Today I would love to encourage you to delve into the world to online challenges and have some to recommend. Not only is it great writing practice but it also pushes a few creativity buttons, especially when it is outside your comfort zone.
The first is Colleen Chesebro’s Tuesday Tanka Challenge and I have two links for you. The first is the announcement of the poet of the week plus honorable mentions from yesterday and the second is this week’s challenge.
Poet of the week and Honorable Mentions – with links to last week’s participants.
Congratulations, and many thanks to all the participants! Please visit the challenge post comments HERE and HERE where you’ll find the links to everyone’s poetry. Stop by and say hello!
The Poet of the Week
This week, I’ve chosen H. R. R. Gorman as the Poet of the Week for his Haibun/Cinquain poem featured below. I see he followed the Haibun directions to a tee! Here are my observations.
Haibun poetry must have a title. Structure your prose with short descriptive paragraphs written in the first person singular. Remember, when you write a Haibun the experience must unfold as if you are observing the occurrence before you.
The poetry portions should never repeat what you’ve already stated in your prose. The poetry should reflect another aspect of your prose. The two pieces are different – yet somehow connected.
The American cinquain is an unrhymed, five-line poetic form—the first line has two syllables, the second has four, the third six, the fourth eight, and the fifth two (2-4-6-8-2).
I also think a Haibun pairs well with any other syllabic form, except a Haiga, which should standalone – Just my opinion. 😀
Head over and read this lovely poem by H.R.R. Gorman and those of the honorable mentions (I am one!): https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/09/30/colleens-2019-tanka-tuesday-poet-of-the-week-honorable-mentions-no-146-synonymsonly/
And find out about this week’s challenge, which is Poet’s Choice, where we can choose our own prompts: https://colleenchesebro.com/2019/10/01/colleens-2019-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-147-poetschoice/
The next challenge is the Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction inspired and curated by Charli Mills and each week the participants follow a prompt with 99 words no more no less. Here are some of the submissions for last week to give you an idea of the amazing stories in the challenge.
Between the big moments in life, there are interludes. Like the sweet piece during an orchestra’s intermission or the pause between acts in a play, these interludes set a different pace. Perhaps the temporal episodes add up to characterize more than a transition. They can even become more important than the significant markers of life.
What will writers make of interludes? You can count on variety and enlightening ideas.
The following are based on the September 19, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about an interlude.
PART I (10-minute read)
Sweet Interlude by Ritu Bhathal
Sophia leaned against the headboard, taking a drag of her cigarette.
She smiled at her reflection in the mirror; hair messed up, lipstick a mere stain left on her lips.
She watched him pull his pants back on.
“Hurry, Sophia!”
Marco slipped his shirt on, still buttoning as he left.
Voices. Her supervisor was coming.
She flushed the cigarette down the toilet, changed, and flung the door open.
“Oh Sir, these guests, too much! Smoking in here. Smell it!”
She bustled out, to the next room waiting to be cleaned, wondering when her next interlude with Marco would be…
🥕🥕🥕
A Woman Scorned by TN Kerr
It was early morning when Enrique crept home. Treading softly and turning his key slow; he eased the door inward. He started when a heavy glass ashtray bounced off the wall and shattered. Mesmerized, he watched as pieces of glass scampered across the dark blue tile floor. It brought to mind ‘la galassia via lattea’ it was beautiful. So was the dark-haired fury who came in quick and attacked.
“Ma il mio amore, eravamo in pausa.” Enrique shouted as he tried in vain to dodge her blows.
Marida continued to pummel him. Her fierce countenance set and forbidding.
🥕🥕🥕
Head over and read the other submissions: https://carrotranch.com/2019/09/25/interludes/
This week the challenge will morph into a contest for October with a judging panel and prizes and you can read more about that in last week’s challenge post: https://carrotranch.com/2019/09/27/september-26-flash-fiction-challenge/
And the third challenge that I personally have been participating in is the monthly speculative fiction originally on the blog of Diana Wallace Peach but due to commitments the baton has now passed over to Carol J. Foster.
In the form of a photo prompt, the challenge give you the freedom to write within any genre that you wish, poetry etc without word restrictions. Keep your eye out for October’s challenge and here is a little bit about Carol Foster.
Carol Forrester is a writer trying to be a better one. She’s currently working on her first novel ‘Darkened Daughter’ and attempting to put together a collection of poetry in the hopes of submitting to publication in 2020.
She has a 2:1 BA degree in history from Bath Spa University, enjoys judo at least twice a week, and tries to attend poetry events around the Midlands when she can.b4b80-chiaroscoru
Her flash fiction story ‘Glorious Silence’ was named as River Ram Press’ short story of the month for August 2014 and her short story ‘A Visit From The Fortune Teller’ has been showcased on the literary site Ink Pantry. Her poems ‘Sunsets’ and ‘Clear Out‘ were featured on Eyes Plus Words, and two of her poems were included in the DVerse Poets Pub Publication ‘Chiaroscuro’ which is available for purchase on amazon.
More recently her poem ‘Until The Light Gets In‘ was accepted and published at The Drabble and her poem ‘Newborn’ was published by Ink Sweat & Tears.
She has been lucky enough to write guest posts for sites such as Inky Tavern and Song of The Forlorn and has hosted a number of guest bloggers here on Writing and Works.
She hopes that 2019 will be the year that she finally sees herself as a proper writer.
Find out more and join the challenge: https://caroljforrester.com/2016/08/13/about-the-writer/
Thanks for dropping in today and I hope to see you during one of these challenges or all of them… a great opportunity to share your writing skills and keep you out of mischief!! Thanks Sally
Thanks so much for the lovely introduction to Tanka Tuesday, Sally. I appreciate your support. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pleasure Colleen.. a lovely part of my week..♥
LikeLiked by 1 person
All great challenges, Sally. Carol’s prompt should come out today. I must look out for it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too Robbie…hugsx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I need to give some of these a try!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Look forward to seeing you over there Jacquie..hugsx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve done Carrot Ranch many times, Charli is awesome! I’ll have to try a few others! Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Cheryl.. I love the flash fiction.. the challenges make me take a break and focus on my own writing for a little while.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So many wonderful challenges so little time. Thanks, Sally
LikeLiked by 1 person
You already do your share John… it is fun…xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hugs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A very wonderful collection. Sorry, today i need a little bit more time to read. Will do during night. Its worth to do so. Best wishes, and many thanks to the contributors. Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Michael.. hugsxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent picks Sal! Looking forward to the Carrot Ranch contests! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Debby.. see you there..hugsx
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤ xx
LikeLike
I take part in all the challenges mentioned, even though not every week. I loved Carol’s photo prompt for September. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great to hear Miriam.. I was tied up so skipped September but intend to take part this month…♥
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just saw her photo prompt. I was busy in September also. Now it looks like I’ll be busy off and on until Christmas. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Keep you out of mischief Miriam..♥
LikeLike
Haha 💖😊
LikeLike
Thanks so much for sharing these awesome challenges, Sally!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jan.. they are my treats…not quite as fattening as Chocolate…xx
LikeLike
These are such fun challenges, Sally. I’ve been trying to keep up with Colleen’s (sort of) and need to hop aboard the carrot ranch wagon. Thanks so much for the mention on the spec fiction challenge. That is now fully in Carol’s able hands, and I’ve been reading them all since the prompts have a special place in my heart. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will look out for this month’s prompt Diana… looking forward to getting back to it..hugsx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent encouragement Sally! We have such a robust writing and blogging community. You are the hub that keeps the spokes running! Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am grateful for the time and effort that it takes Charli… you do an amazing job..hugs
LikeLike
lots of fun challenges, thanks for making me aware of a couple I did not know about!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great Jim and terrific way to meet new people.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree, Sally. but as you can tell, I have trouble managing the one challenge I do participate in!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t believe that for a minute..
LikeLiked by 1 person
you may have noticed I’m spending the day getting caught up on my favorite blogs!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did wonder if it was raining…always delighted to see you Jim.. thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
and a day off from teaching…
LikeLiked by 1 person
well deserved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
maybe, maybe not… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great challenges all! I wish I had the time to do them all. I love and participate in Colleen’s weekly poetry prompt challenge. 😀 xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am working on giving myself another hour a day to read, and so far it is working. I could give up some things, but I enjoy them too much. And I do enjoy my challenges…see you over at Colleen’s hugs ♥
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤ xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – The Weekly Round Up – First Class Jazz, Guests, Food,Books with a dash of Humour thrown in.. | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine