
This is the introductory piece for a solo RPG I've been playing called One Day at a Thyme. I'll add a few of the 'diary entries' as I go... There’s a town at the base of the mountain, it’s hoping to grow into a city soon and the new buildings are already starting to wash …
This was inspired by a group chat about Tolkien's house coming up for sale. One of the group members wrote the message below, and it prompted an idea... I wonder if Tolkien haunts it. Like you could leave your book half written and at night his ghost could come and write more of it for …
The boy looking across the basketball court at her, liked her. Emma wasn't sure. His stare looked assessing, even suspicious, not admiring. But Sadie knew a lot more about buys than she did, she had three big brothers after all, while Emma had was a much older sister who wasn't around much and didn't have …
The DNA of Stories 