It’s a bit of an unusual premise: create something prompted by one of many strange objects and phenomenon submerged in NYC’s various bodies of water. The list of objects includes things like a shinbone in the New York Harbor, a dead giraffe in the Lower New York Bay, a bag full of lottery tickets in Prospect Park, and lizard skin purses in Dead Horse Bay. Just think of all the possibilities! My flash fiction story, for example, was inspired by a pair of silicone breast implants that were found washed up on Coney Island; if you look, there are three other interpretations of the implants’ origins. Underwater New York is a digital journal that publishes these “stories from the deep,” in whatever form they come: short fiction, flash fiction, songs, and artwork.
If you’re interested in submitting something yourself, the only rule is that you stay true to the object; for example, if it was found on Coney Island, then it must be located there in your story too.
Hope this helps get your creative juices flowing!
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Hannah Karena Jones 
I am teaching a “Creative Writing” course in the fall, and hope to remember this because it is such a great prompt. I very much enjoyed it. Thanks.
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That’s awesome you’re going to use a prompt associated with a publication. It would be so cool if they submission bombed the journal at the end of the semester and a bunch of them got published! What an awesome opportunity for an undergraduate!
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It would be even crazier. They are 12th graders.
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Awesome!
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Cool story and journal. Congrats on having your piece published!
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Thanks Meagan! I love journals that offer prompts. They get me writing again. Are you going to try one?
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I might. I should. I love me some flash fiction. But my writing mojo’s been on the low side.
You’re right, though. A prompt might be just what the doctor ordered. Thanks, again, Hannah.
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Yeah, my writing inspiration has been on the low side recently too. Prompt journals are the only thing getting me to write anything as of late!
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I think this is fascinating, great idea! There’s more than a few broken dreams submerged in that water as well!
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I’m sure! There’s probably such great heartbreak history behind a lot of the objects.
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Love the premise, and the stories were great, too. The sleazeball guy in yours was really well charcterized in a few lines 🙂
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I love this journal–all the stuff is so great! And thanks…I’m so glad you got the sleazeball vibe quickly!
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