CONTEST CLOSED
(Thank you to all the brave writers who gave this round a go! There are still four more chances to enter so get familiar with the process below. A new 24-hour prompt will be revealed September 19, 2018, at 12:00 a.m. EST. It will close at 11:59 p.m. EST September 19.)
The clock started ticking at 12:00 a.m. (EST). That’s midnight in New York City when September 13, 2018, begins. The contest ends by the close of day September 13, 2018, at 11:59 (EST).
This is a free-write flash fiction contest to qualify five writers to compete in the October TUFFest Ride event during the 2018 Flash Fiction Rodeo at Carrot Ranch. A free-write requires you to draft quickly.
You can revise, edit or polish. But you only have 24 hours which is not enough time to let a first draft set. We know that. We are looking at your free-write skills, your bravery to write freely according to a prompt.
Judges will examine how creative a writer can be within both time and word constraint. Charli Mills, Cynthia Drake and Laura Smyth all of Hancock, Michigan will judge all TUFF contests. Your free-write must follow all five rules to qualify.
RULES
- You must use the revealed prompt: “cool water”
- You must enter using the provided form below
- You must write your story in 297 words (exactly, not including title)
- You must enter by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on September 13, 2018 (use the form provided below or email your full name and entry to wordsforpeople@gmail.com)
- You must be willing to compete in the 2018 October TUFFest Ride if selected
If you qualify, you will be among five winning writers to further compete for first, second and third place in the TUFFest flash fiction contest you will ever enter. The event equates to bull-riding in a cowboy rodeo. It’s a chance to show your versatility of flash fiction writing skills. Five writers will compete:
- October 1: Writers tune into a live video posted at Carrot Ranch Facebook Page for the announcement of who will be selected the Fab Five from the September entries. These five writers will have five days to do a new free-write.
- October 8: The Fab Five tune into a live video for a twist to a 99-word challenge to rewrite their free-write. They will have five days to write.
- October 15: The Fab Five tune into a live video for a twist to a 59-word challenge to rewrite their 99-word story. They will have five days to write.
- October 22: The Fab Five tune into a live video for a twist to a 9-word challenge to rewrite their 59-word story. They will have five days to write.
- October 29: The Fab Five tune into a live video to find out which three advances. The remaining three contestants will have 24 hours to write a final 495-word story from their TUFF exhibition.
- November 2: First, second and third place announced. All five contestants will win a prize (yet to be determined, based on sponsors).
WINNING TIPS
Go with your gut. At Carrot Ranch Literary Community, we play with 99 words, no more, no less every week. We’ve learned that our first instinct to a prompt might be strange or uncomfortable. The natural tendency of a writer is to water down that reaction — to write safely. Don’t. Be brave and go where the prompt leads you.
Be creative. Along with going with your gut, take a creative approach. If you are literal, you might write too stiffly. But do poke a literal response if that comes to you. Ask yourself how you can turn it upside down and create a surprising twist. Also, you don’t need to use the exact phrase (or the quotation marks unless you are using dialog or showing irony).
Be professional. We are all adults here, and adult content is a part of literary art. However, think like a professional literary artist whose job is to write. If you think shocking readers gives you an edge, think again. We live in a world desensitized by global crassness, violence, and inhumanity. Shock value is cheap. Instead, craft a clever twist, show intelligence and the ability to interpret the global theater. Make your readers think.
Write with emotion. You also want to make your readers feel. Characters give us all the opportunity to experience life beneath the skin of another. Literary art can share imagined experiences from what it is like to attend school at Hogwarts or be a polar bear. Invite your readers to feel these unique perspectives. Avoid stereotypes.
Breathe! When you control your breath, you control your mind. Yes, it’s a competition. Yes, it’s only 24-hours. Yes, you have a lot on your plate. But you have the right to be here. You are a creative writer — so breathe, read the rules, write, count your words, and enter. No matter the outcome, you were brave enough to write!
You can use Microsoft Word or use WordCounter.net to determine 297 words.
There are no entry fees, and five winning writers will each win a cash prize.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Openings Life Coaching
SmythType Design
Solar Up
Bill Engleson
Thread Tales Studio
And our Leaders & Judges:
Geoff Le Pard
Irene Waters
Sherri Matthews
Norah Colvin
D. Avery
Chelsea Owens
Esther Chilton
Angie Oakley
Helen Stromquist
Hugh Roberts
Mike Matthews
Robbie Cheadle
Anne Goodwin
Bonnie Sheila
**There’s still time to sponsor the Rodeo**
ENTRY FORM (email wordsforpeople@gmail.com for support)
NOW CLOSED
If you missed this free-write, you have more chances to enter. You can enter more than once. Next qualifying free-writes will reveal secret prompts:
- September 19, 2018 (12:00 am – 11:59 pm)
- September 25, 2018 (12:00 am – 11:59 pm)
Cool. Water you thinking?
Where the water flows free for you and me, cool water!
(Goraaaannnn!)
Ha, ha! How’s that earworm for ya?
Suffering…but not in silence. 😉
😀
Interesting prompt. Thanks.
Bill caught the western tune — it’s a cool song. But as always, go where the prompt leads.
Oh yes, I think I remember one.
My favorite version is by Eddy Arnold.
And a great song…
It’s one of my all-time favorites.
Thanks, Charli. Great words to stir more great words…
Over the years of collecting responses to prompts, I’ve found that anything related to water tends to be powerful.
Yeah, gets the words flowing. Or trickling.
May you never thirst for words.
May I never choke on them.
Reblogged this on Roundabout Forty and commented:
Another fun prompt! Click the link to the Carrot Ranch if you’d like to join.
xo Juli
Thanks for sharing a sip of cool water!
[…] fun prompt! Click the link to the Carrot Ranch if you’d like to […]
Was that the entry form? I think I’ve entered…
Got it, Sarah! Thanks for entering!
Finally posted my entry Charli. I sent by email as well as the entry form. This prompt was really cool as well as challenging 🙂
Cool, Deepa! 🙂 I got your entries, thanks!
Thank u charli
🙂
Submitted my entry additionally by email to retain italics (no worries if that’s not allowed)
Good idea–I have italics, too!
Oh! Maybe I should do that…
That’s a good point to make, Anne. Yes, it’s fine to send your entry by email to retain any formatting, or to email or make a note on the form to that regard. And, I did get it. Thanks!
Though don’t want to create extra work for you, Charli.
It’s quick to grab from email, too.
Another entry coming your way!
Got it, Goldie!
Done N dusted!
And the dust settles! Got it, Ritu!
🤪😍❤️
I have sent my post via email. thanks
Good job entering, Kalpana! This is not an easy feat and all writers who enter should feel proud at having done so. I got your entry.
[…] If you haven’t entered the contest yet, there are still two more free-writes after this one. Check it out here. […]
That was a fun prompt. 🙂
Glad you liked to drink from that one!
I sent my prompt!! 😀
Actually, I sent it twice because my computer glitched and I wasn’t sure if it went through.
Got it! Twice! No worries — I think that glitch happens to other writers, too. I always compare, though in case you sent a correction.
Thank you so much!!! 😀
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Damn, I missed it. I might write something anyway.
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[…] God’s Well flash fiction entry this is a story I wrote for The Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction contest on September 13 th. You had to write a story 297 words using the prompt cool water. https://carrotranch.com/2018/09/13/september-13-free-write/ […]
[…] “In exactly 297 words write about “cool water”” – a prompt for this week’s CW piece. [Source: @CarrotRanch] […]