500-Word Challenge

The 500-word challenge is meant to be fun, so open the door to your imagination and send us what comes in. If you feel particularly inspired by the theme, feel free to submit multiple entries.

Entries can be in any written format – prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction – as long as they contain no more than 500 words. Each entry will be published as it arrives and we will endeavour to post results within a week of the closing date.

Winning entries will be decided on the basis of what the judges like best and their decision will be final. The winner of each monthly challenge will receive an interesting book of Waxings’ choice.

And just a reminder that the whole purpose of Waxings is to support each other as writers by providing  encouragement and constructive feedback, so please take the time to read each month’s entries and tell us what you think in the comment boxes provided. 

Send your entries to waxings.blog@gmail.com. If you would like to suggest a theme or a book worthy of being a prize, please let us know at the same place.

Challenges so far:

‘speed’ – closes 1 May 2012 (AWST, GMT +8) (Prize: The War of Art: Break Through The Block And Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield)

‘intrigue’ – closed. 1 April 2012. Winner, Through The Glass Darkly by Gwen Angstrom (Prize: The Writing Life by Annie Dillard)

‘hunger’ – Closed, 1 November 2011. Winner, Gone in a Flash by Greg Doolan. (Prize: Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott.)

‘Breath’ – Closed 23 August 2011. Winner, Bated Breath by Kimberlee Akimoto. (Prize: The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler)

‘Earth’ – Closed 4 July 2011. Winner, Tracery by Robin Rhyner (Prize: Self-Editing for Fiction Writers : How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King)

‘Water’ – Closed 4 June 2011. Winner, Observations of Nước Hoa by J Gavin Allan (Prize: Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury)

‘Hero’ – Closed 4 May 2011. Winner, Mother’s Little Superhero by Greg Doolan (Prize: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King)

‘Woman’ – Closed 4 April 2011. Winner, Romeo No Longer Loves Juliet by Adina Pelle (Prize: Write Great Fiction – Dialogue by Gloria Kempton)

‘Spotlight’ – Closed 4 March 2011. Winner, Beyond The Pale by Tamara Hunter (Prize: One Year To A Writing Life: Twelve Lessons to Deepen Every Writer’s Art and Craft by Susan Tiberghien)

‘Night’ – Closed 4 February 2011. Winner, Home Is Where The Heart Is by Kimberlee Akimoto (Prize: The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White)

‘Holidays’ – Closed 4 January 2011. Winner, Not Christmas Lights by Robin Rhyner (Prize: The Art of the Short Story by Dana Gioia and RS Gwynn)