Microfiction: try it, you might like it

You hear it a lot, especially in sports and in your professional life: challenge yourself. Take a stretch assignment. Easy to say, not always easy to do. Granted some of us will jump head-first into any new opportunity (not me) and some of us are more circumspect in the way we move through the world (definitely me).

Staying in your lane is comfortable

As a writer, I have my niche. I prefer fantasy, and that has a wide range of sub-genres to choose from: high fantasy, urban, dark, historical, paranormal, mythic, and several others. So, like fusion cuisine, you can combine some of them with excellent results.

But sometimes you do get the urge to delve into other genres. Some people will tell you stick with what you know, that’s where you’ve built your following. That’s where your brand is. That might be true, but I think there’s value in trying something a little different. My most recent book was women’s fiction – not a drop of fantasy novel in it.

Looking for a challenge?

But I’ll tell you something, one of the most fun writing things I’ve done in a while is participate in some of the NYC Midnight Challenges*. I am not a paid spokesperson for this group, so all if this is my own opinion.

Things vary slightly depending how many words the challenge is (100, 250 or 500 words, plus a few others) but—generally speaking—you get an assignment on midnight on a Friday and have to submit your story within 24- to 48-hours.

You’re assigned a genre, an action that must happen in the story, and a specific word you need to include. The great part is you get feedback from three different judges on your submission, and if you score highly enough you move on to the next round. Usually there are three rounds.

Exhilarating or terrifying?

I’ll admit, it can be a little terrifying to get your assignment. You can get action/adventure, comedy, romance, thriller, horror, fantasy, historical fiction, fairy tale, even… gasp… political satire. And getting a genre you’re not familiar with and not comfortable with can be a little terrifying.

But I’ll tell you, it is so satisfying to turn something in when you are done. The political satire one is a great example. I got that once and was horrified. I almost quit but told myself I wasn’t going to let the genre get the best of me.

What I turned in was, if I’m being generous, maybe lukewarm political comedy, but I learned that I could write something in a genre wildly different from my usual focus. It wasn’t perfect, and the judges called me out on some things (and they were absolutely correct).

Boosting your confidence and your skills

Something like the NYC Midnight Challenges can not only boost your confidence, but they can also improve your skills. Writing short is hard. Every word matters, especially when you only have 100 of them to work with. And they can also teach you that there’s always room for improvement.

You don’t always make it out of the first round. Sometimes the judges give feedback you don’t entirely agree with (note: all three judges will give you feedback on what they like and what they think can be improved). You live. You learn. And you write something better next time. (For the record, two preceding paragraphs? 97 words.)

Bonus: a little idea library

Plus, you never know when some of your Challenge stories might lead to something else. In two instances, I’ve taken stories from NYC Midnight events, expanded them, and turned them into short stories that have been included in anthologies.

Try it, you might like it

So, if you’re looking for a fun way to stretch yourself as a writer, consider giving NYC Midnight a whirl. You can sign up on their site to get notifications for when Challenges are going to start.

*In full transparency, there is an entry fee for each Challenge. You can find more info at www.nycmidnight.com.

Pictures are from Unsplash, thanks to Justin Veenema and Brett Jordan.