Fifty-word challenge: FAQs, ideas, motivation and showcase

Hello, Fifty Worders and potential Fifty Worders. This post is about the “why” of 50 words, and exploring the elements of really spectacular micro-fiction stories. I’m going to share many goodies here, whether you are actively involved, sitting on the sidelines, or are just stumbling upon our little community for the first time.

(Image generated at wordart.com)

All your ponderings answered

Perhaps you are thinking "I should really write one of those 50-word stories." Yes you should.

Or maybe you are wondering "Is it hard to do?" Yes it is. And that's why you should write one. Attempting to write a short story with a 50-word limit stretches your creativity, your ability to choose just the right words, to write within word limits, and to express a complete idea succinctly.

If you're asking yourself if you still have time to write a story for the current week's prompt, the answer is yes you do. Why? Because there is always a prompt.

Each Sunday I post a new prompt, and although the deadline is the next Saturday, you actually have all the way until the next one comes out the following Sunday to complete your 50-word story. (This is a challenge, not a contest. So we don't have to be all uptight about rules.)

Just look for the most recent post on my blog, or scan the #fiftywords tag.

Here are a few more fun FAQs:

Q: What is the 50-word short story challenge?
A: This weekly challenge starts with a post that presents a one-word story prompt. The 50-worders let that word inspire them to write a story in 50 words.

Q: Does it have to be exactly 50 words, on the nose?
A: No, but try it. It’s a great feeling of accomplishment to hit exactly 50 words. (All of mine are 50 words exactly. I edit and tweak my stories until they are 50 words, every time.)

Q: Does the story have to use the prompt word?”
A: No. Sometimes the word is in the title, and sometimes the word inspires the story but does not actually appear in the story or title. (And there are those times when stories don’t include the word and don’t appear to have been inspired by the word. Couldn’t tell you why. But that’s okay too. We're here to have fun and write cool micro-fiction, not focus on unimportant details.)

Q: Can I write more than one story for a prompt?
A: Yes, if you are so inspired you can write as many as you choose. Although, for optimal impact, you probably want to stick with one or two.

Q: How does judging work?
A: “Judging” is such a harsh word. Here’s how it works: I read every single story, adore all of them to bits, and somehow try to pick a few to highlight that are particularly artful, creative, enlightening, poignant, powerful, or clever. It’s hard being me. (Do I hear violins?)

Q: Are there any tips for writing really great 50-word short stories?
A: Yes! I think the best 50-word stories have a few things in common. In fact, I’m going to devote a whole little section to that very topic.

Tips for writing great 50-word stories

There are no rules, and there is really no wrong way to write a 50-word story. Basically, you want to craft 50 words that describe a moment in time when something is happening.

So let’s talk about what makes the best 50-word stories so awesome.

Tip #1: Focus: Really stunning 50-word stories don’t try to cram a novel into 50 words. They show a slice of life… a brief moment when something momentous or frightening or joyful is happening. Or something startling is transpiring. Or someone is coming to a powerful realization. It is essentially the arc of a story, with all that has come before left mostly to our imaginations.

The most successful 50-word short stories hint at a bigger story or broader ideas through very small, very relatable moments and specific details. Consider, for example, which of these two opening lines (made up on the fly) would resonate with a reader the most:

Example 1: In contrast to the known reality, the day spawned more of its kind.

Example 2: The bread was gone. Maria needed to find more food by nightfall.

Again, there is no right and wrong. But focusing on a moment and a conflict, and using fairly tangible imagery helps you hook your readers, and helps them to experience something. If you can provide sights and smells that tap into our senses, we can get involved. We can fully experience what is going on, which can be a very powerful experience.

Tip #2: Create a solid character: You may have noticed in the examples above that one story introduces a character right away. As with all short stories, the best 50-word stories involve one or more characters that experience something important, happy, sad, or profound. Characters can be people, animals, trees, extra-terrestrials, the moon, a bot, an AI character, a crowd or an army, or anything you like.

We readers want to feel. As the author, your best tool for delivering on that is to show us what someone is experiencing -- show us that moment when a character is experiencing a good or bad thing, be it a life event, a transformation, a win or a loss, or a hope fulfilled or dashed.

Tip #3: Revise and polish: There are a few great reasons to edit your work. One is that you can sometimes take a good story and make it great, simply by choosing better words or moving things around. Another is that you may discover that you have mistakes in grammar or punctuation to fix.

Stories that don’t get to the point right away or that have grammatical errors, can be distracting and hard to read or understand. Once you write your story, it’s time to revise it and make it the best it can be. If you don’t feel confident in your own editing abilities, consider having a friend read it. Or get help from a writing group. There are several groups here on Steemit and Discord, such as @thewritersblock, that can help you.

50 word short story showcase

Let’s look at a few stories that demonstrate the ideas I’ve shared above. Note that these are some of the stories showing truly momentous events or moments in time. Not all stories are going to be this dramatic. I chose these because they show how much can be conveyed in a mere 50 words.

Be careful what you wish for

This story, by @deirdyweirdy, captures a powerful and transforming moment in the life of a woman who gets her wish, but not in the way she wanted.

No one can hear you

This story, by @negativer, shows us a devastating (and yet somehow slightly amusing) event in time for poor Robert.

A Walk in the Woods

This story, by @preparedwombat, is told in first person and describes a moment in time when the narrator is in peril.

Backyard

This story, by @ahmadmanga, tells the story of a soldier in a time of war, walking through what was formerly his garden.

Elsie’s view

This story is one of mine that I’m particularly proud of. It tells of a woman’s escape from an abusive relationship and her questions about the future and the unknown.

Are you inspired?

Micro-fiction is hard. That's why the #fiftywords challenge is a "challenge." What can you do with a mere 50 words? I hope I've inspired you to give it a try, if you haven't done so yet, or that you're inspired to keep challenging yourself and having fun if you're already a part of this great little community.