Tag Archives: Carrot Ranch #FFRodeo

Results of Carrot Ranch TUFF contest

TUFF Winner Announced

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The results of the four-week Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction TUFF writing contest are in. Pop over to the Carrot Ranch to read the winning entry by Liz Husebye Hartmann – an excellent choice.
Thanks, Charli and all the leaders, judges and contestants for another great rodeo.

Carrot Ranch Literary Community

Everything about the TUFF Rodeo contest was difficult.

TUFF is an acronym for The Ultimate Flash Fiction. The contest challenges writers to revise their original 99-word draft through a series of word reductions. It gives writers the chance to think differently about their original draft.

To make the contest harder, each week of the four-part contest gave writers a new craft twist. When TUFF writers had to reduce their draft to 59 words, they also had to craft two different 59-word points of view. Next, writers had to craft three different 9-word taglines for their story. Finally, writers had to revise their original 99-words and add an eerily out of place prop.

Judges considered each entry’s process as much as the final result. They expected an original final 99-word story that incorporated the western and romance themes with an out of the place prop. They wanted to see raw ideas…

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Carrot Ranch 2020 Flash Fiction Rodeo contest #4

Winner Announced! (Writing Contest) Rodeo #4: Wanted Alive.

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And the results for the fourth and last weekly Carrot Ranch 2020 Rodeo Contest are in! Pop over to Goldie’s place to read the clever winning entry. Was it yours? It wasn’t mine.
We are waiting for just one set of results now – the TUFF contest that took place over four weeks.

One day at a time...

If you remember, in October, we tightened our grips on the reins and we Rodeoed. Four weeks, four hosts, four contests, four winners, four prizes! Thanks to Charli and the Carrot Ranch, I was able to not only participate in those writing challenges, but also host one.

When I volunteered, I was not sure what to expect, but since I like trying new things, I just went for it. When the time arrived, I came up with a prompt (quote + masterpiece painting), crossed my finger, and hoped for the best.

If you would like to read more about the contest or maybe even write a story of your own (outside of the contest), take a look here -> (Writing Contest) Rodeo #4: “Wanted Alive”. (You should also check it out if you had missed my art.)

All I could think of was: “What if no one enters?” I wondered…

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AND The 2020 Carrot Ranch Writing Rodeo’s Third Event Winner Is:

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Pop over to Marsha’s blog to find out the winner of the third Carrot Ranch 2020 Flash Fiction Rodeo contest. You won’t find a story by me in this one as I didn’t enter. Why not? you ask.
‘Cause I was a judge.
I think you’ll agree all the writers did well to meet Marsha’s tough challenge. Congratulations to everyone who entered – especially to the winner!

Marsha Ingrao - Always Write

Today, I am proud to announce the winners of the Carrot Ranch’s 2020 Writing Rodeo Event #3 which I had the honor of organizing. Ten brave cowpokes saddled up, rustled up six words from the song “Git Along Little Dogies,” and lassoed them little dogies into a unique 99-word story in the genre of their choice.

The judges struggled to pick one over another story they were so doggoned good and so different. Surprise endings, funny, murderous, you would be entertained. Each and every one of the contestants should feel proud. They flexed their writing muscles into fingers of steel.

Everyone who participated is welcomed to display this badge on their website. You earned it!

Now, for our Writing Rodeo 2020 honorable mentions:

“McCall” written by Bill Engleson

“Just a Numbers Game” written byLiz Husebye Hartmann

“Walking the Canal Path” written bySusan Spitulnik

“Remarkable Ramblin’” written byJules…

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double ennead winners

The Results ARe IN For the Winner of the Carrot Ranch Double Ennead Poetry Challenge

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And the results for the second Carrot Ranch 2020 Flash Fiction Rodeo – The Double Ennead Poetry Challenge lead by poet Colleen Chesebro – are in!
Did you enter? I did, but I didn’t win. Did you? Pop over to Colleen’s to find out.

Folk Tale or Fable Carrot Ranch Rodeo 2020 Contest #1

AND The 2020 Carrot Ranch Writing Rodeo’s first event Winner is:

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And the results of the first Carrot Ranch Rodeo Contest are posted!
Pop over to contest leader Kerry. E. B. Black’s blog for the results, and to the Carrot Ranch to read the winning story and the three honorable mentions (including mine!!!!) https://carrotranch.com/rodeo-contests/2020-rodeo/

Allusionary Assembly

Today, with distinct pleasure, I announce the winners of the Carrot Ranch’s 20202 Writing Rodeo Event #1 which I had the honor of organizing. Eighteen brave souls saddled up, lassoed 99 words, and created brand new folk lore type stories for Carrot Ranch. There were comedic pieces and two works of horror, a romance, myths, legends, and a fairy tale. There were researched pieces, too, for the historians. Each and every one of the contestants should feel proud. They flexed their writing muscles and, woo wee, they did not make it easy for the judges to pick the winner!

Everyone who participated is welcomed to display this badge on their website. You earned it!

Now, for our Writing Rodeo 2020 honorable mentions:

“Sky Rider’s Happily Ever After” written by Liz Husebye Hartmann

“Snow White and the Seven Gunslingers” written by Nora Colvin

“Flem and the Rattlesnake” written by Mike Vreeland

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Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Contest Wanted Alive

(Writing Contest) Rodeo #4: “Wanted Alive”

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He’s the fourth and final contest in the Carrot Ranch 2020 Flash Fiction Rodeo. Get your pencil sharpened or your fingers poised and start writing. Only 99 words to go!

One day at a time...

A few weeks ago, I announced the start of this year’s Rodeo. I hope you were able to participate in one, two, or maybe even all three of these special events I mentioned in that post. Heck, maybe you are being selected as one of the winners as we speak.

This week, it is MY turn to jump on the horse, grab it by the horns…
Oh, wait –

When I first volunteered to host this contest, I was thinking of all the other obligations I would have to attend to in the month of October. Admittedly, I was worried that I might not be able to fulfill all of my duties. If I am struggling, chances are that some of you might be, too. Mindful of your valuable time and your potentially overwhelmed minds, I decided to keep this contest easy. After all, this is meant to…

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Carrot Ranch TUFF flash fiction contest week 4

TUFF Flash Fiction Contest Part Four

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Coming ready or not!
Here’s the fourth and final part of the Carrot Ranch 2020 Rodeo TUFF contest. How are you going with your story? There’s still time to complete all stages if you’re not done yet.
Good luck, writers!

Carrot Ranch Literary Community

Did you stay in the saddle for the full ride? Or are you here to slide under the fence, last minute? Either way, Rodeo Writers, you’ve TUFFed it out and we have arrived at our final challenge.

TUFF (The Ultimate Flash Fiction) is a progressive form that takes you from draft to revision through several word reductions — 99, 59, 9, 99. Each step has had a twist along the way as the TUFF contest has unfolded:

The final twist in the contest involves an additional trope. The first draft included the tropes for western and romance. Tropes are elements that define a genre or theme. In this contest, we have used tropes as themes. Now, we will add a final trope as a prop.

PART FOUR TWIST

A prop can be gold in…

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Git Along an’ Start Writin’

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This is the third of the Carrot Ranch 2020 rodeo weekly contest, and what a wonderful contest it is, designed by the lovely Marsha Ingrao. I am honoured to be one of her judges and look forward to reading your stories.
If you’re not sure about how to write a three act story, the video by Kurt Vonnegut that Marsha has included in her post could not make it any more clear.
Good luck, writers!

Marsha Ingrao - Always Write

Carrot Ranch Rodeo Contest 2020

Rodeo #3: Three-ActStory

We live for stories, and as writers, we craft them in the written word. A story is about Something (plot) that happens to Someone (characters), Somewhere (setting). Even if it is only 99 words long.

Crafting the Story

Act I, the beginning, the story rises. If a story is about someone, we have to feel something for that character. When we care what happens next for or to this Someone, we come to the middle.

Act II shifts to fear, according to the Greeks. We can interpret this as the emotion that drives the writer and reader to worry about what happens next. Or be curious about what comes next. The driving emotion doesn’t have to be fear, but the middle holds an important shift or build-up of tension or expectation. The story is in motion.

Act III is when that motion…

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Carrot Ranch Tuff writing contest

TUFF Flash Fiction Contest Part Three

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Part three of the Carrot Ranch 2020 Rodeo TUFF contest is now underway. Time to sharpen those pens again. Good luck everyone!

Carrot Ranch Literary Community

How are you doing TUFF rodeo writers?

You should be familiar with your 99-word story by now (Part One), and hopefully, you have spent some time exploring your story from different points of view (Part Two). TUFF is The Ultimate Flash Fiction and those of you daring enough to enter this progressive contest are spending a month on a single story taking it from draft to revision.

Part Three is your final tool in the process. It’s the tightest word reduction of your story: 9 words. That’s not a typo. The word count isn’t missing a double-digit. It’s nine words that you can count on your hands, presuming you didn’t lose any fingers riding bulls at your last rodeo.

Why so few words? This is a tool to arrive at the heart of your story. It’s the hook to interest a reader. Think of taglines from…

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Carrot RODEO #2: DOUBLE ENNEAD SYLLABIC POETRY

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And here’s the second contest in the 2020 Carrot Ranch Rodeo. If you like a challenge – particulalry of the poetic form – then this one’s for you! Rustle on over to Colleen’s blog for all the details.