Tim Gatreaux is a fantastic writer. After reading his story Welding with Children, try to write a story that looks at the lives of fairly regular people. You can write about whatever you want, but in the spirit of this humble, observant, tender, well-crafted story, try to write with the following restrictions in mind:
- Have a title that contains two things that don't usually go together, like welding and children
- Try to be serious--without melodrama--and funny--without slapstick
- Avoid excessive bloodshed and violence
- Write from the point of view you're less comfortable with--first or third person
- Write in the past tense
- Start with dialogue
- Make the story plausible and care about your characters