Page 7 of 16 FirstFirst ... 23456789101112 ... LastLast
Results 91 to 105 of 229

Thread: Nano story contest

  1. #91
    On the road, but not! Danik 2016's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Beyond nowhere
    Posts
    11,111
    Blog Entries
    2
    Lol!Nice story about not so nice fates!I like this kind of challenge. I´l try to make up a story myself.

    One only has to be if they start offering books, cups with your story on it, writer certificates and so on...against payment of course.
    "I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
    Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row

  2. #92
    Maybe YesNo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Near Chicago, Illinois USA
    Posts
    9,420
    Blog Entries
    2
    Thanks, Danik! Fielden's challenges are ways for writers to get a publication credit if they are interested in that. He does plan to publish all of these in book form once he gets enough entries. He also publishes lists of competitions for fiction and writing advice: http://www.christopherfielden.com/sh...riting-advice/

    I like the humor in his stories.

  3. #93
    On the road, but not! Danik 2016's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Beyond nowhere
    Posts
    11,111
    Blog Entries
    2
    I love the stories of Charli from Carrot Ranch. He published your story about Fred. But I don´t think he intends to publish a book. Seems to be a guy that wanders around with his dogs and settles down in nature (even in winter).
    "I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
    Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row

  4. #94
    Maybe YesNo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Near Chicago, Illinois USA
    Posts
    9,420
    Blog Entries
    2
    Charli Mills is a female writer. She published an anthology of their 99-word stories although I only recently started submitted stories there. If they do another anthology next year, I might have a chance of getting in that one. She is more selective than Christopher Fielden so I might not make it. All you have to do for Fielden's challenges is follow the rules and he will accept the story. He does have a real competition called "To Hull and Back" which is very selective. Getting in that anthology would be nice.

  5. #95
    On the road, but not! Danik 2016's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Beyond nowhere
    Posts
    11,111
    Blog Entries
    2
    I thought it was a man, because she likes roughing it. I like her own texts very much and what always wins me over is empathy for the animal world.

    Anyway, if I was you I should try some new themes. You have got your sense of humor too. And two different challenges at hand now.
    "I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
    Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row

  6. #96
    Maybe YesNo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Near Chicago, Illinois USA
    Posts
    9,420
    Blog Entries
    2
    Empathy is good. Animals seem to be better at this than we are or maybe we are not as aware of our own empathy.

    Here's a story I wrote for Charli Mill's current prompt word, "unicorn" with a requirement that it be exactly 99 words in length excluding the title. I post the story in the comments. Here's the link for anyone who might want to participate. https://carrotranch.com/2018/02/22/f...ion-challenge/

    ---------------------------------

    Unicorn


    Generally two of something balance better aesthetically and provide depth of experience, but I only had one horn growing out of the top of my head.

    I wasn’t disabled or anything, but who would hire me? If you didn’t look at the horn, which was hard not to, I actually looked pretty good.

    Kids bullied me because of the horn. I fought back. I did that a lot. I got real good at it. I mean it was fun. They sent me to the Riverland State Detention Facility and cut off my horn.

    So, yeah, I was a unicorn.

  7. #97
    On the road, but not! Danik 2016's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Beyond nowhere
    Posts
    11,111
    Blog Entries
    2
    Good story, though poor unicorn! I saw it in Carrot Ranch. There is also the prospect of a book.
    "I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
    Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row

  8. #98
    Maybe YesNo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Near Chicago, Illinois USA
    Posts
    9,420
    Blog Entries
    2
    They started compiling anthologies. It is too bad for that unicorn.

  9. #99
    On the road, but not! Danik 2016's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Beyond nowhere
    Posts
    11,111
    Blog Entries
    2
    Congrats! I just got the link with the published stories.

    By the way: I am going to send your page with the birds waiting for summer to a German acquaintance. They are freezing over there with -16º C or less. I hope you don´t mind.
    Last edited by Danik 2016; 03-01-2018 at 07:57 AM.
    "I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
    Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row

  10. #100
    Maybe YesNo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Near Chicago, Illinois USA
    Posts
    9,420
    Blog Entries
    2
    I am glad you liked that page, Danik! The weather is perfect where I am. Who knows how long that will last.

    There is another prompt at Carrot Ranch for an exactly 99-word story. There's one every week. The theme is "raven". https://carrotranch.com/2018/03/01/m...ion-challenge/

    Here's my entry for this week.

    ---------------------------
    Raven Down

    There are plenty of explanations for the same data but what Randy wanted was to understand it at all.

    He watched a bunch of crows tussling in the air and got out his phone. When he realized that one of the crows was being picked on lethally he switched the app to record video.

    Aren’t birds supposed to be peaceful at least toward members of their own kind?

    A select handful pecked the target repeatedly making sure its body could no longer move. Others flew about apparently guarding and watching.

    Then it was over. Those who remained living departed.

  11. #101
    Maybe YesNo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Near Chicago, Illinois USA
    Posts
    9,420
    Blog Entries
    2
    Here's my entry for this week's 99-word Carrot Ranch prompt, balloon. https://carrotranch.com/2018/03/09/m...ion-challenge/

    -------------------------------------
    BALLOON

    He held his breath. What he thought would happen did not. The enemy came instead from the rear.

    If he were alone he wouldn’t mind so much, but he mispositioned the others.

    Were they the good guys he wouldn’t mind so much either, but he doubted if there were any good guys in this battle. This was alien home territory. They weren’t supposed to be there.

    The others understood all this, too, as the fighting started.

    His world was like a balloon. He wished it were yellow or blue. He wished he had steered it better.

    Then it popped.

  12. #102
    On the road, but not! Danik 2016's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Beyond nowhere
    Posts
    11,111
    Blog Entries
    2
    Good story, you manage well as usually that final twist which is meant to surprise or shock the reader. "The raven" was published, seems you are now a regular at Carrot Ranch. One thing that makes me think: you are usually optimistic in your poems but you give a pessimist turn to your nano stories.
    "I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
    Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row

  13. #103
    Maybe YesNo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Near Chicago, Illinois USA
    Posts
    9,420
    Blog Entries
    2
    I think stories call for some negativity to get a dramatic set up going, but I also think you are right that a positive approach can be taken and may be more pleasing to the reader. I've missed many of the Carrot Ranch prompts. Maybe longer stories can come out of them. I'll try to make the next one positive.

  14. #104
    On the road, but not! Danik 2016's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Beyond nowhere
    Posts
    11,111
    Blog Entries
    2
    This was just a comment, Yes/No. I like positive stories but very often I feel that to be real and convincing a story has to take a negative turn. Think, for example of the impact of a story like "A rose for Emily" by Faulkner.
    "I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
    Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row

  15. #105
    Maybe YesNo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Near Chicago, Illinois USA
    Posts
    9,420
    Blog Entries
    2
    I haven't read that Faulkner story. I found it online.

    The prompt this week is "carrot cake". https://carrotranch.com/2018/03/16/m...ion-challenge/

    ----------------------------------------

    Carrot Cake


    He reminded her of the strudel she used to make. He wanted to make it himself but he didn’t know how. Could she teach him?

    She asked him about that girl he liked. He said her name was Shirley. “What happened to her?”

    “There she is.”

    “Ah! She’s grown!”

    “And we have children. Look.” He pointed to two girls too old for innocence, too young to be on their own in the doorway.

    “How beautiful! I don’t know if I remember how to make that carrot cake.”

    “That’s alright.”

    “What was that girl’s name again?”

    “It’s Shirley.”

    “How beautiful!”

Page 7 of 16 FirstFirst ... 23456789101112 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Christmas Ghost Story contest
    By Sospira in forum General Literature
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 10-31-2014, 10:06 PM
  2. Story ending for contest
    By ThreeKlicksAway in forum General Writing
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 10-02-2013, 08:02 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •