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This article has been write over the week-end and therefore published only at the end for reasons of absolute concentration ^^’. It traces my evolution during these intense 48 hours and more.
Presentation of the competition:
I discovered NYC Midnight through sponsored Facebook ads (sometimes that serves a little). I saw “Literary challenges”, “Microfiction”, “250-word”, so I quickly went to see the website. I immediately fell in love with the idea of the competition, having not yet experienced this type of challenge.
The goal for this weekend event is to write a microfiction of ONLY 250 words. Yes, a complete story with a beginning, middle and end in just 250 words.
There is the same challenge with 100 or 500 words, or with short story, flash fiction, screenwriting and rhyming story.
This takes place in rounds, there are 3 for this challenge. Each of them lasts 48 hours. This weekend’s is Friday December 8, 2023, 11:59 p.m. (New York time) to Sunday, December 10, 2023, 11:59 p.m. Results will be posted on February 7, 2024, for a second round if selected from February 9 to 11, 2024, results on April 3, 2024 for a final round if selected from April 5 to 7, 2024, for a final result on May 23, 2024.
In each round, there is a draw which will define the genre, action and word that the participant must use in their story. The writers are divided into several groups and the 10 best texts in each group will see their authors participate in the next round, then it will be the 5 best who can have the chance to attempt the 3rd.
Registration costs $38, of which 2% goes to charity. Winners will be rewarded with prizes, including a Freewrite Traveler, and share $10,000 in cash. And above all, the most important thing, each participant will have feedback on their texts!
Participants remain masters of their writings and always have their copyright on them unless agreed between the two parties. It just asked to them to only share their text between 10 or 30 days after the publication of the results of the round.
For this challenge, there are 4,481 participants, divided into 105 groups of around 43 people, I am part of the 54th.
My participation:
So let’s be clear, I know for sure that I will not reach the second round, let alone first place! But then why participate? First of all, I love challenges!
Then, I’ve never written microfiction, and I’ve been wanting to try it for a while, now’s the chance! I love writing under pressure, it’s thanks to these kinds of challenges that I managed to publish three of my short stories.
This will allow me to learn a lot about myself and my writing.
This is going to be a big, big challenge, and I can’t wait!
And then, it’s in English, so it will allow me to work and enrich my writings in this language.
And it’s just great! I adore! So why not!
It’s going to begin!
So tonight is Friday, December 8, 2023, and I am now ready! I spent my day reading the entire website, memorizing every writing tip I could find there, learning what microfiction was, how to write it, how to work on it, how to much shorter sentences, how such a small text can become so relevant, how to play with typography, how everything!
I’m super excited, I can’t wait! In 1 or 2 minutes, I will finally know the genre, the action and the word that will be attributed to me, which will be the framework of my story!
Come on, just a few more seconds of patience, and…
That’s it!
For those who know me, I’m super happy!!!!!!!!!!!!
Genre : Ghost Story
Action : Stockpiling
Word : Fit
Here‘s the definition of the Ghost Story genre:
Honestly, I’m so lucky to come across the kind of fiction I love! This will take a weight off my shoulders because I couldn’t see myself writing something about political satire, drama or romance. I like dark, horror, so it’s perfect for me!
Now I have to think as much as possible about a story with this action and this word, in this genre, and above all make sure this story is written in only 250 words! And if it doesn’t work, find another one ^^.
So next step will be tomorrow! Now, I need to sleep ^^.
Next post: I participated in NYC Midnight’s 250-word Microfition Challenge, 2023/2024 #2
Péléane Léana - Vision Livre 