On January 1, 2023, I committed to composing a tweet-length piece to daily writing prompts all 365 days of the year. I say “piece” because these 280-character compositions end up ranging from stories to limericks (and other largely satirical poetry) to observations about the world around me.
So I “joined” the hashtag #vss365 on Twitter – now X – which is a very cool, clever oasis inside a swirling tornado of despair (and my sole reason for staying on the platform). The daily prompts are assigned by a team of writers pre-selected by the person who started this whole trend several years back. [Read more about #vss365 right here.] Anyone who wishes to participate can simply post using the day’s prompt and tagging #vss365.
I had no idea where the adventure might lead me. Despite challenges ranging from difficult prompts (more on that below), awkward time zones, war in the Middle East, and other personal stressors, I did it!
But WHY?
In case you missed it, I answered this question in a blog post one week into my year of daily writing prompts. But short story tiny, I love a challenge, I love learning, and I love meeting creative folks.
And here’s another reason I didn’t mention back in January of 2023: it feels pretty great to be able to publish a whole year in stories. Speaking of which…
Tiny Tales: the collection
Here it is! An actual book!
Knowing I would want to publish my stories after the fact definitely influenced the care I put into creating my daily pieces. Sure, slapdashing a tweet on the internet could be embarrassing for the few hours it might circulate in cyberspace, but I could live with that.
Not so for a published book with my name on the cover.
How can you get a copy?
Easy – and free, if you’d like! All you need to know about finding Tiny Tales in print or ebook is right here. But here’s a little tidbit only my insiders know: if you choose the option to buy the ebook at Smashwords, you can name your price! And yes, that price can be $0.00.
What kind of stories did I write? Glad you asked!
Even though these tiny stories are a departure from my Cupid’s Fall series, readers familiar with my “author brand” will no doubt hear my voice inside these compositions too. Nowhere is this more evident than the table of contents, where I have divided the entries into broad categories such as Romance, Observations, True Stories, and Limericks (by far the largest section of the book).
It seems I am always ME, even if I’m sometimes mini-me.
The joy of “one and done”
Tiny-format writing has both the advantage and disadvantage of offering a closed, defined space. The disadvantage would be the lack of depth I’ve enjoyed writing a four-book series. You get to know your characters intimately – yes, I do mean INTIMATELY – in a novel-length story, even more so in a series. They live in my head as they must so I can convey them appropriately to my readers. With the daily prompts, I don’t have any carryover from one day’s tiny story to the next.
Which is also a big advantage. I found myself flexing my writing muscles with much more freedom (read: reckless abandon) on topics I would never wish to explore for 80,000 words. Romance gone sideways, dystopian situations, even a touch of horror. It’s fun to press at the boundaries in short bursts. And who knows what might inspire expansion into a longer story?
The Wordle Effect
Before giving this a try, I would have said I don’t need prompts to write. I have enough story ideas to keep me busy for three lifetimes. And yet, I enjoyed joining in with my fellow writers. I call this the Wordle Effect.
Why did Wordle take the world by storm? Because we’re all striving to discover the same word on any given day. And when we compare notes, we learn how other people’s minds work different from our own. We learn from each other. We struggle together. And at the end of the day, nobody can remember yesterday’s word!
My favorite prompts were the ones that lent themselves to many different usages. Think of all the idioms and expressions using the word “hand,” for example.
About the prompts …
All the writers who accepted the responsibility for doling out 15-16 days of prompts chose their words very carefully. Usually the word was presented with some context as to why it was chosen. Many reflected the writer’s personal style or genre.
Oddly, the more generic the prompt, the harder it was for me to formulate an idea. I did better with specifics, something that could quickly form a picture in my mind.
Two of the prompters chose themes that were feeling a bit narrow by the end. One chose a different color each day, which challenged me to find meanings beyond the visual representation. Another writer who is steeped in fantasy chose a different animal each day, many of which were imaginary. Have you ever heard of a wolpertinger? I had not, but now I will never forget the word. Here’s my wolpertinger story.
Are daily writing prompts for you?
I can’t say – and maybe you’re not sure either? But here’s what you can do: try it out.
Listed at the back of the book are ALL 365 PROMPTS in order of their appearance in 2023. Try your hand at writing your own short story.
Don’t like those? There are literally hundreds of sites that put out daily writing prompts. I’ve listed some of my favorites in the book as well.
OR if you’re feeling adventurous…
Open Twitter (X) and search on the hashtag #vss365. Find today’s prompt, write your piece, and post if you dare.
All I ask is that you please let me know (tag me or shoot me a DM on Twitter) so I can be sure to give your post some love.
Thanks for reading!
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