Short fiction is also for content writers
We may feel so small and so helpless in times like this, but there are some things we can do:
- Donate to organizations who are offering aid. Check out some places you could donate to here.
- If you are unable to donate, share articles like the one above to spread the word.
- Write.
Sometimes, you just need to write. Before pursuing writing professionally, it was usually always a form of therapy for me. I kept a journal from when I could barely spell until a few years after college and putting literal pen to paper always felt so good.
Besides journaling, fiction writing has been an outlet for me as well. Maybe it has for you, too.
I thought we could return back to fiction writing today—something that can also help develop your content writing skills. Maybe by turning to fiction, it will provide a temporary escape from current events. And if you share what you write, it may provide an escape for some who are in desperate need of it.
Let’s write
The day after you join my newsletter, I will send you an entire year’s worth of writing prompts, and this is one of them:
Waiting in line for coffee.
That’s it. Create a story based off of that line and see where your imagination can take you. I didn’t overthink this one or edit it too heavily after writing it for the first time. It just felt good to write and I hope you enjoy it.
I knew I couldn’t wait one more second to tell him. I didn’t care if I was the first one to do it. If only it hadn’t hit me as I was seventh in line at the busiest rest stop on our way to Connecticut.
He was waiting in the car, unaware of how things were about to change, hopefully for the better…
The mom at the register changed her order at least three times to an even more enticing drink. Her young children could barely speak for themselves, so she defaulted to ordering them hot chocolates. She fumbled with her wallet and change fell on the ground.
My heart thumped. There was probably five minutes left to wait in line and maybe five to wait for the coffee…just ten more minutes.
The pattern repeated itself for almost everyone else following the flustered mom. Nobody seemed to know what they wanted to order, everyone had long, complicated drinks, and the cashier was struggling with the register.
He was probably just playing games on his phone with the heat on, keeping the butt warmer nice and toasty for me. He was fine. I told myself maybe seven more minutes.
Finally, the old lady in front of me stepped up to the cashier. She tried reading the menu from the register, but had to fumble in her purse to find her glasses. I tapped my foot and took a deep breath.
What if he didn’t….no. No negative thinking now.
Grandma finally found her glasses and started perusing the menu on the wall behind the cashier. He looked at me with a small smile and shrugged. His eyes drifted to the growing line behind me and took a deep breath.
The crowd of people waiting for their drinks didn’t seem to be clearing. People were peering over the counter to check if a barista was making their drink. All of the baristas looked new and there was no manager in sight.
Deep breaths. I had to stay calm. But how could I?
The cashier handed Grandma her change and she shuffled over to the crowd of caffeine-withdrawn travelers. I stepped up to the cashier.
He asked what I’d like to order. More people were crowding around the counter to ask where their order was. I heard others grumbling about the slow service. The sweaty baristas were almost tripping over each other attempting to learn their job on the job.
I recalculated my estimated time of arrival back to the car…
Nope.
“Sorry, nevermind,” I told the cashier. And sprinted out of the building.
I ran back to the car, dashing across the parking lot and dodging other sleepy travelers.
He was completely lost in his game when I reached the car. I ripped his door open.
“Where’s the coffee?” he asked.
I caught my breath.
“I love you.”
Sending love to all <3
