Yes, I know, I switched it up a few weeks ago. But the fact is, change is refreshing. Have you noticed I regularly change the banner I use for this weekly post? Well, I’m introducing some fun changes today that I hope will help to grow participation in this contest. What’s new:
- It’s now the micro-fiction contest!
- The word limit is 100 words.
- Write to exactly 50 words or 100 words if you choose.
- The reward for the top story of the week is now 2 SBD.
Okay, let’s forge ahead! Be sure to read the updated rules.
About the micro-fiction contest
Micro-fiction short stories are fun and challenging to write. The challenge is to write a complete story within a tight word limit. If you’re just trying it out for the first time, welcome! Here are a few FAQs:
- Why participate? Because it’s a fun challenge, and it gives you something to post weekly.
- What makes a great micro-fiction story? As we all know, critique of the arts is subjective. That said, I have a few metrics for choosing the best entry:
- Is the story well-written and edited? (A compelling story line, and no spelling or punctuation errors.)
- Does it have the elements of a story? For example, a true story must have a conflict of some kind. It could be a conflict between people, an inner conflict or deep desire of a character, or a big challenge such as an oncoming storm. And there must be a resolution to the conflict. For example, the character might walk away from the conflict or breathe a sigh of relief.
- Is the story satisfying to read? Remember you are writing for readers. The story must have interesting character(s) and story elements.
- What else do I need to know? Have fun! Oh, and see the see the rules below. There are just a few rules, and there are some great image resources for you.
Writing resources
If you are not sure how to write a compelling story, see my weekly mini writing workshop (tagged #writingworkshop). The latest post is here, and it includes links to all of the posts. You can also have someone else read your story and help with your storyline, grammar and punctuation. There are multiple Steem writing communities to help you:
- @thewritersblock
- Inkubator
- #isleofwrite
- #freewrite
Last week’s winning entry
Thank you to everyone who participated in last week’s contest: @felixgarciap, @raj808, @theironfelix, @anixio, @owasco, @creatr, @joeylim, @tristancarax, @galatichunter, @niallon11, @deirdyweirdy I really enjoyed all the entries, based on the “journey” prompt. A few stand-outs this week included:
- Journey, by @anixio
- A Wild Night, by @owasco
- Journey, by @niallon11
- Orbit’s Journey, by @galatichunter
For the winning entry of the week, I’ve chosen the heartbreaking and beautiful, “A Boy’s Final Journey,” by @joeylim.
“I’m taking Mark to Switzerland for treatment.” “That’s absurd!” Lying on the hospital bed, Mark tugged feebly on his mother’s sleeves. She ignored him. “I have every right.” “But – we have joint custody!” Mark yawned; he felt so sleepy. The white room spun in his irises and faded to black.
Great work, @joeylim! Your reward is on the way. Thank you again to all participants. Your work is always a joy to read!
New micro-fiction short story prompt and rules
The new prompt for this coming week is “grace.” I look forward to seeing what you come up with! The deadline is Saturday, January 12th, with a grace period until the new contest post is up.
Contest rules
- Write a micro-fiction story in 100 words or less and post it to your blog, then provide a link to the story in the comments. Please do not post your story in the comments!
- Use only artwork that you have the right to use, and attribute it properly. See “Use of images” below.
- Use the #microfiction tag. if you write your story to exactly 50 words or 100 words, feel free to use the #fiftywords or #100words tag, as appropriate.
You can use any posting tool, e.g. Steemit, Busy, Partiko, or Steampeak. Just please publish it on its own, not combined with any other contest.
Note that you are not required to upvote or resteem this post, nor are you required to support other participants. Entries will be judged on merit only. But active community participation and support of your fellow writers is, of course, highly encouraged.
Use of images
You are welcome to illustrate your story with an image, as long as you have the right to use it. One of the following must be true:
- The image is public domain, or under creative commons licensing. See the resource links below.
- It is your own image.
- If it is not one of the above, you must have actual permission.
Be sure to properly attribute the image’s source or mention that the image is yours.
Here are some creative commons and public domain image resources:
Good luck micro-fiction writers!
