#50PreciousWords Writing Challenge is OPEN

Posted on by

TA-DA!

THE 2nd ANNUAL #50PRECIOUSWORDS WRITING CHALLENGE IS OFFICIALLY OPEN!!!

dr-seuss-stamp

I am so very excited to read all of the #50PreciousWords entries. For those of you who are visiting here the first time, please let me give you a sentence or two or three about how this all came about.

green-eggs-and-ham

March 2nd is the birthday of the incredible Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Last year I put together a little contest based on Bennet Cerf’s challenge to Seuss to write a children’s book using only 50 words. And the classic Green Eggs and Ham was born. It’s true that the story has over 700 words…but only 50 unique words.

I thought it would be fun to try to write a story for kids with ONLY 50 words. With a beginning, a middle, and an end. I wondered if I could do it. And then I opened the challenge to everyone. Much to my surprise and amazement, there were 128 entries! Ayear has past…and it’s time to DO IT AGAIN.

Please put on your thinking caps and get busy writing. You have until March 6th at 11:59pm to post your story. Here are the guidelines:

#50 PRECIOUS WORDS WRITING CHALLENGE GUIDELINES

  1. Write a story appropriate for kids ages 12 or under, using only 50 words…they can all be different words, or you can use some of them over and over…just as long as the total word count of the story is 50 or less.
  2. It can be prose, rhyme, free verse, silly or serious…whatever works for you.
  3. Title is not included in the word count.
  4. No illustration notes please.
  5. Between March 2nd and March 6th, post your story on your blog if you have one and want to and put the link in the comments of this post. Or copy and paste the entire story in the comments of this post. I ask for the link so that people will visit each other and find new friends in the kid lit community. Please make sure you put your name in the post. If you have any trouble at all posting the link or the story, please email me and I will be happy to do it for you: viviankirkfield@gmail.com.
  6. Deadline for posting the story or the link in the comments is Monday, March 6, at 11:59pm.
  7. Winners will be announced in a special blog post on Thursday, March 9.
  8. Winners? Of course, there will be winners…and prizes, too!

21 winners…21 prizes…1st place takes whichever prize she/he wants, then 2nd place gets to pick, and so on. I will reach out to 

  1. . A critique from my beloved agent, Essie White (some of you may remember that the winner of last year’s contest chose Essie’s critique as her prize…and she subsequently signed with Storm Literary Agency!)

essie

  1. A seat in author and mentor Susanna Leonard Hill’s amazing Making Picture Book Magic online writing class (the first writing class I ever took and it set me on the path of writing wonderful picture book manuscripts).

mpbm

3. A seat in author and nonfiction writing guru Kristen Fulton’s incredible Nonfiction Archaeology online writing class (that was the class that opened the door for me to discover the joy of writing nonfiction picture books).

kristen

4. Coupon for 50% off author Alayne Kay Christian’s ART OF THE ARC online writing class (this is the next class I would love to take).

art_of_arc_v3

5. Or, if you have already taken Alayne’s wonderful class, you can choose a coupon for 50% off an in-depth critique from her (when Alayne says it is an in-depth critique, she isn’t kidding. I had one of those…it is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious).

6. A seat in one of the KidLitCollege webinars (I’ve attended a few and they are FABULOUS!) OR $19.99 off a critique, donated by Jodell Sadler, JCLA Editorial Agent and Founder of KidLitCollege. Winner choses one and will get a special code.

kidlitcollege

7. A manuscript or query letter critique from author Rebecca Colby.

rebecca-colby

8. A picture book manuscript critique from author Lori Degman.

headshot

9. A picture book critique from author Anna Forrester.

anna-forrester

10. A fiction picture book critique from author Ariel Bernstein

ariel-bernstein

11. A picture book critique from author Rosie Pova

this-headshot

12. A book on the craft of writing from Rosie Pova.

13. A copy of Bunny’s Book Club from Annie Silvestro.

headshot

14. A book on the craft of writing from author Maria Marshall.

maria-marshall

15. A copy of Hello, My Name is Tiger from author/illustrator Jennifer P. Goldfinger.

tiger

16. A copy of LIZZIE AND LOU SEAL plus an adorable SEAL NECKLACE from author/illustrator Patricia Keeler.

lizzie-and-lou-seal-cover

17. A copy of CLAMS ALL YEAR by author/illustrator Maryann Cocca-Leffler.

clams-all-year

18. A SUPER HAPPY book prize package from author Marcie Colleen with copies of Super Happy Party Bears Gnawing Around and Super Happy Party Bears Knock Knock on Wood.

marcie-and-books-1-and-2

 19. A copy of Mutt’s Promise,  a middle grade dog adventure written by Julie Salomen…donated by author/illustrator Jill Weber.

mutts-promise-cover

20. A signed copy of Mr. Fuzzbuster Knows He’s the Favorite from author Stacy McAnulty.

fuzzbuster-cover

21. A picture book critique from me and a signed copy of my parent-teacher book, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking.

stackofbooks

 

WOW! That is some list of prizes! What a generous Kid Lit community we have! I’m grateful to the prize donors…I hope you all visit their websites, buy their books, and review them on Amazon. Did you know that when a book gets 50 reviews, Amazon helps promote it?

And now, before I invite you to post your stories, I wanted to share my #50PreciousWords with you. Hopefully, my story is a good enough example…with a beginning, a middle, and an end (and what an end!)…that is kid-friendly (well, remember those Grimm’s Fairy Tales)…that is 50 words or less. I hope it makes you smile.

 

WHY PIGS LOVE THEIR LITTLE FEET (50 words)

Everyone made fun of Pig’s little feet.

An invitation arrived.

                   Please come to Coyote’s feast.

Rooster knew the invitation was for him.

Cow disagreed.

They hurried to Coyote’s den.

 Pig followed.

By the time his little feet got him there, the feast was finished.

And so were Rooster and Cow.

 

I always loved Aesop’s Fables and folktale type stories when I was a kid…I guess I was inspired by those.

Dear friends, please share this around your social media…the more the merrier… #50PreciousWords.

If you have any questions or need clarification, just email me: viviankirkfield@gmail.com

.Are you excited? I am!

Remember…THE MAGIC HAPPENS WHEN YOU MAKE EVERY WORD COUNT!

And I just can’t wait to read all of your precious words.

2,135 thoughts on “#50PreciousWords Writing Challenge is OPEN”

  3. Hi Vivian! What a fun idea, thanks for dreaming this up!

    GIRAFFE & ZEBRA
    By Lisa Katzenberger

    “Giraffe, why are you up in that tree?” Zebra asked.

    “I saw a spider,” Giraffe whispered.

    “But you’re bigger!”

    “Zebra, I —”

    “You’re stronger, too.”

    “Zebra, I — ”

    “And faster! Believe in yourself, you can do anything!”

    “Zebra, I AM STUCK!”

    “Except maybe get down from trees.”

    Liked by 18 people

    Reply ↓

  4. In Charge
    Meagan Friedman

    Mom’s out of town.
    Dad’s in charge of little brothers and me.
    Macaroni for dinner, twice.
    Oh no…
    Dad has the flu!
    I’m in charge?!
    Feed brothers- PB&J.
    Dad looks green.
    Brothers tucked in bed.
    Dad’s snoring on the couch.
    Goodnight.
    What’s that sound…?
    Mom’s home!
    Hurrah! We survived!

    Liked by 13 people

    Reply ↓

  5. Pingback: 50 Precious Words Contest 2017 - Linda Schueler

  7. SWING!
    By: Jodi McKay

    I race to a seat,
    And hold on tight.
    Push please!
    Wind in my hair.
    Sun on my face.
    In. Out. In. Out.
    I’m flying!
    Just four more pushes?
    Higher
    Higher
    HIGHER!
    Too high!!
    Swaying slower,
    My feet scrape the earth.
    Heart beats gently.
    Hairs a mess.
    Can’t stop smiling.

    Liked by 18 people

    Reply ↓

  9. Vivian, I see you have a little bit of Grimm in you. Your Little Pig Feet story is quite clever and darkly funny but just right for kids. Absolutely love it! I see book potential with it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  13. Pulling these 45 words together was QUITE a challenge…Here is my entry!

    CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
    BY KAITE FRAWLEY

    Naughty little Sergio.
    He tattled when I bit his toe.

    And Shannon should apologize
    For shouting when I poked her eyes.

    Jamila made a nasty face
    Because I stole her pencil case.

    They need a time-out, don’t you see?
    And then I’ll have some company!

    Liked by 15 people

    Reply ↓

  14. What a fun and truly challenging challenge! Thanks so much for the opportunity.

    Slugs and Other Things My Mom is Scared Of
    By: Debbie Kitts

    Mom’s a TOTAL scaredy-cat.

    Worms. Eek!
    Cockroach. Shriek!
    Spiders. Squish!
    Slugs. Salt!
    Lightning. Flinch!
    Snakes. RUN!

    But I’m NOT.

    Worms. Dig!
    Cockroach. Capture!
    Spiders. Dangle!
    Slugs. Poke!
    Lightning. Gawk!
    Snakes. Chase!

    Mom IS brave about some things like flu shots, the dark, and Principal Lowery’s stink-eye.

    Sure wish I was!

    Liked by 13 people

    Reply ↓

  15. DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS

    Too shy to play,
    the bill of a duck,
    and the feet of one, too,
    the tail of a beaver
    and no teeth to chew.
    This feisty small mammal
    finds fish with his sensors,
    gobbles food from the waters,
    then digs river bank tunnels,
    and hides himself away.
    G’day

    Sherry Howard

    Liked by 9 people

    Reply ↓

  16. Snowshoes
    By Aimée Bissonette

    The snow is deep. Up to my chin.
    Blue sky.
    Birdsong.
    We’re going in!
    We strap on snowshoes. Chase tracks in the snow.
    We go where only animals go.
    Through the trees, through the snow, until at last we tire.
    Then home to hot cocoa and a crackling fire.

    Liked by 13 people

    Reply ↓

  17. Pingback: 50 Precious Words – meagan is writing

  18. I really enjoyed working on this! Thank you for hosting such a fun contest! Here is my 46-word entry.

    BRAVE FACE
    By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

    At the playground.
    Sliding. Fun!
    Running faster.
    Falling! Ouch!
    Sobbing. Crying.
    Look, my knee!
    Banged up. Bleeding.
    Help me, please!
    Frantic searching.
    Mommy gone?
    Seeking. Hunting.
    “Friend, what’s wrong?”
    Sniffling. Sniffing.
    Wiping tears.
    Smiling. Shrugging.
    Brushing off.
    Running. Sprinting.
    Sliding. Woo!
    Laughing. Playing.
    Brave face on.

    Liked by 14 people

    Reply ↓

Leave a reply to Norah Colvin Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.