Winner Announcement and Creative Nonfiction in The Ink Well Prompt #65

Welcome to The Ink Well's weekly creative nonfiction prompt!

In this post, we'll announce the winners from last week's contest and provide the prompt for the coming week.

Before You Write Your Creative Nonfiction Post...

We ask that you read our Creative Nonfiction Tips post to learn about the creative nonfiction genre and review our guidelines.

Important notes:

Creative nonfiction stories are based on your real-life experiences.
We are looking for real short stories! Not advice columns, reports on crime or corruption in your city, observations on nature, recipes, religion, politics, or any other nonfiction content. Just real-life short stories.
Ideal story length is between 750 and 1500 words, but your story must be at least 350 words, at a minimum to be curated.
Please focus on quality content. Read and edit for errors! Use a grammar checker before you post your story.
We expect everyone who posts in The Ink Well to read and comment on at least two other stories for each one published.
Do not post stories featuring physical abuse, graphic violence, erotica or NSFW content.

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Last Week's entrants

Thank you to all who participated in last week's prompt Gift

Last week's participants

@kushyzee	@abigail04	@abrarhussain
@amiegeoffrey	@chm-writes	@emreal
@george-dee	@holler	@iskawrites
@jazclassic	@jjmusa2004	@kinganny
@lightpen	@marriot5464	@marynn
@minhajulmredol	@moonconversant	@nancybriti1
@omolayo	@osomar357	@popurri
@chm-writes	@rammargarita	@rare-gem
@rosebaby	@rukkie	@smc.arike.oba
@tomiajax	@wongi	@zyzymena
@funshee

Featured

Highlighting @nancybriti1, with the story:

Giving and multiplying a smile

Today, still, when I review a good exam or a student's work, I remember my literature teacher and, just like her, I draw a smiley face next to the grade obtained. A smiley face that not only speaks of how well she did, but of how happy I was to read her work. A smiley face that maybe, with luck, will multiply and serve, more than a number, to encourage students.

Curator's comment :

Nacybriti1 writes a delightful CNF about finding a teacher's subtle attention encouraging: the teacher drew smiley faces on her work. Nancy is a lecturer and she's taken the inspiration to do a similar thing to encourage her own students.

@nancybriti1 wins the 20 Hive prize for December. Here are two of the stories that led to the decision to select her :

How butterflies grow
The light that guides the birds

Featured

Highlighting @jazclassic, with the story:

Christmas birthday

My mom's birthday fell on the 25th of December, so there was a lot going on that certain day. We all came together as a family to celebrate both Christmas and our mom's birthday. 11 months ago, we almost lost my mom to cancer; how she narrowly escaped was beyond me, and since then, we have never taken her whole existence for granted. That was one of the most difficult times in our lives. I was so scared that I thought I was going to live my life without my mom. But she was strong, and thank goodness we found out that the cancer was still in its early stages, but if it had stayed much longer without treatment, she wouldn't have survived it.

Curator's comment :

A very nice read! And I shed a few tears!

Featured

Highlighting @popurri, with the story:

The fallen doll

There she was looking at me through her big black eyes. Her long black hair reached her waist. A pretty yellow dress down to the knees of her slender legs, and black shoes were on her feet. It is amazing how some details stick in the memory and even if many years go by they are not forgotten.

Curator's comment :

OMG! This is absolutely stunning. Popurri delivers a trauma. Wow! Her experience, recounted with expert precision, is remarkably tight and heartbreaking. Can a story about a lost doll ever be this good?

Featured

Highlighting @rare-gem, with the story:

My human gifts

Growing up as a child I love participating in beauty pageant competitions in my school. If I exclude myself from all activities, I always try to participate in the beauty contest and I have my friends then to thank for this. As a child, I felt shy to do almost everything but I have two friends that are always on my neck and always pushing me to do those things I'm shy to do. I can say they were the ones that made me love participating in beauty contests. Both of them always encouraged me to go for it and they believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. I can say I owe them an appreciation for what they did for me then because it contributed to the woman I've grown into.

Curator's comment :

@rare-gem writes an intense and beautiful CNF story. With writing that privileges the emotionality of the characters she was able to fill the story with emotion and suspense.

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This Week's Prompt 65:

"View"

The word "view" could be used in multiple ways :

Worldview
Overview
Viewed
Interview
Preview
Review
Viewer
Viewfinder
Viewpoint
Viewable

Perhaps an argument that separated you from a friend was borne out of your opposing views.
Maybe a view from a plot of land made you decide to buy it and build a house on it so that you'd wake up to its beauty every day.
You failed to offer an honest review while previewing a friend's work, which affected your friendship negatively.

Tell us about it! And remember to integrate storytelling elements like characters, scene setting, dialogue and action to bring your story to life!

Have fun and good luck! We look forward to reading your stories.

Rules

You have 6 days to write your story from the date of this prompt post. Be sure to check the deadline countdown.
Write a real-life story with the creative elements of fiction, like characters, dialogue, scene setting and a story conflict.
Post your story in The Ink Well Community.
Please use the tags #creativenonfiction and #inkwellprompt on these posts. Other possible tags: #writing #inkwellprompt #nonfiction
Stories must be written in English. If you've translated the post, it's best to add the original version below the translation. Do not write mixed language paragraphs.
Read and comment on at least two stories in the community. Add a link to your story as a comment on this post.

And be sure to remember to join The Ink Well community!

Prize

A prize of 20 Hive and 200 Hive delegation will be awarded to one submission every four weeks.

Procedure

Two or three stories will be featured every week. One of the featured stories will win the grand prize every four weeks.

The winner will be featured in a special announcement post.

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Join here at Hive Onboard.

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A big thank you to all of our delegators:

@jayna, @felt.buzz, @agmoore, @marcybetancourt, @itsostylish, @marlyncabrera, @selftheist, @stormcharmer, @iamraincrystal, @preparedwombat, @gracielaacevedo, @timix648, @samsmith1971, @jackdeathblack, @josemalavem, @riverflows, @generikat, @mineopoly, @hazmat, @treasuree, @innfauno12, @kingsleyy, @popurri, @nancybriti1, @marriot5464, @marynn, @jjmusa2004, @universoperdido, @morey-lezama, @evagavilan2, @moneykeep, @mrenglish, @stuartcturnbull, @marilour, @rinconpoetico7, @funshee, @amiegeoffrey, @loveah, @balikis95, @cool08, @rukkie, @raymondpeter, @emreal, @eunice9200, @holler, @tomiajax and @ricurohemi28.

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