The Write Ingredients Writers' Workshop presents contests throughout the year. While winning is always fun, the true purpose of the contests is to teach proper formatting, how to follow guidelines and improve writing skills. Join us and take advantages of these opportunities, have fun with us as we learn together.
You may email any questions to jk.2writers@gmail.com or ask them at the Monday meetings.
Page-Turner Tournament New and Improved Rules
Updated September 2009:
Our first Page-Turner Contest was the brainchild of Rick Hare . He came up with the idea of writing the first 3 pages of a piece of fiction, reading them to an audience who would then vote for the best one. Rick based this contest on the premise that an author has very little time to grab the interest of an agent or editor. And that agent or editor must be left with wanting to read more. Hence the name "pager-turner."
The Page-Turner Tournament rotates with the Flash Fiction contest on the 4th Monday night meetings. The contest is promoted well in advance, but don't wait, write something now, and come and join in. You can't lose and you might win.
Due to the increasing popularity of our Page Turner Contest, we are going to an elimination round format.
- Example # 1: Twelve entries. Three rounds of four each.
- Example # 2: Twenty entries. Four rounds of five each.
- Example # 3: Seventeen entries. Three rounds of four plus one round of five.
We believe by doing it this way, it will make it easier for selections to be made. After each round is read, a vote will be held for the winner of that round; only one winner will be chosen from each round. Then the winners of the elimination rounds will be read once more in the Final Round. Based on the votes of the audience, First, Second and Third place winners will be selected. If we have fewer than nine entries, we will not use the elimation round format.
Format rules:
- Entry fee of $5.00 and only one entry per person. The fees will be split between the first place winner and the support of this website.
- Maximum page count of three pages, you may use fewer pages but not more.
- Format: 12 pt Times New Roman or Courier New, double-spaced, at least one-inch margins on all edges. Any entries which do not meet these requirements will be thrown out. (Tip: you get more words with TNR)
- Since this is a public forum, please watch the language (it's the law.) No erotica or profanity
- Title your piece, but do not put your name on it. Include a separate sheet with your name and title
- This is NOT a short story contest - do not answer all of your story questions - leave us wanting to turn the page. A well-written short story will not win here. Cut the end off before submitting.
- The contest is judged by those members in attendance on the night of the contest reading.
- Certificates and prizes will be awarded for the First, Second and Third place winners.
- You do not need to be present to win (but it's more fun if you are.)
Flash Fiction Smackdown Guidlines
If you enter the Flash Fiction Smackdown on the fourth Monday of each month (when there isn't a Pager-Turner Contest), you will:
- Generate new ideas in a short amount of time and minimal risk (you're only "wasting" 99 words, after all.
- Complete a marketable writing project (a good feeling) in 30 minutes (even better feeling).
- Strengthen existing scenes from your longer work (always a good thing).
- Practice powerful scene construction by doing and listenting to others' work.
- Practice reading your work to adoring fans (that would be us:-).
TOP REASON: Get over the fear of "rejection" by exposure to competition in a friendly, supportive atomsphere (yup, that's us again).
Bring your one page stories (no longer than 99 words, title no longer than 5 words - not included in the 99 word count) to the Write Ingredients Writer's Workshop at 7:00 on the fourth Monday night of each month at Barnes and Noble. One dollar per entry and be prepared to read your story or stories. A maximum of three entries per person. All entries will be checked for length. To qualify as a story, the entry should have 4 elements either stated or implied: a conflict, character (s), crisis, and conclusion.
If you haven't been a while, this could be a good time for you to participate again.
Try it: you may like it.
Kristl
FYI: If you're still not sure what Flash Fiction is, please read the following excerpt from Harvey Stanbrough's book, Writing Realistic Dialogue and Flash Fiction.
". . . it might be better to first define what flash fiction is not: It is not an essay, it is not a vignette or slice of life, it is not a prose poem, and it is not simply a story premise. . . .
Flash fiction is a complete short story that involves all four elements of fiction -- setting, character(s), conflict, and resolution -- in 99 words or fewer. As you might imagine, the successful flash fiction story depends heavily on suggestion or implication. Because of its brevity flash fiction is an excellent exercise in word economy, and it is also an ideal tool with which writing instructors can illustrate the interaction of the elements of fiction in a limited space.
Flash fiction has been called the most enjoyable anguish a writer can experience in fewer than 99 words. Many writers have thanked me and cursed me in the same sentence for having introduced them to the wonderful enigma that is flash fiction."
You can also find many examples of flash fiction on the web.