A Word You Wish Existed Prompt & Dollar Challenge

I have found that I love the unofficial challenges that people run. It gives me the ability to focus, not only on an idea to write, but also on who to read, since there is so much to sift through.

I like the interaction between commenters. I like looking at the submissions and seeing what people wrote. I like seeing the different ways people approach each challenge and the different ideas they come up with. I like getting to know the challenge makers based on what they put in their challenge and follow up.

That said, since they are unofficial challenges, there is no guarantee unofficial challenges will be offered every month. So, I thought I could do my part, throw my hat in the ring, and offer one.

I've modelled the challenge off of these challenges that I entered this month, so I'll be offering $1 winner awards to three different categories. (I've never used the tip jar feature so the winners will have to be patient with me, and like this challenge I will offer a way (not facebook but I'll find some way) to tip off of vocal if you don't have Vocal +).

Challenge Details

Time period: December 2nd to December 31st, 2024 11:59 EST

I might shorten that time period if for any reason I think new happenings at the end of December might make it difficult to follow through on judging and sending the tips. (Like god forbid a car accident, or the flip side getting a wonderful new job). But for now lets keep it open the month of December.

Rules

Challenge content requirements

1. Make up a word for a concept in English that you wish English had a word for.
2. Its ok if the word you come up with is already a word with another meaning out there, as long as the sound of the word makes sense for what you want and you came up with it before you looked up the meaning. The word "gogo"* means something in Yoruba, Japanese, and Javanese for example. With dashes "go-go"also has a meaning in English. If you wanted to make an english word gogo that means "lights that glow when you're happy" that would be fine. Just don't take a word from another language as-is to say what you want to say (like hygge or tsundoku). Make up the word you'd like to see English have for the thing you want to say.
3. Define the word and give a brief explanation about the word you made. It can include why you made it, or how you made it, or how it makes you feel, for example.
4. Write a poem <300 words or a microprose (fiction/non-fiction/hybrid)<600 words using our word in context. (Its not a hard line, if you go one to five words over, but try to keep it under those amounts).

Technical deet requirements for your submission

1. Put "A Word You Wish Existed unofficial December challenge" in your story title subline.
2. List your word as a heading as the very first word at the very top of your document.
3. Include a link back to this challenge in your document. It can go anywhere, at the top, in the middle or the bottom. It doesn't matter if you embed it, as long as it is linked with the challenge's name.
4. Be sure to put a link to your entry with your word and creative writing piece in the comments below.
5. If you need to write additional words to make that 600 count, tell us a little about yourself or why you like to write.
6. You can enter up to two poems and two micro-prose (total of 4 pieces)

Judging:

• Its just me. WOA. I'll be reading through all of the challenge entries if there are any.
• I'm going to try to screenshot so that I'm reading without seeing the name of the entrants. (operative word: try.)
• If I get five entries I'll start a running document of the submissions
• When its closed I'll write a new article with the winner and submissions, explaining what struck my fancy.
• I'm looking for what is most likely a je ne sais quoi. You probably won't be able to get into my head to see what will pop my ermagerd bells, so make a word and write your entry in the way that makes you happiest.

The winnings

• $1/$1 goes to the poem/prose that tickles my fancy, makes me feel something deep or otherwise delights me most (this is a pretty broad criteria)
• $1 goes to the word I find most striking, useful, entertaining, covers a ridiculous gap in English I've always wanted covered, or rolls over in the mouth (or hands, if its a signed word)
• $1 goes to the explanation that hits the buttons the best

I'll go first (but my word won't count as an entry)

Cadid/Kadid<----header with your word only

Cadid/Kadid: An adult child; A child of someone, of which the child is an adult at the time of reference.

About: I see way too many miscommunications when someone is talking about their kid/child. Sometimes people think that someone's kid is tiny when they are not. Or question someone's connection to a school district. Or, I'm not sure, a hundred other misconceptions. All of them can be tidily corrected without having to say the awkward "my adult kid" by having a word for it.

My piece:

Kadidly Do

Once upon a time I had a baby

Now I have a cadid.

My baby had such tiny toes,

My kadid's wiggle big.

I taught my child how to drive,

a mini heart attack.

Now my cadid chauffeurs me

to the store and shops and back.

And though my child is well of age,

older than me at their birth,

my kadid will always, always be

my little baby first.

I like to put a picture too of what a piece would look like off of vocal as well. This one is a pretty standard form.

That's it for the challenge. Check out the first two pieces I ever wrote on vocal here if you're bored and wanna read surreal forlorn love poems.

Butter Cream: https://shopping-feedback.today/poets/butter-cream%3C/a%3E

When we were young: https://shopping-feedback.today/poets/when-we-were-young-m7bv010dxa%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

I feel obligated to note, as a result of reading the official challenge rules for eight official vocal challenges, that I do not participate in or encourage anyone to participate in Official Vocal Challenges at this time until they are updated to remove what I consider problematic clauses and to clarify intent.

There are several clauses that are unsettling and that I find one-sided and disrespectful of Vocal Contributors. You can find those challenge rules here, here, here, here here, here, here and here. Some of these challenges are already over, but all of the challenge rules at the time I read them are identical except for the title change.

I don't want to conflate unofficial vocal challenges with official ones. Unofficial ones? Thumbs up. Official ones? Thumbs down until they fix their challenge rules.