Ten, nine eight…
We’re down to the final ten writers in Super Challenge 6. You’re all fantastic and we’re excited to have you here, so we’re gonna stretch you to your limits this round with a new prompt: we’ll write the summary, you write the story it fits.
Yes, that’s it. We’re not going to restrict your genre, setting, or characters, so long as your story is accurately described by its summary. If you haven’t stopped by Wednesday’s post and gotten your tips and tricks for breaking down a summary, now would be a great time to do that.
But first, a very important announcement
Whew. Sorry about that. I wish everything worked perfectly the first time too. We had a few issues getting this post live and we’re very sorry about your ulcer. We’re extending the deadline because we promised you 48 hours and we mean 48 hours – your stories are due Sunday at 11:59pm Eastern US time.
A few notes before the prompt
If you’re fond of going right up to your 1,000 word limit, don’t forget to double and triple check your word count in a couple different programs. Use the count that’s the least favorable to you.
Your title page will be subject to a couple special requirements this round.
- Instead of using your group number, your title page should say “Final Round”
- The summary will be the summary prompt given in this post, except that you should adjust the generic terms to fit your story.
Example:
Prompt: Abandoned by their family, the protagonist must use their wits to survive until they can be reunited with their loved one(s)
Story A: Abandoned by her family, Rose Red must use her wits to survive until she can be reunited with her loved ones.
Story B: Abandoned by his family, Fiefel must use his wits to survive until he can be reunited with his loved ones.
Story C: Abandoned by their family, Tay must use their wits to survive until they can be reunited with their loved ones.
Remember that your story cannot actively contradict the summary prompt. I know that sounds like a no-brainer, but look up the meanings of major words, keep an eye on who’s supposed to be doing what to whom, and doublecheck that all the information you need to fill out the prompt is in there.
Your final round prompt
When (protagonist) is stranded, their only chance for survival is the gift their (distant family member) gave them. But will it be enough?
Generic terms are given in parentheses and should be filled in to match the written story. Pronouns should be changed (or not) to accommodate the protagonist’s gender.
A distant family member means any blood, marital, or adoptive (formal or informal) family member at a greater remove from the protagonist than a parent, sibling, or child.
Wait, wait, there’s more!
Don’t post your story anywhere on the Internet until after our judges are done and you get your feedback! But if you want to talk up the competition or live-tweet your writing process, use the hashtag #YWsuper. Just remember not to include identifying details about which story is yours!
Your essays are due Sunday at 10pm 11:59 pm US Eastern Time. Remember to check the rules for formatting, including all those fiddly details like title page, font, and filename. Don’t get disqualified on a technicality! We know it seems really useless at times, but all those rules have a purpose, from helping get your file where it needs to be to making sure you’re read anonymously and fairly.
Email your questions to superchallenge@yeahwrite.me—we will not be reviewing other email addresses or social media for your questions over the weekend and we want to make sure you get the answers you need!
We hope you have as much fun with the prompts as we had picking them out. Good luck, and good writing!
About the author:
Rowan submitted exactly one piece of microfiction to YeahWrite before being consumed by the editorial darkside. She spent some time working hard as our Submissions Editor before becoming YeahWrite’s Managing Editor in 2016. She was a BlogHer Voice of the Year in 2017 for her work on intersectional feminism, but she suggests you find and follow WOC instead. In real life she’s been at various times an attorney, aerialist, professional knitter, artist, graphic designer (yes, they’re different things), editor, secretary, tailor, and martial artist. It bothers her vaguely that the preceding list isn’t alphabetized, but the Oxford comma makes up for it. She lives in Portlandia with a menagerie which includes at least one other human. She tells lies at textwall and uncomfortable truths at CrossKnit.
