Most writing contests give you a writing prompt or at least a couple of words to work your idea around, which is why I decided to host a slightly different contest.
A constrained writing contest
Instead of being given an idea or a writing prompt, you are allowed to choose the topic completely by yourself. But, varying from week to week, you will face different challenges that limit your writing.
You will be required to omit certain words, use a specific word in every second sentence, use a given sentence unchanged, write a story with a certain amount of words... or a combination of all.
Winners of constrained writing contest #33
The winners of this week’s Constrained Writing Contest are:
- 1st Place - @theironfelix the entry Us happy folk
Judge’s notes: If having the entire population be happy at all times sounds appealing to you... Then you haven't read @theironfelix's story yet. Or maybe you have and now you prefer the idea even more.
I'm not telling which side I'm on.
Excellently written, though. Perfectly, even. Definitely worth several reads, not just one.
- 2nd Place - @calluna with the entry Concrete Bliss
Judge’s notes: On the same note as before, there's @calluna's story. I had to think pretty hard to decide whether to make this story win, or @theironfelix's. That said, this story is also downright fantastic and takes the reader on an emotional rollecoaster - from peace and quiet, to a racing heart with the spookyness that is... happy.
- 3rd Place - @braveheart29 with the entry The Hive
Judge’s notes: On a slightly different note, @braveheart29 artificially created a world with no other emotion but rage. Although the entry is part of an ongoing story, it reads well as a standalone and it is for that reason that I have not eliminated it. Very well written!
Honorable Mention In Alphabetical Order:
@penasantri with the entry The happiness of a father
@tiempoyesp with the entry Luna Piano And Paris
@wales with the entry Tale all the time you need
If I, by any chance, missed your entry, please do not hesitate to let me know, and I will do my best to redeem myself. I have missed an entry in the past, so I now pay extra attention, but ... It can happen still.
Sorry and thanks!
With that out of the way, onto constrained writing contest #34!
Rules:
This week I am the sole judge of the contest again, and here's what I've come up with for this week:
- All humans have lost one of their basic abilities (scent, sight, taste, touch or hearing). You choose which one.
- The story must be at least 250 words in length and in English.
And as for the usual mumbo jumbo, here's the rest of the rules just about every contest has:
- Upvote this post
- Post a link to your entry in the comments below
- Include tag #constrainedwriting among your other tags
- Should you wish to help raise awareness of the contest, please consider resteeming this post (it is by no means compulsory)
Prizes
- 1st place: 45% of post's payout
- 2nd place: 27% of post's payout
- 3rd place 18 % of post's payout
- Judge takes 5 % for his/her efforts
- I will take 5 % for hosting, writing and editing the contest
*Note: In case I receive any donations for the contest, the payout percentages apply to the donation itself as well.
Judges
This week I am the sole judge of the Constrained Writing Contest, and am responsible for picking the winners on my own discretion. I promise to try my best and be as objective as possible.
What's that I hear? You wish to be a judge too? Well look no further!
To apply for a judge and make up your own rules, simply send @svashta a hearty hello on Discord (Svashta#5207).
*Disclaimer: I will only allow fellow writers as judges to keep the competition high quality.
Deadline
- Entries are accepted until this post's payout
- Your entry post must be newer than this post
Good luck!
This sounds like a fun topic to write about! I might have to try this one! Thank you @svashta.
Super happy to hear you like the idea! :D
Hope you give it a shot! >;D
And the pleasure is all mine. ^^
I am not sure now if I will be posting anything at all. I have been targeted with a barrage of downvotes, appears to be a part of the Steemit Defense Leaugue. I guess guess they hate me. My last 3 posts targeted.
I have also been hit by this person, from what I have been told, it is all the same guy. I think they are trying to drive people off the platform, but then there are two bots who balance out the flags so anything they flag, ends up worth slightly more. They were a plagiarizer who got flagged by steemcleaners, someone tried to help them by explaining what was getting them flagged, and they really got angry. They are lashing out at anyone and everyone, but basically they target anyone who has upvoted someone they don't like (which is how they found me months ago, but in the true flaw of collective punishment, these things spiral and they are flagging hundreds if not thousands of people now). I tried to reach out to the person, to try and understand where they were coming from, help them stop this whole 'flag war' they have started and they seriously upped their targeting game. Has this only happened recently? If it only started in the past few days, there is a slim chance they have started targeting you for upvoting me. I am so so sorry if that is the case. I am trying to ignore them and not let it get to me. They want to drive people off the platform, a group has formed that keeps getting the new accounts shut down, so I am hoping if we just ignore it for long enough, it will go away.
What o.O I don't get it. Not at all.
Steemit defense league? Da-fu...?
Hope this clears out soon!
Trust me, am prepared for this one.
YASSSSSSSSS! :D Can't wait! :D
Very good competition buddy 👍
Posted using Partiko Android
Very happy to hear you like it! ;D
The prize money is awfully low this time around. How am I to get you the best prize fighters with what I am given to work with? I have a way to settle this. You're in the ring next week. Get prepared … haha!!!
https://steemit.com/constrainedwriting/@tristancarax/smashem
I had a lot of fun again this time, thank you so much for doing this yet again!
Here is my entry, The Sound In Silence I tried to push myself a bit more, and write a story that would get the reader wondering and imagining their own scenarios but I am not sure how well I hit that. I already got some great feedback but more is always welcome :)
Hello...
Mine, tastefully submitted...
https://steemit.com/constrainedwriting/@seesladen/the-taste-of-life
Here be my submission: Neque Tactus for this contest. Sorry didn't saw this earlier.