I did have another image lined up for this week but decided it was just too weird to use. I’ll post it sometime, but maybe with an alternative. I wanted this week’s prompt to inspire a fairy tale (and that other image would just have inspired sleepless nights) and also allow those of you who are pursuing a serial not to have to scratch their heads too much. So I’ve gone for this painting by Theodore Kittelsen. I don’t know the fairy story it represents, but there’s a golden city far far away, and slap bang in the centre of the painting, a lone child. He’s obviously on his way somewhere. To the golden city? Or escaping from it? Is he entranced or relieved for there to be so much distance between them? Up to you to decide. If you need more than 200 words, I won’t mark you down. Just keep me enthralled.
As usual, links in the comments box before the round up next Thursday, and if you want any helpful criticism, just say.
Jane Dougherty Writes 
It’s raining outside, it’s my day off, so I’m doing this! I feel like I’ve had a long break from writing anything in prose, so I’m kick starting myself with your challenge. I do love the image. I have a fondness for those late Victorian/early Edwardian whimsical fairy stories, and this reminds me of them. I started off with something that would have fitted in quite nicely with those, but I reached 200 words and hadn’t even got the boy out of the village yet, so I abandoned that one and came up with this little oddity.
https://fmmewritespoems.wordpress.com/2016/08/19/far-far-away-microfiction10-for-jane-dougherty
It’s lovely. Reminds me of one of the Italian folk tales Italo Calvino collected.
I binge read fairy tales at times. I always forget to say that I appreciate criticism, too.
have a lovely weekend, Jane 🙂
https://ladyleemanila.wordpress.com/2016/08/19/microfiction-challenge-10-far-far-away/
You too 🙂
No sleepless nights here:
https://rivrvlogr.wordpress.com/2016/08/19/farther-away/
And critique, please.
I did think of something this time 🙂
Have a good weekend Jane.
https://summerstommy.com/2016/08/20/microfiction-challenge-10-far-far-away/
You too; Michael 🙂
Hi Jane! Part 7, and yes, I figured out how to reference that painting of yours! I got closer to the 200 word limit…maybe a wee bit over. Can’t wait for next week to come! 😊 Kat
https://kmmyrman.wordpress.com/2016/08/19/seasoning-part-7/
https://methodtwomadness.wordpress.com/2016/08/22/junk-mail-art-grace-of-light/
https://learawrites.wordpress.com/2016/08/22/the-golden-city/
I wasn’t sure I’d have a chance to write this week–but I did anyway. And, I’m getting it in on time. 🙂 Comment away.
https://merrildsmith.wordpress.com/2016/08/23/far-away-microfiction/
If you read Shaun’s story, I had the same reaction, but not so strongly. If Ken hadn’t pointed out the loss the boy must have felt, I think I’d have gone along with the fairy tale euphoria. But I still think it’s in the tradition of story-telling, they don’t all have a happy ending for everyone.
Yes, I agree.
I wasn’t really thinking of a fairy tale. I just tried to decide who that boy was, and what he was looking at, and this is the story that came to me. 🙂
The way he’s standing there, in the very centre of the landscape/painting made me want to root for him.
Yes, me, too.
I am struggling with an entry for #10, so I won’t make your deadline. I’ve been struggling with writing in general — not just the result of your excellent changes.
I have been neglect in reading other stories, so any similarities are due to physic powers.
Don’t worry about the deadline. Post the link when it’s done with the current challenge and I’ll put it in the next round up. Writing isn’t the problem for me—I can always produce something in the course of the day—it’s doing anything with it when it’s written.
For me it depends — in certain moods I can just free write and go back and fix.
Other times, I agonize over each sentence as it comes out. Or get 1/2 ways done, hate it, and start over.
I knew my piece needed loads of work, but I also knew I wasn’t going to get back to it. So, it was publish or the story would perish, and Dr. T. doesn’t take to those sorts of things well.
I liked it, so I’m glad you posted. It didn’t read as though you’d agonised over it if that’s a comfort 🙂
Thank you — it’s Teagarten. Feels like such a difficult gentleman to deal with.
Probably easier to repeat a character than to run a serial? What do you think?
Depends. If you have a story planned out then it could be difficult fitting the story in with the prompts. If you just want to have him popping in unexpectedly, any prompt could lend itself to a Teagarten story.
Jane: I struggled to get this story under control. It took so many turns on me I got lot. Too close to the due date I realize for helpful criticism, I know the story and I certainly need it.
https://phylor.wordpress.com/2016/08/24/jds-microfiction-challenge-10-far-far-away/