Assignment: Missed it by THAT much!

So for your first story, we asked you to take a story from the news and change just a few details. It’s a good way to test how much news can bend before it breaks.

Now we’d like you to make up a story that seems like it could be true, but just isn’t quite. This story should be as close as it can get to true without going all the way. It should have a truthful foundation. True quotations from actual people. So much truth it makes your fake bone twinge.

But then give it that truthless twist.

Typically we follow the 80–20–10 rule. Try 98% true with a mere 5% untrue.

Along the way, watch out for the Unscammy Valley. Right before you get to the truth, stories start seeming more fake than the fakiest.

Oh, and the untrue part should be in the headline.

When you are done, post the story on Medium and submit to one of our news organs!