Oh Jeff flash fiction challenge

But what? Don't be a loser like Jeff. Complete the story in as few words as possible and you can be a winner. Just write a micro fiction story, any word count, or a poem in any format, and submit to Vocal in the usual way.

The challenge

Micro-fiction: Write the story depicted in this painting, beginning with the words, "Oh, Jeff... I love you too... but..." (including the punctuation).

Poem: Write a poem in any format, any style. You don't have to use these exact words but do please try to follow the sense of what is being said and the dramatic action depicted in the image above.

Either poem or flash: You must continue the story from the point of dramatic action portrayed in Lichtenstein's painting but you are welcome to include backstory if you need to. This is an exercise in brevity and economy of word choice. Keep your writing brief and to the point. It doesn't have to be short, it just needs to be as succinct as it needs to be in order to tell the story you would like to tell. The story just needs to lose the verbal padding.

Advice: When you have finished your first draft, read it through to see if there is any fat you can trim. Don't take out anything vital to an understanding of your story, just cut out unnecessary verbiage. Rewrite sentences to use more evocative words and phrases. Go for the heart strings, the gut, the imagination. Avoid lengthy descriptive. Use original, stylish thought-provoking alternatives. Keep your writing sharp and your word choice pin-point. Capture the imagination of the reader and lead them through your story, enticing, not dragging.

The prizes: First = $10 tip, with at least two $5 runner-up prizes.

This challenge has ended. Here are the winners

What am I looking for?

The thing I am most interested in is demonstration of the ability to write with feeling, authenticity and, above all, economy. It's not enough to keep the writing short, it has to be razor sharp too. Sound like a tall order? No, not really. Your writing may not hit the mark with the first draft. Try writing your story, put the writing aside for a while, then come back to read through the piece, thinking of alternative ways to express each point you are trying to make. Look for alternative words that are more powerful. Think about rewording that passage that doesn't quite capture what you are really trying to say or the feeling you are trying to convey. Think yourself into the role of a reader. How does the story make you feel?

Some (not very good) examples

Perhaps something like (but much better than) this:

Jeff, I love you too

I know you are feeling blue

At the dismissal I have given to you

But don't despair

I really do care

It's just that I found someone bigger 'down there'

For the short story it might be something like:

"Oh, Jeff... I love you too... but..."

Before she could finish the sentence I heard another voice in the background. You can guess who it was.

You should of course feel free to take the story in any direction you like, write it in any style or genre.

How to enter

Write the story (or poem), to any length, any style, format or genre. There are no word limits but, as a flash fiction challenge, brevity is a factor so lets take 1000 words as a guideline maximum. Brevity, not shortness, is the key so you still have to include all the vital information and action. You might also want to include dialogue. Your story might even consist mostly, or even wholly, of dialogue. How you approach the task is entirely up to you.

Guidelines

• Once you have written the story, and completed any revisions or editing, post it to Vocal in the usual way, in the most appropriate community and according to relevant Vocal content requirements. Then provide a link in the comments to this article. A return link would be very welcome but is not a condition of entry.
• For very short entries that may not meet the minimum word count for Vocal communities, entries can also be posted as a comments to this story.
• The story/poem must start with the line "Oh Jeff... I love you too... but..." or (for a poem) must have the sense of this line as a starting point, adapting the wording (if necessary) to suit the style/format of your poem. The person saying "Oh Jeff... " does not have to be the character in the painting.
• The story/poem may be any length from seven words minimum, and with no maximum, but bearing in mind the need for brevity/economy of writing. Anything longer than 1,000 is probably too long, however. Regardless of length, the story/poem should be complete and with a powerful beginning, middle and ending and be a delight to read.
• The winning entry will be the story/poem that, in the opinion of the challenger (yours truly) best reflects and continues the dramatic action portrayed by the Roy Lichtenstein painting: Oh Jeff, I love you.
• First prize will be a $10 Vocal tip. The challenger may, at his sole discretion, award runner up prizes. If any winner or runner up is not a Vocal+ member the challenger may, at this sole discretion offer an alternative. If this alternative is declined or cannot be paid for any reason, the prize is forfeit and an equivalent sum will be paid to a charity of the challenger's choice.
• The challenger reserves the right to vary these guidelines and to modify the challenge at any time and in any way without notice. The challenger shall have the sole right to interpret these guidelines. By entering the challenge the entrant agrees to these terms.
• Deadline: The exact time of winter solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, 2024. That is 9:21 am Greenwich Mean Time (GMT or 09:21 UTC, 04:21 EST) on December 21, 2024.
• Multiple entries permissible

Happy writing folks