100 Word Story

by Saia, Glendale Branch

I love to write and try to find new ways to level up my own skills as a writer. Most times, writing can be a daunting task, so to make it easier I like to find different writing exercises to help get words onto the page. Writing 100 word stories is one of these exercises. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Don't think. Just write!
Lots of times I tend to overthink things. Writing is no exception. When writing a 100 word story, turn off that little voice in your head that says your story isn't good enough. That voice knows nothing of writing a story and will keep you from having fun. Write down what needs to be said and don't take yourself too seriously!

2. Pick a random theme. If you truly can't think of anything to write about, pick a random theme, topic, or subject and start writing about that. Google has fun random theme generators that can help you out when you are feeling stuck. 

3. Edit!
It's very likely that you will go over one hundred words when writing your story. This is absolutely, positively, 100% A-OK! When I actually start to write, I realize that one hundred words isn't that much! Once I have gotten down all the things that I want, I go back and edit it down to one hundred.  This helps me find the most important parts of the story to keep and to let go or minimize the parts that don't help move the feeling of the story. 

What are you waiting for? Pick up a pen and paper or open up your laptop and get to writing! There are so many stories to tell and so many eyes and ears eagerly awaiting to read what you have to say. Below is an example of a 100 Word Story that I wrote for this blog post. What will yours be about?

At last, it’s over.
My sword was held high behind me with my arm extended out. I could hear the blood drip from the blade onto old dry leaves. Nothing but ash and silence could be found around me. At last it’s over, the last foe cut down-At last we’re free. All fear dissipated. All doubts gone. All that remained now was emptiness. I turned slowly, surveying the smoky landscape. I could see the faint shapes of the fallen in the distance. The emptiness grew inside me as the sound of leaves cracked under my feet. It's all over.

We would love to feature some of your 100 Word Stories on our Teen Creations page. If you'd like to share, please submit them here.