Who doesn't love a contest? AND...awesome writerly judges?! We have both. I would like to introduce Kathleen Joyce and Cynthia Hilston, local authors who, between the two of them, have published a whole shelf of books. Cynthia Hilston is a thirty-something-year-old stay-at-home mom of three young kids, happily married. Writing has always been like another …
Category: Homeschool Life
Flash Fiction Contest
Uncertainty is the only certainty there is. - John Allen Paulos One must be able to adjust to uncertainty, and since the weekly Microcosms contest is down, I've scrounged up my very favorite story-prompt of all time, the above image. I invite students and fellow bloggers to participate in a little flash contest of our …
First Day of School, First Triathlon, NO CEILINGS, & First Day of the Rest of Mom’s Life
Today is the first time I have ever watched one of my children get on a yellow school bus. When people were awed that I homeschooled four kids, I used to tell them homeschooling wasn't much different than doing homework together. I take that back. It's one thing to be a cog in the great …
5000 Words Spring 2019 Contest Winners!
What makes 5000 Words stories stand out? I believe it's the boot camp dynamic of the class. For 12 weeks, we immerse ourselves in a great work of literature (this time, Lord of the Flies) while churning out copious amounts of stellar writing. Students who can handle the demands of the class come out with …
Student Flash Contest Winners!
Judging is a buffet where I love every dish. How do I pick just one? As I read through the entries, I jot notes down and assign a number to rank them. I re-read the top-ranked stories and even some lower ranked ones that are still on my mind. Then I wring my hands and …
Flash Contest Detour: No Microcosms, No Problem!
Each session of my 5000 Words class, we devote one week to flash fiction. The assignment is to enter a piece in Microcosms, which experiences a rather dramatic spike in entrants. 🙂 This morning when I opened my email, I found Microcosms is having technical difficulties this week, the week my students are to enter …
Continue reading Flash Contest Detour: No Microcosms, No Problem!
Congratulations Fall 2018 Contest Winners!
Each session, 5000 Words culminates with a peer-judged writing contest. Our last few classes are devoted entirely to workshops, which are the faves of mine and my students. After surviving the gauntlet of peer critique (in which the writer must remain absolutely silent), students polish and edit their stories to a brilliant shine. Why silent, …
Flash Contest Winners!
How exciting to see 19 entries for what became a Halloween-themed flash fiction contest! My students regularly create a flash story as part of my class, and a good competition throws our motivation into high gear. Thank you to my blogging friends, writing friends, and friend-friends who participated and made the collection of stories diverse …
Announcing the Winners of the 5000 Words Creative Writing Contest
It was during my 5000 Words Writing Class that I first heard the news about my brain tumor. I'd be lying if I said it was easy to focus during the weeks leading up to my surgery. I let some things go, like this announcement. The stories that follow were written by my students, all …
Continue reading Announcing the Winners of the 5000 Words Creative Writing Contest
5000 Words Fall 2018 Short Fiction Winners!
The 5000 Words Fiction Contest is the culmination of our fall class. Students write stories of at least 1000 words, workshop, edit, and post the final drafts to their WordPress sites. Then the students anonymously judge the stories. All I do is tally them! 🙂 As part of our in-class time, students journey through a …
Continue reading 5000 Words Fall 2018 Short Fiction Winners!
KL Griffiths 