Flash SFF competition in the New Scientist

ctg

ctg

weaver of the unseen
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
9,829
This week's New Scientist contains seven very short stories by leading science fiction writers. All of them are set about a century from now – the time that guest editor Kim Stanley Robinson calls "the hardest zone of all, when our growing capabilities will be confronted by immense dangers, creating an unstable and unpredictable future".


Now we'd like to hear from you. Send us your stories set one hundred years into the future, and a panel of judges headed by acclaimed science fiction writer Stephen Baxter will pick the best to be published in a future issue of New Scientist. We'll publish a selection of the most entertaining and thought-provoking online.


Your story should be no more than 350 words in length – do watch your wordcount, we're always having to disqualify good competition entries because they're just a little bit too long – and should not have previously been published anywhere. You can read the full terms and conditions here, but the short version is that by submitting your story you give us non-exclusive rights to publish it now or at any future date, in whatever medium we choose. The closing date is 15 October 2009.


New Scientist: Flash fiction competition 2009 - 16 September 2009 - New Scientist
 
You can do it, Chopper. I'm sure of it. Just think in very short term and only to create a hook for a powerful image.
 
yeah, right....

i tried a 1000 word story the other month and ended up at 1100 - you can't imagine the carnage i had to unleash on those poor, unsuspecting descriptions as they basked merrily in the warmth of pleasant paragraphs....

seriously, it took me a whole day to cut those 100 words out.
 
That's why you have to start with something far too long for what you need: you give yourself a chance of getting into the habit of wielding the axe. (Choosing two otherwise perfect words out of, say, 352: that is hard.)
 
Man, I've been cutting excessive fat for past week and half, going over 140 pages, and removing over three and half thousand words. Chopper, if I can do it, you can do it ad I'm going to try to take a part in that competition. In fact, I was forming a story today in my head while I was walking to the hospital.
 
348 words on first try. I will put it away for few days. But if I managed to do it, then you can do it Chopper.
 
excellent. i'll let you know when i have something. beware, New Scientist, the Chronites are on yer case.......
 
Gary, let me quote the original post. They want you to write a very short story based on "hundred years into the future". The best ones will be picked by a panel and then published in one of their October issues. So if you can write an Urban Fantasy story based on 22nd century and make it under 350 words, they should accept it.
 
Actually, we used to write 50 and 100 word stories here (Drabbles and Double Drabbles). There is a certain knack to it, but once you find it it isn't that hard and quite enjoyable.

Just go to the Star Trek fan fiction forum and search "Drabble".

And I could knock one out in a morning or an afternoon.
 
Last edited:
I was going to suggest that calling the 100 word story a Byatt would make sound sense :)rolleyes:) - and it saves one word :))) - but it seems that the official Drabble is already 100 words long.


Never mind.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
Luiglin SCI-FI-London 48hr Flash Fiction Competition Writing Discussion 89
sinister42 NYC Midnight Flash Fiction competition Writing Discussion 60
R one-giant-read-flash-fiction-competition-2016 Writing Discussion 0
Ian Whates Flash Fiction Competition; money and publication as prizes. Promotions 9
mygoditsraining New Scientist Flash Fiction competition. Writing Discussion 0

Similar threads


Back
Top