
We had a LOT of fun with this last time we did it, so it’s time to try it again.
FLASH FICTION CHALLENGE!
Haiku Edition
What is a haiku and why do we want to write one?
To stretch some new writer muscles of course! And because it’ll be fun. Probably. Or at least funny. And since we’re all gonna play, it should be a kick.
YOU can HAIKU
But… do you want to?
Sure! It’s easy and fun. But first an ad for my writing contest:
Hey, I’m having a WRITING CONTEST this month – wanna enter?
-
Get valuable FEEDBACK on your writing
-
Possibly win a share of $400 in PRIZES
-
Be the envy of your friends with MASSIVE BRAGGING RIGHTS
-
Cool e-ribbons you can proudly display if you win
Check it out and enter by clicking HERE.
(You really should enter that. Now back to Haikus.)
Well, first things first: what the heck is a haiku?
The Japanese invented it, according to Wiki, sometime before they got into the automotive and electronics business. It’s a “poem” (apparently a non-rhyming one) done in a specific pattern of syllables. Don’t ask me why.

17 total syllables in the haiku, done in three lines, 5-7-5 format:
- five syllables in the first line
- seven syllables in the second line
- and five syllables again, in the last line.
Simple, right?
And it’s a poem, but it doesn’t needs to rhyme.
(I guess you get extra points if it does.)
EXAMPLE 1: provided by a friend who used to teach poetry! She knocked this out in like ten seconds.
.
Red wine in my glass
Shimmering under the lights
You get me wasted
.
Is that cool or what? Ten seconds!
EXAMPLE 2:
(I gave her a random topic of shoes)
White and blue sneakers
Inappropriate for work
Wear them anyway
.
EXAMPLE 3:
(To stump her, I gave her a word that’s hard to rhyme: oranges)
Juicy in segments
Tropical citrus delight
Burns my papercut
.
Okay, they can’t all be winners.
.
Now, what are we writing this haiku about? Aha, that’s the even more fun part. I don’t know.
You’ll use a random topic generator to decide what your haiku is about.
It should give us some very interesting stuff!

.
.
CLICK HERE for your random topic.
.
.
Here are THE RULES
- Go to the random topic generator, select it one time, and you HAVE to write a haiku about that. No cheating.
- Post your haiku on your blog.
- Tell your readers what your random topic was so they don’t think you’re having a stroke.
- Reference us on your blog, further clarifying to your readers that you are definitely not having a stroke.
-
Post your haiku (and or a link to your haiku) in the comments section, below.
- Brag to friends at parties about how versatile a writer you are.
- You have 48 hours from when you read this! LIKE the post so I know you read it and that will start the clock, so to speak. There’s not really a clock. Or a deadline, Jenny.
- Extra points if you do it drunk.
-
ENTER AS OFTEN AS YOU LIKE! More is better. And funner.
-
And yes I know that’s not a word.
READY?
SET?
GET TO IT!
ARIGATO!
.
REBLOG me! Or SHARE this post on Facebook and Twitter! See those little buttons down below? Put on your glasses. There they are. Click them. The FOLLOW button is now in the lower right hand corner.
Dan Alatorre is the author of several bestsellers and the hilarious novel “Poggibonsi: an italian misadventure.” PRE-ORDER THE FUNNY, SEXY POGGIBONSI HERE FOR $0.99 LIMITED TIME. Price goes up to $2.99 on April 20.
I donât know. Iâve always sucked at this. Iâll reblog you. Letâs see if any of my readers take you up on it. LOL!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ya gotta try! It’s fun even if you suck. More fun, probably – and that’s the goal: to publicly risk humiliation, albeit in a small way. Teaches us to develop the thick skin we’re gonna need as writers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My blog is a bit inundated with A-Z posts at the moment, so I hope you don’t mind if I just leave my contribution here. 😊
Topic: Do you have any vacation plans coming up?
Haiku:
My home for three hours
Place butt in my paid for seat
Please don’t beat me up
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! A little jab at United?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe…
Want another one?
Putting bag away
Open the overhead bin
Ack! A scorpion!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Awesome.
LikeLike
Okay, my turn.
TOPIC: What is something that makes you smile?
Hmm…
Let’s go with my daughter first.
5 – 7 – 5, right?
Beautiful, my child
Breaks my bursting heart each day
in the best of ways
How’s that?
LikeLiked by 2 people
And then of course, something funny that makes me smile
Sneaky, my child
asks me to help brush her teeth
right after she poops.
LikeLiked by 2 people
😂😂😂
Kids are so thoughtful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know.
LikeLike
Aw, that’s sweet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have my moments.
LikeLike
Topic: What are you most worried about right now?
Book sales. I just launched Poggi and I want it to do well. (So far so good but you never know.)
Reviewers, appear!
Send Poggi to number 1
Make me big money.
LikeLiked by 2 people
http://wp.me/p4ayEo-278 My short link in case the ping back doesn’t work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It rhymed, too – great job!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thought of another… strictly fictionalized, fantasy… In the days of yore – I had such fun as a whore – Alas, nevermore!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My sister is brilliant at Haiku – have a look at these: https://lynnesartandsoul.wordpress.com/2014/04/13/haiku-heaven/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice!
LikeLike
And some more: https://lynnesartandsoul.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/haiku-experiments-could-be-dangerous-lol/
LikeLiked by 1 person
And these – the last one is my favourite! https://lynnesartandsoul.wordpress.com/2014/04/09/richard-iii-haiku-you-have-to-admit-thats-different-some-others/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here are mine:
‘What you shouldn’t say at a funeral’
Faux Pas
‘He was my father.’
‘He was my father as well.’
‘Who the hell are you?’
I’m going to try some different ones.
Dogs
Dogs like to ‘kiss’ you
Around your face, nose and mouth
After licking bum!
My dog had a limp
She had hydrotherapy
She pooed in the pool
Lemonade was spilled
I dipped finger and tasted
Gah! It was dog drool!
(These three are all based on fact! 😦 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your haikus sure rock
Some of these were funny, too
Family talent
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
Thanks!
LikeLike
Hi Dan, I’m a newbie here, directed over by Judy of Edwina’s Episodes!
Here’s my effort!
https://butismileanyway.com/2017/04/23/flash-fiction-challenge-haiku-edition-junk-or-tv/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome! Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLike
My favorite song is, They’re Coming to Take Me Away”
I’m a trifle mad
but please don’t call and “disturb”
the men in white coats
LikeLiked by 1 person