{"id":530,"date":"2020-07-03T14:44:44","date_gmt":"2020-07-03T13:44:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kathrynclarkwriter.co.uk\/?p=530"},"modified":"2023-04-16T15:42:54","modified_gmt":"2023-04-16T15:42:54","slug":"the-power-of-prompts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kathrynclarkwriter.co.uk\/index.php\/2020\/07\/03\/the-power-of-prompts\/","title":{"rendered":"Things I’ve Learned About Writing: The Power of Prompts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Prickly Chairs – photograph by Royston Hunt <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The picture above was the prompt for the 2020 Flash Fiction Festival Micro Fiction contest<\/a>. I was thrilled to come first with my story Eye, Aye, I<\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Entering online short story competitions is how I first dared to put my work out into the world. These past few years I\u2019ve entered fewer, focusing instead on writing novels. But having recently parted from my agent, finished a novel, and lurking in lockdown lethargy, I\u2019ve found myself searching out short story and flash fiction competitions once more. There\u2019s a kind of comfort in it, a way of reminding myself that I can still write, that I will have more ideas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This kind of sums up writing life. However far along the publishing path you get, at some point you invariably loop back to a place you were before \u2013 older, wiser, and hopefully a better writer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Prompts and Competitions<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Having a prompt is supremely helpful when you\u2019re feeling blocked, tired, depressed, apathetic, anxious, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Entering a writing contest or challenge gives you something to aim for, a deadline, and a sense of achievement, even if you aren\u2019t placed. The online Flash Fiction community is friendly, supportive and inclusive. Many contests are free, or low cost, and are more about the joy of writing rather than anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019d like to give some micro, flash or short fiction a go, here are a few competitions to get you started.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Micro Fiction<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Retreat West Monthly<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NAWG 100\u00d7100<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

50 Word Stories<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

81 words<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

101 words<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christopher Fielden Writing Challenges<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flash Fiction<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Flash 500 Quarterly<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Retreat West Quarterly<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bath Flash Fiction Award<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Didcot Writers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

London Independent Story Prize<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short Story<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Flash 500<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bath Short Story Award<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The picture above was the prompt for the 2020 Flash Fiction Festival Micro Fiction contest. I was thrilled to come first with my story Eye, Aye, I. Entering online short story competitions is how I first dared to put my work out into the world. These past few years I\u2019ve entered fewer, focusing instead on writing novels. But … Continue reading “Things I’ve Learned About Writing: The Power of Prompts”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8,11,12,13,14,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26],"tags":[27,28,40,45,54,57,58,59,72,78,79,80,82,83,88],"class_list":["post-530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editing","category-flash-fiction","category-mentoring","category-mg-writing-coach","category-mg-writing-mentor","category-micro-fiction","category-reading","category-receiving-feedback","category-short-story","category-writing","category-writing-coach","category-writing-competition","category-writing-contest","category-writing-feedback","category-writing-mentor","category-ya-writing-coach","category-ya-writing-mentor","tag-amediting","tag-amwriting","tag-editing","tag-flash-fiction","tag-mentoring","tag-mg-writing-coach","tag-mg-writing-mentor","tag-micro-fiction","tag-short-story","tag-writing-coach","tag-writing-competition","tag-writing-contest","tag-writing-mentor","tag-writing-prompts","tag-ya-writing-coach"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t