In starting my 365-day writing project, I vowed to write every day. I imagined I would work on 250-500 word essays, but in reality and practice, I acknowledge I have a difficult time getting anything out in less than 850 words.

Reader’s Digest features a 100-word True Story contest. I thought this would be a productive, educational exercise – and it was. 100 words is nothing for me. I found this exercise incredibly challenging, realizing it was easier to write a 1,000 word crappy draft than a 100-word story with any  real value to it.

Either way, I’m continuing this practice for the next few days.

Here is Story 1:

World War 2 was a brutal thief. My grandfather’s sister Rosa was engaged when her beloved enlisted to fight in the Soviet army. After three short weeks, she was devastated with a yellow telegram bearing the fatal news.

Her reaction was an uncontrollable muscle spasm; she manically enlisted to fight at the front. A month later, Rosa’s parents collapsed on the floor as they received their own telegram.

Twenty-five years later, a knock at the door revealed a man in a military uniform in a wheelchair. “Can I help you?” My grandfather asked?

“I’m looking for Rosa,” he answered.