My 2023 #50PreciousWords Entry
Writing long paragraphs of text each day can wear you out. This is one of the reasons why
I have always loved when March rolls around. I get to stretch my brain a bit with something shorter and VERY fun.
Fifty (50) precious words, to be exact.
For several years now, I have entered author, Vivian Kirkfield's #50preciouswords international writing contest. She runs one in March for adults and another in May for children.
If you are a crossword puzzle or Scrabble® lover, we are kindred spirits.
I KNOW you would love this fun writing challenge.
The goal is to write a full story in 50 words or less, with a character, plot, story arc, tension and satisfying resolution. Whew!
That, my friends, is very hard, even when writing a 500-word picture book!
I seldom know what I am going to write about for my entry, but much like when I write poetry, a small phrase or image becomes the catalyst and I am off! It is so much fun and real brain bender for me. I am usually surprised at how much I like them, and afterwords, begin thinking of how to turn the 50 words into a 500-word manuscript for a picture book.
I start by adding a few words here and there. Revise, revise, revise!
In fact, four, out of my previous five entries have gone on to become picture book manuscripts, and some of my best work.
Fun Fact: My entry called "Two+Two"
later became my debut picture book, FOREVER HOME.
Writing My 2023 Entry
I like to anthropomorphize objects and often wonder how inanimate objects might feel. My inspiration today, was a book lonely the library shelf, hoping to be picked. I imagined the spectrum of emotions the book might feel while waiting. Just like a rainbow shows the melting of one hue into another and all shades in between, so does my little Book, who goes through many colors of emotions waiting to be chosen.
Imagine how hard it must be for a book to sit there and wait... wait for you.
I thought of colors like "Blue" for sadness, "Yellow"for happiness or "Green" for jealousy. Researching what different colors might mean was very interesting. After I tipped over that first purple domino, the rest of the colors fell pretty quickly into place.
So, without further ado...
Drum Roll Please!
Now, isn't this what every book dreams of?
Winners will be announced on the first day of Spring, Saturday, March 20.
I hope you enjoyed it. Fingers crossed!
Leave me a comment :)