Constrained Writing Contest #33 + Winners of Constrained Writing Contest #32

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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 #32

The winners of this week’s Constrained Writing Contest are:

Judge’s notes: You really have a way to bring even the seemingly very mundane everyday stuff to life. You really can draw the reader in and allow him to feel, not just read, your story. Other than that your story carries a powerful message. A very good read!

Judge’s notes: Your story poses a very strong dilemma. Whichever option your hero chooses, he loses. I think you captured this internal struggle well and made the reader feel just as anxious as the character. Well done!

Judge’s notes: Sometimes writing down your train of thought actually makes for a good story - and sometimes it's just a reflection of how your mind works. I think every person should write their thoughts down every now and again - if nothing else just to get rid of them. Or maybe even record yourself speaking your thoughts out loud, whichever you prefer.

Honorable Mention In Alphabetical Order:

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!

Proof of payment:



With that out of the way, onto constrained writing contest #33!


Rules:

This week I am the sole judge of the contest again, and here's what I've come up with for this week:

  • There exists only one emotion. (If you choose happy, all people can only feel happy, never anything else. You can choose whichever emotion you like.)
  • The story must be at least 250 words in length.

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

I will pay out this post's payout in full, both SBD and STEEM!


  • 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!


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Wooo thank you so much! More honestly, thank you so much for the chance to write this <3 it is amazing how much it means to me to be able to express things like this. This is such a great way of improving skills, I am still not happy with my dialogue, but I have been using it! People are talking to each other lol. It is easy to get in a mindset, and write in the same way again and again, I love this contest for helping me keep switching it up. Thank you!

This next round will be interesting, a little brave new world with the soma aspect, but be fun to see where people go with it, and which emotion they choose. Oh now I am thinking about it, there are so many to go with, and instantly it sets off a how/why thinking.

Awesome! :D So very happy to hear that! :D And yeah, I can tell from the way I write myself how much challenging myself constantly helps me improve in the areas that I otherwise lack. Or just don't include at all. Dialogue definitely is(was?) one of them! :D

Yepp! Each option you pick sprouts an entirely new world! :D

I have this theory that all emotion is based in happy. Sad is the lack of happy, angry is happiness lost or betrayed, hurt is happiness once had and lost, loneliness is happy left unfulfilled etc etc, but I am loving the idea of smiler style totally twisted happy ;) oh shit I could even write a story of the world the smiler came from.... let's see what the weekend brings (although I am off to watch a movie in a cave tonight and far too excited so it may end up cave themed!)

Hmmm. That's definitely an interesting concept. Now I'm definitely curious about what you'll come up with.

Thanks for your entry! :D Very happy to see a new person join! :D

I'll give it a read closer to the post payout along with all the other entrie.

I'll give this a go...so upsteem, and one emotion and more than 250 words...So here it is, my entry:
https://steemit.com/constrainedwriting/@wales/take-all-the-time-you-need

Thanks for your entry! :D Very happy to see a new person join! :D

I'll give it a read closer to the post payout along with all the other entrie.

Thanks; here's hoping it's all a success...

Congrats to the winners!

@braveheart29!
Oh my, it's been way too long since I... ugh... I'm just falling behind on everything. I'm so so sorry! I'll try and redeem myself as fast as possible and the best possible! I haven't even read your continuation of the Slaughterhouse yet, because I want to sit down once and read it in full, but haven't found the time yet...

And I feel so bad for replying so late... I've only had time to write up the daily freewrite and then leave again :/...

Take all the time you need my friend! I am excited for you to read the last part. I have left you a lot of fun for the next chapter.

Oooooooooh.... NO!!!!! hahahahaha :D
I already know I'm up for all sorts of surprises and challenges. ARGH! :P
Thanks for understanding though! :D

No worries. Real life comes first.

Ooo this was a great exercise, another one I really enjoying, welcome to Concrete Bliss

Thank you so much for the continued opportunity and motivation to do this <3

I'm so sorry for being so late, I'll read all entries today and announce the winners.. It's been a hell of a week (actually fortnight) :|

Oh dear! That doesn't sound good! Life has this habit of doing it's own thing sometimes, hope everything is ok? No need to apologies, I often run late on my contests, your dedication is sincerely appreciated <3

It does do it's own thing quite often indeed, when it sucks most is when certain individuals do their own thing as well...
I'll... live. ^^" Thanks for the concern! :D

Well.. can't leave a project such as this unresolved... Not when it's other people than me involved... I might just be a bit... off schedule... Thanks for understanding!

The unpredictable nature of real life is the worst. I am generally an absurdist, but I also kinda believe life ends up taking you where you are supposed to be, from the best places, the worst places seem liked they were vital stops on the way, hope it turns out that way ^^

Off schedule is fine ;) I struggle with my contest and I only aim for once every two weeks, so the regularity you have hit is just so impressive, you have definitely built a good back log of less regular you can redeem lol

I believe if I were to put a label on myself I'd also be somewhat of an absurdist. Or nihilist.
I believe you take yourself where you want to take yourself - nothing just falls out of the sky... but it sucks a** when you give it your best and it just bites you back.... Several times... And then several more times..
Though, I agree, many important lessons are learnt due to the "lows" in life... Unfortunately, though, many of the sad thoughts are easily recurring and it's easy to get stuck in their loop again... Unfortunately a tad bit easier than getting caught up in the happy loop :p

I've kept it consistent with same-day winner announcement for near all of the first 30 contests, but now I'll admit I'm struggling.. I'm trying, though, I am! :D