24th June is National Writing Day in the UK and this year, First Story have set a nationwide challenge to write a 24 words story in 7 minutes, starting with the words ‘One day…’

I’ve decided to try several of these throughout the day, aiming for a different genre in each one. Each story starts with ‘One day’, but I have also added the genre in bold so I can keep a record of all the different styles I attempt. In the spirit of the day, I will aim for 24 genres.

1. Celebrity Romance: One day was all it took for them both to fall in love – but their separation and divorce dragged out for several months.
2. Environmental: One day, the sun rose in the west and set in the east – and that’s what global warming has done for the entire planet.
3. Horror: One day, the dead rose from their graves, zombies stalked the streets and Jessica discovered that she had chipped one of her expensive nails.
4. Action adventure: One day, a fearless adventurer travelled to the Antarctic to retrieve a long-lost artefact. After many hair-raising experiences, he died without reaching his goal.
5. Fantasy: One day, Gandalf sent dwarves on a quest with Bilbo. They escaped trolls, found a ring, battled a dragon and were back by teatime.
6. Sci-fi: One day in the future, a giant meteorite will hurtle towards the earth. People will panic but the big name movie stars will survive.
7. YA: One day, a daisy told her that he loved her, so she waited for him to ask her to the Prom. The daisy lied.
8. Up-lit: One day, the lonely man on the autistic spectrum realised he was perfect material for an uplifting tale about how anyone can find love.
9. Rom-com: One day, she met a man she hated on sight; but after many mishaps, they fell in love, married and lived happily ever after.
10. Classic literature: One day, Cathy’s father brought home an unkempt urchin. Cathy and Heathcliff loved each other passionately, but their tragic relationship was doomed to fail.
11. Thriller: One day after the pandemic hit the world, a journalist with integrity began to uncover a conspiracy. Would he live to tell the tale?
12. Western: One day, a stranger rode into Dodge City, swaggered into the saloon and ordered a tequila. “We’re all out of that,” said the barman.
13. Fairy tale: One day, the three bears came home to find someone had eaten all their porridge. “I should have locked the door,” said Father Bear.
14. Crime: One day, a body was found in the library, leaking blood all over the First Editions. Poirot and Marple were both baffled by this.
15. Comedy: One day, an incompetent university lecturer attended his professor’s house party, insulted the guests and set fire to a bed. Not so lucky, Jim.
16. Mythology: One day, Theseus entered the labyrinth and slew the fearsome minotaur. Ariadne wept at her brother’s loss and again when Theseus callously abandoned her.
17. Classic children’s fiction: One day, Alice fell down a rabbit hole and found herself terrorised by talking animals, a psychotic Hatter and some rather dubious playing cards.
18. Political satire: One day, the government told people to stay home and save lives; now we’re told to go to the pub and save the economy.
19. The American novel: One day, George left Lennie on his own while he went out with the other hands. Who could’ve known Lennie would kill Curley’s wife?
20. Russian literature: One day, Dimitri Vlostovsky heard that Marina was accused of killing her husband. Crime and punishment merged into one the more vodka he drank.
21. Supernatural: One day more was all she needed to achieve her goal of escaping the otherworld and taking human form. Unfortunately, the Ghostbusters got her.
22. Shakespearean: One day was all it took for Romeo to marry Juliet, kill her cousin and be banished by the prince. They both died later.
23. Historical: One day, Cromwell, received some unfortunate news: the king wished to execute Anne Boleyn and marry another. Love always made him lose his head.
24. Autobiographical: One day, I will write something that truly comes from the heart and not because I am merely following someone else’s random writing prompt.