Family is visiting tomorrow, so I’m giving you your Idea to Steal a day early. Enjoy!

Hello, readers.

2020 has been a year, hasn’t it? I think it’s safe to assume that most of us will be wishing it good riddance come New Year’s Eve.

Who else is grateful that 2020 is nearly over? Here’s your last batch of writing prompts for the year.

This is the second half of November’s unplanned two-part post. I’m releasing it early since I’ll be traveling for Thanksgiving this year. Friday Fiction will resume in December. Promise.

An important lesson that I learned in my college philosophy classes was the value of indirect proof. Part 1 of this two-parter is what most people think of when you mention logical arguments and proofs: speculating what could be if a particular thing existed or reasoning out the consequences of something being true. However, in an indirect proof, you start by negating one of your assumptions, and then demonstrate how logic falls apart in that hypothetical scenario. Put more briefly, an indirect proof exposes the contradictions left behind when something is absent or false.

In that spirit, let’s explore what a story without conflict would look like. What follows may not be an indirect proof nor the results contradictory in the strictest sense, though I’m confident that I can show how such a hypothetical state is pragmatically useless for writers.

November is a month for counting blessings, few they may be this year. I hope my prompts and free story ideas have blessed your writing sessions. Speaking of which, here’s your free idea for November.

Here’s the first half of an unplanned two-part post. Stay tuned for the second half later this month.

Two years ago, I wrote a post where I asserted that every story must have a conflict. What I didn’t expand on then is why this is the case. That’s what I’m going to address today. This is one of my more philosophical posts, so grab a drink and get comfy. And though you and I can think of plenty of real-world events I could cite, I’ll be pulling examples from a fictional setting – the Empire of the Isles from the Dishonored series.

Hey everyone. I’m sure my fellow Americans have a lot on their minds with the recent news. So I’m going to make this intro short and sweet. Here’s a set of writing prompts to help get your mind off whatever brand of insanity you’re dealing with and spark your imagination.

Tomorrow is Halloween! Hope all of you have a happy one, however you’re celebrating this year. Here’s a bonus treat for your candy basket.

“Now departing for Nielsen Quay. Please stand clear of the doors,” the recording warned.

Sakari leaped onto the train just as the doors were closing. Cara and Mia caught a pole as the train took off, but the force pushed Sakari onto his knees.

“You okay?” David asked him.

I ended up with a full plate of work this month. So I’m sneaking this story idea to you under the table before I hit the grind again.