#50PreciousWords 2018 Writing Challenge is OPEN!!

Posted on by

 

logo

Today is the day, dear friends! Ready! Set! Go! The #50PreciousWords 2018 Writing Challenge is now OPEN!

green-eggs-and-ham

For those of you who have not participated before, let me give you a bit of back story. March 2nd is the birthday of the incredible Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. For the last two years, I’ve hosted 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.

In 2016, 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! And last year, there were 253 entries. And I hope we have a great turnout again this year because I am passionate about helping others follow their dream of writing for children.

In 2012 I had a dream. I wanted to write picture books. And I wanted to be traditionally published. And one of the most important things I did was to participate in writing challenges like Susanna Hill’s contests. Why was that important? Because it got me writing. It got me revising. It got me submitting. Hmmm….writing/revising/submitting. I believe that if we do those three things enough times, our writing improves and agents and editors get a chance to see our work. And as much as I am thrilled with my own success, nothing makes me happier than to hear about the success of others in our kidlit community.

So, please sharpen your pencils. Fire up your computers. And share your #50PreciousWords with us.

#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. Please post your story in the comment section below. If you have your own blog and want to post your story there also, please do. And let us know your post link.  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 story, please email me and I will be happy to do it for you: viviankirkfield@gmail.com.
  6. Deadline for posting the story in the comments is Tuesday, March 6, at 11:59pm.
  7. Winners will be announced in a special blog post on Sunday, March 11.
  8. Winners? Of course, there will be winners…and prizes, too!
  • A critique from my beloved agent, Essie White (some of you may remember that the winner of the first year’s contest chose Essie’s critique as her prize…and she subsequently signed with Storm Literary Agency and THAT story, plus a sequel to it, will be published next year!

essie

callie-metler_2_orig

  • Your choice of ONE of the following from author, mentor, and founder of Sub Six FB group, Alayne Kay Christian: Picture Book critique or Chapter book critique (first three chapters), or Complimentary Art of Arc course.

alayne-dsc_0296-crop

  • Picture Book manuscript critique from author Lori Degman.

headshot

  • Your choice of either a picture book manuscript critique from author Karen Valenti or a seat in her Master Course on Picture Book Writing.

KV

head shot

amber-hendricks_1_orig

  • Picture Book manuscript critique from author Katey Howes.

KathrynHeadshots-40 (2)

Julie Abery

houdini

  • A piece of original signed art and a copy of LIZZIE AND LOU SEAL plus a silver seal necklace from author/illustrator Patricia Keeler.

Lizzie and Lou Seal cover

  • Rest & Relaxation package with two picture books and a surprise from author Maria Marshall.

maria marshall 2

  • A signed copy of CAT IN THE CITY from author/illustrator Jill Weber.

cat in the city

  • $15 credit in her TeachersPayTeachers store from Barbara Leyne(GradeOnederful)

NewGOHeader22

A big thank you to all of our amazing prize donors! Much appreciation to illustrator Vicky Fang whose awesome logo graces our challenge! And a grateful thank you to my dear friends and critique buddies, Maria Marshall and Julie Abery who will be helping me read and comment.

Last year there were over 2000 comments – ALL OF THEM POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING!  I am so proud to be a part of this amazing kidlit community. Our news stations and politicians should definitely take a lesson from this kidlit community.

And before I leave you to post your stories and comment on those you have a chance to read, I thought it would only be fair if I posted my sample of a 50-word story which hopefully has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

WHY THE STARS TWINKLE (49 words)

It was Sun’s birthday.

Moon gathered paper, paint,

glitter and glue to make a card.

But Wind blew.

Glitter and glue covered the stars.

“Now I have no gift for Sun,” cried Moon.

“Twinkling stars are the best present of all,” said Sun.

And Moon glowed all night long.

The End

Remember, if you have any questions or concerns, please email me: viviankirkfield@gmail.com.

I am so looking forward to reading all of your precious words!

 

1,892 thoughts on “#50PreciousWords 2018 Writing Challenge is OPEN!!”

  2. I’ve never tried this before but to round things out, since there are so many cat entries, just for fun:

    A Doggy Day.

    Awake.
    Bark, bark, bark!
    Check for crumbs.
    Dig.
    Eat.
    Follow.
    Guard door.
    Hope for return.
    Investigate.
    Jump on bed.
    Kick legs.
    Lie lazily.
    Moan.
    Nap (for hours).
    Open eyes.
    Prick up ears.
    Quick!
    Race to door.
    Sniff.
    Time to play!
    Under table.
    Vroom!
    Wag tail!
    X (Doggy kiss).
    Yip!
    Zzzzzz.

    Liked by 4 people

    • MARY HAD A LITTLE JAM

      Mary had a little jam,
      homemade jam,
      a secret recipe from Gram.
      Mary entered the Grand Jam Slam.
      Judges Pam and Sam tasted it with yam and ham.
      The hot pepper flavor hit with a…BAM!
      The judges could’ve drank up a dam.
      The winner was NOT Mary’s Wham Jam.

      Liked by 3 people

      • Great use of the ‘am’ family…thanks for posting the stories here, Amanda. I love ‘the hot pepper flavor hit with a…BAM! Lots of humor in this story. 😉

        Like

    • CAT-OR-PILLOW?

      Sheila was sure she’d never been sleepier.
      Her body sunk into bed.
      Her head nestled the pillow.
      But, instead of a snore, she let out an…
      ACHOO!
      Sheila wiped her nose and nestled deeper.
      But, instead of a snore, she heard a…
      Purr!
      Sheila snuggled her kitty pillow and…
      Zzzzz!

      Liked by 3 people

      • There’s nothing better than a soft cuddly kitty. But maybe she is allergic to the cat…is that why she sneezed? Fun story…and I’m so glad you joined the challenge, Amanda. 😉

        Like

  4. I’m posting an entry for Monica Moyer Stoltzfus

    The Princess and the Puddles

    Fancy.
    Muddy.
    One is proper.
    One is not.
    Sticky, stinky, slimey, sloppy.
    And with pink?
    Ridiculous.
    Eek! I almost touched a little puddle…
    Icky!
    Must leap over it.
    One, two, three… ahhh!
    I spy a bigger puddle!
    One, two, three… stomp!
    Marvelous. Magnificent. Magical. Mud.
    The perfect accessory.
    With pink.

    Liked by 5 people

    • I think the princess is found out…and she loves puddles, especially muddy ones. And who can blame her, Monica. This is a fun story…great illustration potential…love your mc. 🙂

      Like

  5. Eggs-cellent Idea?

    Plain white eggs were just too boring.

    Farmer had a super plan.

    Sneak in while the chicks were snoring—

    Kool-aid in the water pan!

    Now the eggs were rainbow colors!

    “Perfect for my Easter Brunch!”

    But when he tried collecting eggs,

    The chicks gave him a Hawaiian Punch!

    Liked by 4 people

  6. Wannaseemydragonfly? (49 words)

    “WANNASEEMYDRAGONFLY?” blurted Kaiden.
    But Mila wasn’t interested in dragonflies, so she said, “Let’s play ball first.”

    Afterwards, Kaiden asked again.
    “Not now. Let’s race!”
    Mila won.

    “And now?”
    “Alright,” Mila said.

    Kaiden opened the shed door. Out flew his dragon.
    Mila ran off…
    to get marshmallows.

    Liked by 7 people

  7. Thanks for another fabulous challenge, Vivian! I’m so impressed by the other entries, but will stiffen my resolve and enter too. Here’s my story. 🙂

    Atele Is The Moon And Stars

    Atele is grandma to me.
    Stars shine in her eyes.
    The moon glows in her smile.
    Her chocolate skin matches mine.

    Well worn hands teach me
    to cook,
    to draw,
    to touch the world.

    Gentle arms hold me tight
    through any storm.
    My heart holds hers tight through time.

    Liked by 3 people

  8. Vivian, this is such a wonderful challenge! It’s been awesome to read everyone’s entries. Good job, you all!

    I don’t know if this one counts… it’s 50 words, but the beginning/middle/end it’s very much up to the imagination. But, I am very grateful for the challenge because I have been tinkering with this idea of being too little for a few months now, and I could not find a character to approach this idea from. Your challenge made it click for me! It needs a lot of work still, but I thought it would make you happy to see that you have inspired me to do some work 🙂 Thank you for all your encouragement!

    “The littlest guy in the array”

    Too little to reach
    Too little to climb
    Too little to tumble
    Too little to run

    Too little to seek
    Too little to burrow
    Too little to chase
    Too little to tunnel

    Too little to hide
    Too small to be still—
    But never too little
    To curl up its quills!

    Liked by 4 people

    • Hello Lec (not sure of your name)…so very happy you joined us for the writing challenge. It is all about the fun of writing and the playing with words. So your story was perfect! I love the repetition and the rhythm of the verses.
      Is it about an animal who has quills?

      Like

  9. “Drop drops!”

    Bye cloud!
    I’ll be back!
    Here I go.
    Whoa.
    Hello, wind.
    Hui!
    Falling.
    Twirling.
    Woosh.
    Friends all around me.
    Hi everybody!
    Swish.
    What a wild ride.
    Aha!
    My destination.
    Tiny.
    Bigger.
    Gigantic.
    Almost there.
    Plop!
    Plitter, platter.
    Oh no!
    A puddle stomper.

    Liked by 4 people

    • They are fantastic, Frances. I thought I’d be able to read them all tonight…but it is 2:30am and I am only to here with at least 20 to go. So I think I will end for the night and finish reading when I wake up. 😉

      Like

  11. I confess, I wrote a cat story too:

    A Home for Snooky

    On the day of the moving truck, Snooky hid. When he returned, the house was dark. The pet door was locked. Everybody was gone.
    “Where will I live?” he asked.
    Coop?
    Nope!
    Tree?
    No!
    Box? Porch? Roof?
    No, no, NO!
    Then, “Come on, Snooky! Where are you?”
    He found home!

    Liked by 4 people

    • This sounds like a true story, Terri. Cats do hide when they feel change coming…they are not fond of upheaval, right? Nice drama as Snooky tries to find a place to call home. And you gave us a satisfying ending. Well done!

      Like

  12. Thank you Vivian. What a great challenge.

    Can you say TRAJECTORY? I can!
    I’m going to be an astronaut.
    I rocket into space along a HYPERBOLIC PATH,
    using ELECTROMAGNETIC PROPULSION.
    I collect SPACE DUST for research.
    Then I use Earth’s GRAVITATIONAL PULL to glide
    me back home in time to collect my
    first place science fair ribbon.

    Liked by 3 people

    • This sounds like a chapter in a book of nonfiction…careers for kids…or something like that. I love all the words…and can see sidebars in this picture book that would explain them. Nice job, Tootie…thanks so much for joining in the fun!

      Like

  13. Vivian, couldn’t resist entering this fun challenge. Thanks for organizing it once again. With the weather we’ve been having in the Northeast, figured we could all use a few minutes of warm weather fun! Here goes:

    Battle at the Beach
    (47 words)

    Shovel! Scoop! Pile it high.
    Whoosh! A wave –
    say good-bye.

    Scoop! Shovel! Pile again.
    Swoosh! New wave –
    all gone then.

    Shovel! Scoop! Pile third time.
    Shush! No waves –
    all is fine…

    NO-O-O!

    We scoop and shovel,
    Ocean erases;
    Smooshing our castles,
    leaving no traces.

    Liked by 4 people

  14. Thanks for the fun challenge, Vivian!

    50 words

    At Bath Time

    Run warm water.
    Add bubble bath.
    Wear a bubble mustache.
    Wear two bushy bubble eye brows.
    Add bubble bath.
    Wear a bubble crown on your head.
    Add more bubble bath.
    Watch a bubble castle rise up and over you…then, punch out a window!
    You are the King of Bubbledom!

    Liked by 4 people

  15. I’m posting this entry for Katie Walsh.

    My Only Friend
    by Katie Walsh

    Henry reached into the broken box and pressed robot’s cracked buttons.

    The movers weren’t careful, but Henry could fix anything.

    All afternoon he tightened, cleaned, and glued robot.

    Zerriinng! Eerp. Beep!

    Colorful lights blinked. Robot’s eyes opened. “Hel-lo, Hen-ry.”

    Henry took a deep breath and smiled. “Welcome back, my friend!”

    Liked by 4 people

  16. Maria Bostian again! Got inspired tonight and wrote a few more. Here’s one.

    My Favorite Place to Be

    Dive under water –
    make a splash!

    “Ripple,” go little waves.

    DOWN! Down! down!
    Touch the gritty bottom.

    “Swish,” goes the sand.

    Grab a slick shell; a treasure!

    Now, up! Up! UP!
    Kicking all the way!

    “”Plop,” cries the surface!

    Head back, Eyes wide –
    Sunlight warms your cheeks.

    Ahh! The ocean!

    Liked by 4 people

  17. Maria Bostian – Last one of the night!

    Smoke Alarm Saves the Day

    I’m a smoke alarm just hanging around.
    Way up high where I make a sound
    That wakes you up
    When your family sleeps.
    I’ll get you out before
    the thick smoke creeps.

    “Beep, Beep, Beep!”
    “Hey, get down low!”

    “Beep, Beep, Beep!”
    “Now out you go!”

    Safe at last!
    Hooray!

    Liked by 5 people

  18. Hi Vivian! Just squeaking in here at the last minute;)

    Roar!

    “I’m a dinosaur, but I don’t roar.
    Roaring make my head too sore.”

    Something big goes bang and boom!
    “Eeeak!’ I shriek. My heart goes zoom!

    Off I zip, a deafening “ROOOOAR!
    Mommy there’s an allosaur!”

    “It was you who made that roar.
    Honey, that’s a brontosaur!

    Liked by 5 people

    • I wouldn’t call that a squeak, Debbie…you came in with a ROAR! Such a fun story…kids love dinosaur stuff. And your rhyme was really cute. I think kids will relate because there are some kids who give themselves headaches with their own noise. 😉

      Like

  20. I wanted to say “Happy Birthday” to a legend. This is my way of paying homage to one of the greats in children’s literature. We had the whole series of Dr. Seuss’s books when my children were little. This wee story was inspired by the book “One fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish”.

    One Hen, Ben Hen
    By Lily Erlic 50 words

    One hen,

    Ben hen,

    Some are bad,

    Some are mad.

    Why is Ben bad?

    Ben drives a car…

    He drives the car very far.

    He drives too fast,

    He stops at last.

    Lops are around.

    What’s a lop?

    A lop

    Says, “Stop!”

    Good for Ben,

    Not to drive fast again!

    Liked by 3 people

Comments are closed.