
Snow Micro
Write a 250 word microfiction that takes place in a snowy setting.
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $200
- 10 Runners-up:
- $50
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jan 19, 2024
Submissions closed
Feb 16, 2024 4:59 AM CUT
Results
Feb 29, 2024
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $200
- 10 Runners-up:
- $50
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jan 19, 2024
Submissions closed
Feb 16, 2024 4:59 AM CUT
Results
Feb 29, 2024
About this challenge
The Prompt
Write a 250 word microfiction that takes place in a snowy setting.
In exactly 250 words, craft a microfiction story set in a snowy landscape. While immersing the reader in the unique atmosphere of your wintry world —whether you choose to capture the hushed silence, the pristine beauty, the ruggedness, or perhaps the transformative power of snow—ensure that your narrative goes beyond mere scene-setting. We challenge you to incorporate meaningful action, be it a character's decision, a surprising event, or a significant revelation, within the limited word count. Your task is to balance vivid imagery with dynamic storytelling.
**In order to let the expert brevity of your compelling microfiction shine, please do not include author's notes or additional text before or after your story. If you would like to share a message with your subscribers, use the comments section.**
In order for your submission to qualify, it must:
The Prizes
Special shout-out to Maureen Y. Palmer for inspiring this challenge idea in Share Your Ideas to Shape the Future of Vocal Challenges.
How to enter
For your piece to be eligible, it should follow the rules above and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until 11:59 PM ET on February 15, 2024 will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.
The Snow Micro Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+ visit https://shopping-feedback.today/vocal-plus%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E.%3C/p%3E%3Cp class="css-1923z11-Text">To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or runners-up prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and residing in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need to have a Stripe account created and connected in order to receive the prizes. For this reason, entrants located outside of any of these countries will not be eligible to win.
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Challenge resources
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