Flash! Friday: Vol 3 – 10

It’s Friday the 13th (of February): a BIG DAY, and I hope everyone has made ample preparation. That’s right; it’s Valentine’s Eve. Time to load up on chocolate, obviously (consider this a mid-year rehearsal for National Chocolate Day, October 28). Hoarding quality chocolate is particularly crucial for those of us in the United States, as we are soon to be deprived of magnificent Cadbury. Please consider this my fiery protest against Hershey’s decision to mangle the Cadbury recipe and sell purple-labeled, sugared wax instead. There. I’ve said my piece, amen.

Nothing new to announce today (oh, HUSH; you needn’t cheer QUITE so loudly!), so I’ll just run through a review of all the fabulous awesomeness going on daily here at the dragons’ lair: 

Monday: Flash! Friday contest results

Tuesday: Spotlight interviews (this week: the second half of our interview with Flashversary winner Maggie Duncan)

Wednesday: writing game w/ photo prompt & unique challenges

Thursday: Sixty Seconds interview with the newest Flash! Friday champ

Friday: the Flash! Friday contest

Saturday/Sunday: community comments on FF stories; occasional Flash Points (story critiques) or original Flash! Friday team writings/posts

WALL OF FLAME: This past week we awarded the Ring of Fire badge to a stunning twenty-two writers. Seriously, y’all, if you haven’t checked out the Wall of Flame, please take a minute to do so. It’s SO COOL getting to meet Flash! Friday writers. How can you earn this badge? Submit a story at Flash! Friday at least three times in a calendar month. Since we kicked off this feature mid-January, more of you may be eligible today (today is the final Friday to count for both January AND February). Details here.

 

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Judging today is Dragon Team One, made up of disturbingly brilliant dragon captains Image Ronin & Joidianne. I tried asking them what they look for in a winning story. “Suspense and intrigue,” said Joidianne in a very cool and creepy kind of way. Image, meanwhile, mumbled something about picking at scabs only a moment before leaping in the air and clicking his heels together. I don’t know exactly where that leaves all you dear dragonwriters. Just know that I’ll be here for the duration, shrieking and shouting and banging kitchen utensils on pots in your honor.          

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Awards Ceremony: Results will post Monday. Noteworthy #SixtySeconds interviews with the previous week’s winner post Thursdays.  

Now, grab your sword (and/or shield, if you’ve got one) and head into the ring.

* Word count: Write a 200-word story (10-word leeway on either side) based on the photo prompt.

* How: Post your story here in the comments. Include your word count (min 190 – max 210 words, excluding title/byline) and Twitter handle if you’ve got one. If you’re new, don’t forget to check the contest guidelines.

* Deadline: 11:59pm ET tonight (check the world clock if you need to; Flash! Friday is on Washington, DC time)

* Winners: will post Monday. 

* Prize: The Flash! Friday e-dragon e-badge for your blog/wall, your own winner’s page here at FF, a 60-second interview next Thursday, and your name flame-written on the Dragon Wall of Fame for posterity.

AND HERE IS YOUR TWO-PART PROMPT:

(1) Required story element (this week: character. The below character must play a central role in your story; please note this character is NOT gender-specific):

 

(2) Photo prompt to incorporate:

Kenya kittens. CC2.0 photo by Kerri Lee Smith.

 

Flash! Friday: Vol 3 – 9

You have been so patient with the rollout of updates here at Flash! Friday. THANK YOU! Our goal is for this to be a place where writers at all levels of skill and experience will feel welcome and safe to share their work, and for us to grow together as writers. That the Flash! Friday contest itself is so vibrant and warm already is because of your efforts, and for that I owe you even more thanks.

We have two more new things to unveil before taking a rest (not a long rest, however; can anyone say “spring contest with cash prizes”??). Beginning next week, Flash! Friday will offer new content five days a week by adding our Tuesday “Spotlight” feature. Be sure to stop by to read interviews with publishers, literary agents, authors, editors, and whatever myriad other fascinating folks we can hook our talons into (PS. Feel free to drop me a note if you’ve got suggestions/connections!). That means our posts will run like this:

Monday: contest results

Tuesday: Spotlight interviews

Wednesday: Warmup Wednesday (unjudged) w/ photo prompt & unique challenges

Thursday: Sixty Seconds interview with the newest contest champ

Friday: the Flash! Friday contest

Saturday/Sunday: community comments on FF stories; occasional Flash Points (story critiques) or original Flash! Friday team writings/posts

Don’t forget to sign up at the top of the sidebar for email reminders. You won’t want to miss a thing; too much fun stuff going on all the time here. And while you’re at it, tell your friends! Writers and readers alike are welcome here. As are another precious and vital group: those who give financially. Thank you to the donors who make our efforts here possible.

 

Last but not least in today’s announcements: beginning today, writers may be eligible to join the Ring of Fire for the January round. To request use of the Ring of Fire badge, please contact the Dragon Team here, citing:

(1) your name/penname,
(2) the three dates this month you participated (today counts toward January eligiblity; the count began January 23),
(3) your home city/country/part of the world (be as specific or vague as you choose; this is meant to draw us closer as a global community, not to invade your privacy), and
(4) a 10-word bio & a single link to your choice of blog/Twitter/Facebook/other social media.

Then your name will go up on the Ring of Fire “Wall of Flame” page; once your name is posted, you may download and flash the Ring of Fire badge on your own blog/Facebook/Twitter etc. Ring of Fire eligibility starts fresh each month; once you’ve earned the badge, you’ll keep the rights to use it unless you go a month without participating at least three times. Reminders about that later. **Repeated note** Since we started counting January 23, today & next week will count for both January and February eligibility. 

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Judging today is Dragon Team Two, made up of mischief-making dragon captains Mark King and Tamara Shoemaker. Follow their judging shenanigans at their team Twitter account here! While I’m not sure of their view of dancing in the rain, I can guarantee you they’re chomping at the bit, waiting to get at the stories you feed them. Check out their judge pages to see what, specifically, they look for in stories.          

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Awards Ceremony: Results will post Monday. Noteworthy #SixtySeconds interviews with the previous week’s winner post Thursdays.  

Now, grab your umbrella (or leave it behind!) and dance with us in the rain.

* Word count: Write a 200-word story (10-word leeway on either side) based on the photo prompt.

* How: Post your story here in the comments. Include your word count (min 190 – max 210 words, excluding title/byline) and Twitter handle if you’ve got one. If you’re new, don’t forget to check the contest guidelines.

* Deadline: 11:59pm ET tonight (check the world clock if you need to; Flash! Friday is on Washington, DC time)

* Winners: will post Monday. 

* Prize: The Flash! Friday e-dragon e-badge for your blog/wall, your own winner’s page here at FF, a 60-second interview next Thursday, and your name flame-written on the Dragon Wall of Fame for posterity.

AND HERE IS YOUR TWO-PART PROMPT:

(1) Required story element (this week: theme. The below theme must play a central role in your story. And please don’t drive yourselves mad working it out; we mean an important moment that passes too quickly. Think along the lines of a moment you wish could/would have lasted longer):

 

(2) Photo prompt to incorporate:

 

Rain (Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica). CC2.0 photo by NannyDaddy.

Flash! Friday: Vol 3 – 8

HELLOOOOOOO! A pleasure to see your sparkly faces back here at the lair; it’s just not the same without you. And in case you thought the Year Three updates were done…. well, we’ve still a couple more shenanigans up our dragonsleeves for you. ❤ Our weekly interview with the latest champ, #SixtySeconds, has been shifted to Thursday. The move will give winners a few more hours’ breathing room to answer the questions, AND it will free up Wednesday for our newest feature:

Warmup Wednesday!!!

Starting this week, each Wednesday at 12:01am Washington, DC, time, a photo prompt will post. No judges. No pressure. Just a muse-nudging photo and a place to write and comment on stories. Consider this a chance to explore scenes with a character or setting from a WIP, an opportunity to introduce the FF community to other sides of your writing, and/or, best of all, a venue for flexing those microfiction skillz and igniting our imaginations as the week hurtles toward Friday.  (*Note* We will send out Twitter reminders only this first week; going forward, make sure you’re following this blog to receive updates.) 

REMINDER: a reminder that ALL dragons (that means you! anyone who submits a story here) are eligible to earn the Ring of Fire badge (and your name on the Wall of Flame) by submitting at least three times in one month. For many of you today will mark your second entry toward this badge, and February 6 will seal the deal. If you missed last week, today’s entry will count toward the first round of eligibility. Questions? Me too.

Here’s a peek at the badge: 

RING OF FIRE!!!!!!

 

REMINDER # 2: New format: Remember the former “Dragon’s Bidding” (an element required in addition to the photo) now focuses on the primary elements of story: character, setting, conflict, and theme. The new word count window is 190 – 210 (exclusive of title/byline). Please be sure to follow these new guidelines carefully!

Tweet any questions to the Flash! Friday team at @flashfridayfic. Now, sheesh. Enough babbling. LET’S WRITE!

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Judging today is Dragon Team Four, made up of fierce dragon captains Sinéad O’Hart and Pratibha Kelapure. Today’s story element is perfect for this team, as they both adore fleshed-out characters. Pratibha especially loves stories exploring the human psyche, and Sinéad loves well-crafted dialogue and humor tinged with bittersweet.         

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Awards Ceremony: Results will post Monday. Noteworthy #SixtySeconds interviews with the previous week’s winner post Thursdays.  I (Rebekah) occasionally post my own unbalanced writings on other days under “Dragon Munchies” (see the drop-down menu in the sidebar).

Now, grab your boxing gloves and leap into the ring!

* Word count: Write a 200-word story (10-word leeway on either side) based on the photo prompt.

* How: Post your story here in the comments. Include your word count (min 190 – max 210 words, excluding title/byline) and Twitter handle if you’ve got one. If you’re new, don’t forget to check the contest guidelines.

* Deadline: 11:59pm ET tonight (check the world clock if you need to; Flash! Friday is on Washington, DC time)

* Winners: will post Monday. 

* Prize: The Flash! Friday e-dragon e-badge for your blog/wall, your own winner’s page here at FF, a 60-second interview next Thursday, and your name flame-written on the Dragon Wall of Fame for posterity.

AND HERE IS YOUR TWO-PART PROMPT:

(1) Required story element (this week: conflict. The below conflict must play a central role in your story. See a description of this week’s conflict here. Clarification: “man” signifies “human,” not gender):

 

(2) Photo prompt to inspire (required to incorporate; does not need to be literal):

 

Kinderspiel. CC2.0 photo by Hartwig HKD.