Creative Nonfiction Prompt #76

theinkwell (71)in The Ink Well • last month

Countdown terminated on Mar 29, 2024, 12:56 PM

Creative Nonfiction in The Ink Well Prompt #76

Welcome to The Ink Well's weekly creative nonfiction prompt!

In this post, we'll announce the winners from last week's contest and provide the prompt for the coming week.

Before You Write Your Creative Nonfiction Post...

We ask that you read our Creative Nonfiction Tips post to learn about the creative nonfiction genre and review our guidelines.

Important notes:

Creative nonfiction stories are based on your real-life experiences.
We are looking for real short stories! Not advice columns, reports on crime or corruption in your city, observations on nature, recipes, religion, politics, or any other nonfiction content. Just real-life short stories.
Ideal story length is between 750 and 1500 words, but your story must be at least 350 words, at a minimum to be curated.
Please focus on quality content. Read and edit for errors! Use a grammar checker before you post your story.
We expect everyone who posts in The Ink Well to read and comment on at least two other stories for each one published.
Do not post stories featuring physical abuse, graphic violence, erotica or NSFW content.

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Last Week's entrants

Thank you to all who participated in last week's prompt : Water off a duck's back

Last week's participants

@zino01	@chm-writes	@captainman
@marriot5464	@iskawrites	@menace123
@cool08	@jezmaine	@mrenglish
@lightpen	@zyzymena	@abrarhussain
@rare-gem	@noorkh	@abigail04
@amiegeoffrey	@emreal	@ukrajpoot
@quan45	@jjmusa2004	@marynn
@phyna	@george-dee	@wongi
@rukkie	@kingsleyy	@lara-bee
@hazmat

Featured

Highlighting @jjmusa2004, with the story:

The night of silence

The first resistance I encountered from the nurse I met on duty was that there was no bed space unless I was going to place the child in the only available observation space, which I was obliged to do immediately. The child was yet to turn pink, and thus, I continued to apply the basic massage and warmth methods to the newborn, hoping the doctor in charge would be called in. I was disgusted by the nurse's nonchalant attitude, which clearly showed she was unwilling to admit new patients or work at such an hour.

Curator's comment :

jjmusa2004 writes a CNF for the prompt about some really intense experiences in his working life as a doctor. At one point he moved from a comfortable position running a hospital in a rural area to being a junior doctor in obstetrics and gynecology at an urban hospital. The hospital was understaffed, the hours were brutal, and the hospital politics were terrible as well. In this well-told story he talks of a particularly terrible night when a baby was born blue, and he had to face some difficult staff members while trying to get the baby the care needed. Fortunately, the baby was saved.

Featured

Highlighting

Highlighting @zyzymena, with the story:

Echoes of Choices

I turned my back and retreated into my home, leaving the door ajar for her to decide whether to follow. Opting to forego the shower for now, I bypassed the bathroom and headed to the bedroom to don a robe. After all, it was Saturday morning, and I had nowhere pressing to be. I returned to the living room and found Chloe seated on one of the plastic chairs, legs crossed, and a frown etched on her lips.

Curator's comment :

zyzymena shares a really nicely written CNF for the "water off a duck's back" prompt. Her take on the prompt is really interesting. She tries very hard to talk a friend out of making a foolish choice (the love of a local guy) over the educational experience and adventure she would have if she accepted an overseas scholarship. Zyzy provides her own similar story. But the friend does not believe her or take it to heart (so he advice is "water off a duck's back"), and of course inevitably the friend has a similar scenario.

Featured

Highlighting @marriot5464, with the story:
Alex
A week later, as I tried to catch some sleep after a stressful day at school, my phone rang, shattering the silence of my evening. It was Alex on the other end. Disappointment hung heavy in his voice as he relayed the news of his rejection.
Curator's comment :
Not many of his age would have that level of understanding and maturity, to recognise that some things are just not meant to be and there is no point wasting our time and energy mourning lost opportunities.

This Week's Prompt 76:

"A taste of your own medicine"

The Cambridge Dictionary : to treat someone as badly as they have treated you.

A friend or family member was totally unaware of just how sorely their hurtful words stung. You decided to give them a dose of their own medicine because it seemed the only way forward.

You tended to order people around as if you were in charge of the world's order. Your friend decided to bring you down a peg or two by treating you to a dose of your own medicine.

Tell us about it! And remember to integrate storytelling elements like characters, scene setting, dialogue and action to bring your story to life!
Have fun and good luck! We look forward to reading your stories.

Rules

You have 6 days to write your story from the date of this prompt post. Be sure to check the deadline countdown.

Write a real-life story with the creative elements of fiction, like characters, dialogue, scene setting and a story conflict.

Post your story in The Ink Well Community.

Please use the tags #creativenonfiction and #inkwellprompt on these posts. Other possible tags: #writing #inkwellprompt #nonfiction

Stories must be written in English. If you've translated the post, it's best to add the original version below the translation. Do not write mixed language paragraphs.

Read and comment on at least two stories in the community. Add a link to your story as a comment on this post.

And be sure to remember to join The Ink Well community!

Prize

A prize of 20 Hive will be awarded to one submission every four weeks.

Procedure

Two or three stories will be featured every week. One of the featured stories will win the grand prize every four weeks.
The winner will be featured in a special announcement post.

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