Genre: Fiction

“Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlige klær” is a rhyming proverb in Norwegian that means there’s no bad weather, just bad clothing. This sentiment points not just to a high value of functional comfort, but to the cultural importance of time spent outdoors—especially in a country whose inland regions see considerably cold temperatures and snowfall. Write a short story in which the main action is set in motion by a discrepancy between a character’s choice of clothing and the weather, such as light clothing on a frigid day, too many layers that prove to be too hot, or delicate clothing that encounters splattered mud or dust storms. What are the circumstances that lead your character to don an inappropriate ensemble? Consider what the initial decision, the response, and the ultimate conclusion reveal about your character’s personality and motivations.

“Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this sun of York; / And all the clouds that lour’d upon our house / In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.” In the soliloquy delivered by the title character in William Shakespeare’s play Richard III as he considers the outlook of his family’s reign, the “winter” refers to the lowest point of unhappy times. From this nadir, clouds will part and the sun will shine upon more fortunate circumstances. Taking inspiration from this metaphorical image, write a short story that begins with acknowledgment of a rock-bottom situation—a winter of sorts. What are the factors in place that convey to your characters that things can only go up from this moment forward?