What a short, strange trip it’s been
I suppose you’re wondering why I’ve called you all here today. Kidding. I’ve just always wanted to say that, and this seemed like a good year to cross it off my bucket list. I also want to say thank you for joining us in the inaugural round of a new Super Challenge format: the micro! And one round! I don’t even know. Coming up with the math to make the judging fair and the prompts to keep you interested is always a challenge, so don’t be afraid to let us know how we did. But that’s not news for today. The news for today is:
The judges’ results are in and tallied and we’re ready to announce the winners of our Super Challenge! Winners, you’ll also get an email confirming your details so that we can send your prizes to you. Folks, this was an extremely close challenge, with only a handful of points separating #1 from the runners-up, so no matter where you landed on this list, you should be extremely proud of yourself.
Once again, anything that went right is entirely due to our admin team’s untiring work behind the scenes, and anything you hate is probably my fault. Unless it’s your feedback, because the love/hate relationship between feedback and writer is my OTP.
Much ado about…
Actually, with no further ado, here are your Super Challenge winners!
First Place
$250
Lin Morris
The Newfound Wealth of Miss Millicent Bowers
Second Place
$150
Jen Mierisch
Presentation is Everything
Third Place
$100
Shelby Van Pelt
When the Time is Right
Honorable Mention:
- Johannah Simon – Missed Congeniality
- Sharon Kretschmer – The Time of Turmoil
Runners-up:
(in alphabetical order)
- Amy Manson
- Crystal Cook
- Yeshasvi Mahadev
- Chrissie Rohrman
- RCNath
- Stef Smulders
- Paige Vest
Congratulations again to everyone who entered, whether you made the shortlist or not. Writing microfiction is at least as challenging as writing flash or longform fiction, because every word needs to be carefully chosen and placed. The tight count and rigid guidelines add an extra layer of complexity to microfiction, and many of us find that it takes at least as long to write 50 words as 500.
Wait, wait, there’s more!
Writers, if you don’t have your second-round feedback, please send us an email at superchallenge@yeahwrite.me, ’cause that email should have reached you well before now.
Now that this round of the competition is over, you’re free to post your work anywhere on the Internet you like, or take our judges’ suggestions and rework your submission to send on to other venues.
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.
