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This newsletter aims to help the Writing.com short story author hone their craft and improve their skills. I would also like to inform, advocate, and create new, fresh ideas for the short story author. Write to me if you have an idea you would like presented.
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Stories told around the fire could have been an old source of inspiration for new stories, but in the modern world, social media is king. While names need to be changed to protect the innocent (unless it's an autobiography), story ideas can emerge from media sources like Facebook and Twitter. Instead of spending time reposting the latest joke (ugh!), think about turning some of the anecdotes from friends (or family) into an inspiration source.
Holiday travel might not be a possibility for you, but friends who post pictures and messages about far-off places can turn your idea blender on high. A friend of a friend posted a picture on his Facebook page, of a state trooper texting on his phone while driving down the Interstate. While many people posted outrage at the officer, I started thinking about what the consequences of that action might be. What if he crashed? What if he killed someone? What if another driver got it on video?
"What if?" is always a good source of ideas for me and probably a lot of other writers. Where the "what if" goes will probably be entirely different from author to author, but that is the beautiful thing about imagination, we all travel different roads. If all stories turned out the same, there would be no reason for books; we would know the ending.
If you're not into social media, I'll suggest a second source, image sites. I've written newsletters about image inspiration before but along with travel sites and Google, sites like Tumblr, Getty Images and AI are fun idea sources. Take a look around! You might even find a new image for your desktop.
This month's question: Has social media inspired a story in your portfolio? Do you find it too distracting?
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WDC December Contest
Write a short story using the image prompt as inspiration!
Excerpt: “We should be gone already.”
“Yes, dear, I know.” Grace soothed her husband’s ire with a sympathetic smile, a glass of cold iced tea, and a sandwich. “Have some lunch.”
Excerpt: Here, the land remembered what men had long forgotten. Local Paiute legends spoke of stone sisters, towering spirits turned to monuments. Their forms stood still, silent sentinels silhouetted against the dying sky.
Ethan drove in silence. No music. No podcasts. Even the comforting hum of talk radio had become unbearable. The world’s noise had grown too loud for him to bear.
Excerpt: I took my eyes off the road for a moment as I turned up the radio. Christmas music filled the air in the car. “As we dream by the fire...” I sang along, enjoying the ride down the snow-covered freeway. I was on my way home, to a nice warm fire of my own and a down comforter covered bed. Light flakes of snow blew across the windshield and wedged themselves against the wiper blade. The new falling snow added to drifts from a storm earlier in the week. Still two hours to go before I reached home, I hoped the storm would hold off until then.
Excerpt: My grandparents decided to move from Dallas, Texas to the small West Texas town of Canyon around the same time I decided to go to college. I had spent the two years after high school working full time and enjoying the Dallas nightlife with my boyfriend. When we split up, I knew I needed to get away to think about my future. I came up with a plan- I could attend West Texas A&M University while living a few miles away at my grandparent's new country home. No dorm life for me! I would have a spacious bedroom and a private bathroom for myself.
Excerpt: Enraptured by the spicy perfume of death, Hatch climbed up and down the endless tunnel.
It stretched before him like an immeasurable ribbon of stairway, dark and unwavering, about seven feet across and curving upward to where it met and formed a ceiling. Behind him was a dazzling fire of red light, and always before, the white brightness that was too blinding to behold. It was as if he were trapped within a black, stench-filled tunnel that burned fiercely at both ends, neither of which he could reach.
Excerpt: Eight-year-old Monica sat on the couch between Reema and Dan, her adoptive mom and dad, looking through their photo album as they often did.
"Aww, that's so cute," she giggled, pointing at a snapshot of the blissful couple on their wedding day. "Daddy, can you tell me again about how you met Mommy?"
"You want the real story, or the fairytale version?" He smiled, eyelids crinkling.
Excerpt: The first jangle of the doorbell startled him. Gaskin tossed his cigar into the fireplace, glanced at the window opening onto his own chilly back garden, and considered going through it. Regardless of the fast-deepening February twilight, he wasn’t sure he wanted to meet whomever was ringing.
His pocketwatch ticked against his ribs, reminding him that he should be upstairs with the musician instead of mooning about the sitting room, avoiding visitors and pretending to read.
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This month's question: Has social media inspired a story in your portfolio? Do you find it too distracting?
Last month's "Short Stories Newsletter (November 5, 2025)" question: What are you grateful for today?
Advent Pumpkin  : I am grateful to still be alive, have my energy back, and have future plans. I am grateful for people to love and care about. I have things to keep me occupied. I am blessed.
Lazy Writer est 4/24/2008  : I am thankful for my siblings. Without them, I would not have made it through the last few years. I thank Almighty God for them and for always being there for us and answering our prayers.
JCosmos  : i am most grateful for having met and married my wife. I dreamt that i would meet her in 1974 and she visited me in my dreams once a week or so for eight years. then she walked off a bus into my life and became my wife eight years later in South Korea. We have been married now 43 years!
TheBusmanPoet  : Being alive to care for my 3 senior cats. 
🌝 HuntersMoon  : That cellphone coverage is spotty so I don't have to talk with my kids. 
Friendly Neighborhood Derg  : That I'm both alive and safe in this otherwise crazy world.
Dawn Embers  :
Purrs. Sweet, gentle purrs. I've even finally been able to hear the youngest one now, so all three  give me the sweet sound. One does it while being held so that I can feel them too.
Dave  : One more day!
keyisfake  : My health.
N.A Miller : Dawn Embers - There's nothing better than a little comfort and purrs from a kitty kid. I am thankful for them (has two). But another day thanks to GOD, granting the gift of life to tolerate this corrupt and evil world.
Jeff  : My family and friends.
JACE  : After my scare in the Spring, my health!
THANKFUL SONALI Party Hopping!  : So many things!!
My health, my family, my friends, school, nice salad for lunch, nice toast at tea time ...
Krismouse : My creativity and my writing.
Christmas Wishes Adore♥lol  : Thankful for another day to live with my dear husband, our one daughter and two huge mixed tabby cats in a warm home filled with love and laughter. ♥
I'm also grateful for my health, my family and friends, and my cats too! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for responding, I appreciate you! L~ |
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Short Stories: December 03, 2025 Issue [#13483]
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