LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL - but our writers are beautifully talented, and boy, do your entries prove it!
Yolanda Renee - Life is beautiful, family is everything
Olga Godim - Even after a tragedy, life could be beautiful
Nilanjana Bose - Colour it beautiful
Denise Covey - Life is beautiful, but death can be better
Jamie - Two girls in Nazi times, one Jewish and one not, are separated
Sonia Dogra - Pickle, Bicker, Smile!
Jemi Fraser - Even when sirens shatter the night
Hilary - Ugliness and cruelty are unnecessary
C. Lee McKenzie - The German Goose
Beth Camp - Regardless of how it may begin, life can be beautiful
J. Lenni Dorner - A father prepares his son to leave with him in hopes of surviving
Sally - That will be her mantra – do not interfere and then life will be beautiful for everybody.
Roland R. Clarke - Night Witches find family, new friends and allies
Kalpana - The Journey
Damyanti Biswas - In a halo of the senses
Such a bunch of awesome entries! It made the shortlisting super difficult this month even though the entries were down. Each of the team brings a slightly different perspective to the shortlisting process. Someone gives a tad more weight to the creative interpretation, another to the execution, yet another to reader engagement, but all of us are looking for the same final result - a thundering good story, well crafted and well told. We each shortlist and defend our choices passionately, there's a lot of back and forth that doesn't show up here before we pass them on to Nick, our judge.
And Nick takes his time even though he also "felt all the stories were really on par in terms of quality and impact. It was hard to leave one out. Brilliant stuff. All the entries were so moving. This challenge was a great one!"
Here's the shortlist we sent on, but only three can win!
Beth
Camp
Damyanti
J
Lenni
Kalpana
Jamie
Sally
Commenting:
Thank you to all those who comment widely, especially those who read and comment even when they do not have an entry in the ring or are unwell. Our top supporter and commenter, Elephant's Child is having health issues and could not be present this challenge. We send our thoughts and prayers to you, Sue. Commenting is the lifeblood of WEP both as feedback towards the improvement of writing craft and as a communication channel for community building.
Sadly, this month as in months past we've had commenting issues. No one's quite sure what is going on, but it is not just a WordPress/Blogger issue. Please check the comments on the WEP post or the C-Box where we posted comments that wouldn't take on blogs.
Please note that due to incessant spamming issues, we have had to keep comment moderation on. So your comment may not show up right away, but we will get to it soonest possible. We value your comments, please keep them coming.
THE APRIL PRIZE
This
month's prize is a first chapter critique from our IWSG liaison, friend,
and ofttimes participant of WEP, multi-published author C Lee McKenzie.
Check our previous post for more information about C Lee McKenzie.
AND NOW IT'S TIME TO CONGRATULATE THE WINNERS!
WE HOPE YOU AGREE THE BADGES ARE BEYOND AWESOME!
THANKS, OLGA GODIM!
THE WINNER OF THE APRIL 2023 CHALLENGE
~ LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL ~
IS
Jamie's story, Pearl and Sarah brought hate and prejudice to us through the eyes of innocent children. Masterfully done, Jamie!
Nick said, "Hatred and prejudice seen through the eyes of an uncomprehending child. If only that innocence could be preserved. Devastating, in a quiet way."
Jamie, if you will please post this badge on your blog and link it to your winning entry. Tweet it! Share the love! Use the critique prize or pass it on to the next winner if you can't avail yourself of it in the next few months. Remember that this story will be considered for a place in the WEP anthology to be published next year. Details will follow.
THE RUNNER-UP OF THE APRIL 2023 CHALLENGE
~ LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL ~
IS
Kalpana, The Journey broke our hearts as we read this horrific truth, but love and hope survive all.
Nick said, "This is beautiful because it shows how those who survive horror can still find meaning and beauty in life. Love has to win."
Kalpana, please post this badge on your blog and link it to your entry. Promo any way you wish! This flash also will be considered for a place in next year's WEP anthology. Details will follow.
THE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD FOR THE APRIL 2023 CHALLENGE
~ LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL ~
GOES TO
Beth's Poem, Life is Beautiful highlighted the journey from despair to happiness.
Nick said, "Short but very effective. Shows resilience and how we can make the best out of life no matter where we come from."
Beth, please post this badge on your blog and link it to your Flash. Promo any way you choose! You also will be considered for a place for this story in WEP's anthology scheduled for next year. Details will follow.
Thank you to all our participants for each of their captivating entries!
We had such a varied and creative bunch of flashes this month. Each one a gem!
Please share this across your social media sites.
We announce our WEP APRIL‘23 LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL #winners @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @jemifraser @SoniaDogra16 #amwriting #writingcontest #flashfiction #wepwinners
#WEPFF APRIL ’23 LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL #winners
announced @DeniseCCovey @SoniaDogra16 @yolandarenee @jemifraser https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2023/05/wep-winners-april-2023-challenge-life.html #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners #writingcontest
Come congratulate our APRIL ’23 LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL #winners!
#WEPFF Challenge @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @SoniaDogra16 @jemifraser
#amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners #writingcontest
PLEASE JOIN US IN JUNE FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
OF THE THIRD KIND
Your hosts will be Nilanjana and Jemi!
WIN A CRITIQUE PRIZE!
BE INVITED TO SUBMIT TO OUR ANTHOLOGY!
Look up the detailed Challenge blurb here.
There are a gazillion
ways to interpret this sci-fi classic - use the genre as a base to write your
own sci-fi flash. Or riff off the idea of first contact. Celebrate cross-cultural
communication between groups without a common language/reference points like
the film. Use kidnapping, a failing marriage, a paranormal event turning life
upside down - any or all to build your flash around. Maybe use three
characters' experiences of an event. The basic human hankering for exploration,
connection, for finding a place in a community, even up to a galactical
community. Maybe take up the story from where it ends - what happens after
first contact. How the alien lifeforms and humanity build a relationship and
navigate it in the future.
Post - June 21st to 23rd 2023
Please join us for another fun prompt in June
See you then!
Renee, signing off for now but see you in JUNE!
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Congratulations to our winners! All the entries for this challenge were deeply moving, I am in awe of the work the writers created.
ReplyDeleteHuge congratulations to all the winner, the participants, and the team.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the winners - so many stories touched my heart this time around!!
ReplyDelete😲🤯❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
ReplyDeleteOMG!
Thank you so much for this huge honor!
Many congratulations to the winners. Beautiful stories. Enjoyed them immensely.
ReplyDeleteSonia
Thanks to all who contributed this challenge. The team enjoyed reading and I' m sure everyone else did also. Was a difficult choice in the end to name winners. Thanks for making it so hard!
ReplyDeleteGreat job, everyone. So many outstanding entries, it was hard to choose the best. Congrats to the winners.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the winner. Thanks to the team and all participants.
ReplyDelete.... and as one not participating any more I want to give my two cents. Because I'm still blogging, writing and having fun doing both. Only I do not participate here any more.
DeleteDisclaimer. I'm not a native English speaker, so my language skills are not always as good as they should be, so if I sound blunt or impolite, do please blame at least part of it on missing skills.
I participated sometimes and read the contributions with joy all through 2021 and parts of 2022, but stopped participating for several reasons Not in order of importance:
1) The word limit - crazy but I felt cramped by only 1000 words.
2) The prompts - music/tunes and recently movies. I do not know most of the references, and do not feel like listening to music or watching a movie before settling down to write.
3) This challenge is somehow too "grown-up serious" The subject matters are heavy, dark, reality-oriented. To me writing and reading is also an escape from reality, a place to have fun, to think "what if?" not to have past or present problems put in my face.
4) The prizes are too big, too imposing-scary - I cannot write a guest post on anything writing related, so I would fear winning ;)
5) It feels to me in short like a challenge for only "real publishing writers" to participate in. Maybe if there were two leagues, proffs and amateurs?
Maybe this challenge is just not for me Sorry.
Hello Charlotte!
DeleteWe loved having you contribute when you were able.
Thanks for listing your reasons for no longer participating. It has been so hard to get feedback from participants in the past so it's good to see where you're coming from.
* The word limit is there for a reason. With people reading upwards of 30 stories, if there were unlimited words, imaging the time it would take. Having a 1,000 word limit is good for learning to edit. You can also continue a story throughout the year, but I agree, this is not for everyone.
* Prompts. We weren't clear enough on that, but have since rectified to say there is no need to know the movies. You just use it as a beginning point. For example, Close Encounters can be any close encounter - not necessarily sci-fi ... Nila wrote about this last post.
* I know some of us go off on a dark tangent, but there's room for comedy too, whatever floats your boat.
* We no longer ask the winner for a guest post. We ask certain people to write helpful 'How to' articles. No need to fear that.
* WEP is for everyone no matter what level of writing. Of course the prizes go to the most interesting, polished stories/poems which is only fair in whatever area writers submit.
So thanks again Charlotte. Feel free to email me if you have further queries. But we'd love to have you write for us again!
Ciao!
Denise
Thank you for your positive and encouraging response. I am in a bit of a dark place, and I'm sorry. I should have read more thoroughly in the W.E.P pages before posting. Please accept my apology and feel free to delete.
DeleteAnd while I do understand that there has to be a word limit, I also all the time se people begging pardon that they just could not squish their piece any more. Maybe upping it to 1200 would be nice. :)
Charlotte. I agree with your reasons ## 2 and 3. That's why I don't write about music or movies really, but I use the titles as prompts. And my stories are always lighthearted (as you know), with a smile underneath the plot. As I write speculative fiction, it allows me to avoid the current politics, which are dark indeed.
ReplyDeleteBesides, I always go above the 1000 limit. All my stories are a bit more: usually 100 or 200 words above the limit. A 1000 is a guideline to keep it brief, nothing else. Or at least I chose to interpret it this way. I invite you to do the same.
It's a pity you don't want to write for WEP anymore. I consider it fun and a challenge to write to those prompts, and I hope you'll join us again next year.
I promise that when we discuss the prompts for the next year, I'll try to steer the admin team away from the popular culture, back into the general prompts atmosphere. Perhaps then, you'll feel comfortable writing for us again.
Hi everyone - congratulations to the winners and I'll be over to comment and congratulate them.
ReplyDeleteImportantly thanks to the hosts ... for their encouragement, but also for addressing Charlotte's thought-provoking comment. I've always just used the title as a prompt - I have to admit when I started out ... I hadn't really realised the connection between the image and the subject - and so have just continued writing an entry that stretches me without the connection - everyone's always been very understanding.
It's a great 'challenge' ... with friends as our fellow entrants ... I admire all the hosts and organisers and thank them very much - cheers Hilary