5 out of 5 Stars
Highly-regarded Project Publish author/contestant Laurie O’Connor Stephans’ Once a Prompt a Time is a delight for readers and an example to writers everywhere. Sure, you get a lot of cool stories, with plenty of variety as to style and genre. But by collecting the various and sundry stories (from flash to longer works) she has submitted to writing contests over the years, then revealing the prompt or conditions she had to follow to create each piece, Ms. Stephans provides keen insights into how limitations fuel creativity and how writers actually work when writing for open calls and writing postings and assignments, as well as provoking a hefty dose of inspiration in an easy-to-read and entertaining format. There’s plenty of humor, twists, and inspiring prose (and a bit of poetry) in this fun and well-formatted and constructed book. Clearly, Laurie’s story will not end here.
A great gift for both readers and writers and a handy example for writers’ groups to both enjoy and learn from.
Highly recommended.
Review by Donald J. Bingle, Writer on Demand TM
Once a Prompt a Time: Stories Sparked by Quirky Contest Prompts by Laurie O’Connor Stephans.
What happens when a writer is given strange, challenging, and completely unexpected prompts?
The result is Once a Prompt a Time: 44 innovative short stories spanning multiple genres, and each inspired by a unique writing contest prompt. Whether 100 words or 3,000, each story was written under a tight deadline (sometimes just 24 hours!) and within the guidelines of specific and decidedly unusual prompts.
Like the prompts themselves, the book is one-of-a-kind in that the original prompt appears at the end of the story it inspired, allowing readers to experience the story with no spoilers or preconceived notions.
Ideal for readers who enjoy short fiction and love to explore a variety of genres.
Likewise, if you tend to keep to one genre, it’s also a great read. It allows you to test the waters by just dipping your toe versus being pushed into the deep end of the pool.
A terrific option for your Book Club—something for everyone and guaranteed to spur lively discussion!
New to prompted writing contests? Here’s a playbook to get you started.
Need a push out of your genre comfort zone? See how another writer overcame the same trepidation and the resulting stories.
Simply looking for another avenue of inspiration? You’ll find it here.