Patrick Henry College's A Call to Pens is excited to announce its 2015-2016 short story competition!
Students in the first division, ages twelve to fifteen, will craft stories exploring the theme "Unmerited Compassion. Students in the second division, ages sixteen to eighteen, will pen fiction with the theme "Perseverance Through Failure."
Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries in both divisions.
The deadline is February 8, 2016.
For more information and contest rules, visit our website at phc.edu/acalltopens.php.
Blessings,
Sarah Armstrong
A Call to Pens Coordinator
Showing posts with label short story competition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label short story competition. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Chasing Stories: How to trap the elusive idea
The author of today's guest post is PHC student Sarah Watterson. Sarah is a sophomore literature major at PHC who spends her spare time
chasing stories and devouring those that other writers have caught.
In Barnes and Noble a few days ago, I noticed a game in which one threw three dice to create a story. On each side of the cubes was a different picture and from the combination of pictures one had to piece together an impromptu tale. While I'm not sure this is a foolproof method, it highlights what is necessary for the creation of a story. A story is just the joining of elements that were originally separate, a piecing together of different things. Story-writing is all about making connections and creating patterns.
But how does one come up with a good story idea? To be entirely honest, I'm not really sure. Often I have no idea where one of my story plots comes from; all I know is there is something gnawing at my brain that was not there before. C.S. Lewis said The Chronicles of Narnia was inspired by a mental picture of a faun walking through the snow carrying an umbrella. J.R.R. Tolkien was grading papers one day when a line popped into his head, which he promptly wrote down: “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” So of course he had to find out what a hobbit was, and The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were born. I was encouraged when I learned that Tolkien was just as surprised as his characters when Black Riders entered the Shire and the hobbits met a stranger called Aragorn in an inn. Stories, once begun, can run away with you.
To acquire that elusive beginning, I can offer a few hints that may help you (some serious, some perhaps less so).
Dream often. The books Frankenstein and The Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were purportedly inspired by their authors' nightmares. So if you can remember a weird or fascinating dream, write it down. You may become the next Robert Louis Stevenson. But if you are not gifted with such dreams (I'm not), take heart and read on.
Take long showers. While this advice might seem a little strange, I have found that some of my best inspirations come while I’m taking a long, hot shower. Maybe the streams of warm water aid in the flow of imagination. But seriously, find the right place where you write most easily and haunt that place like a restless ghost. Maybe it is not the shower (I rather hope not for the sake of your family members who will be taking arctic baths), but whether it is under a favorite tree or in a cozy nook or in the local library, settle yourself down and start banging or scribbling away.
This next one is a no-brainer: Learn from the best. Read the great works of other authors. I promise, they are the farthest thing from stuffy or dull. As you read, pay attention to the things they do well. How does this author tell an engaging story? How does he make you care about his characters? How does she make the setting seem real? Find the crème de la crème of the genre in which you desire to write and learn from them. And while I have no quarrel with the living, dead authors often are the best teachers. Though I'm sure you can get plenty of recommendations, I will put in my own plug for Dostoevsky, Flannery O'Connor, and C.S. Lewis. And the Bible definitely counts as well. God is, hands down, the best Storyteller.
Bounce ideas off your friends. Many of my story ideas come from conversations in which my friends and I spin a “what if?” into a story.
Find some children to tell a story to. Kids love stories, and they will help you think on your feet. When a six-year-old asks you for a story about a dragon, he likely won't be willing to wait for an hour while you sort out your thoughts. You will be forced to invent quickly. So find some siblings, kids you babysit or a friend's little sister and weave them a tale. It doesn't have to be serious; make it light-hearted and funny. But I guarantee it will get your imagination working.
Look for story ideas in your studies. My friends can attest that my school notes are full of story scribblings because ideas will drop into my head while a professor is lecturing or the class is discussing a concept. Unlikely as it might seem, school textbooks, history lectures, and biographies are a gold mine of story ideas. Be on the alert.
Notice the little things. Anything, a diverting circumstance, an interesting sounding place, even an unusual name can release a train of ideas that eventually gel into a narrative. Story ideas often come when they are unexpected. So pay attention and be ready. Write ideas on napkins if necessary.
While this may sound patently obvious, one of the best ways to write is to, well, write. Just sit down and start spewing whatever comes to mind. Trust me, this is not a waste of time. Often when you start writing, the words begin flowing of their own accord. (This article is a perfect example. I started not knowing what I was going to say and now you are scrolling down, searching and praying for an ending).
Final advice (yes, this will have an end): Be patient. Keep working and give yourself time to let ideas brew. Dig persistently and you will find some nuggets of treasure, even if it feels like you have to dig all the way to China. In short, just keep spilling words onto paper (or Word processor) and keep your eyes and ears open. Who knows what might drop into your head, demanding to be scribbled down. Happy writing one and all!
In Barnes and Noble a few days ago, I noticed a game in which one threw three dice to create a story. On each side of the cubes was a different picture and from the combination of pictures one had to piece together an impromptu tale. While I'm not sure this is a foolproof method, it highlights what is necessary for the creation of a story. A story is just the joining of elements that were originally separate, a piecing together of different things. Story-writing is all about making connections and creating patterns.
But how does one come up with a good story idea? To be entirely honest, I'm not really sure. Often I have no idea where one of my story plots comes from; all I know is there is something gnawing at my brain that was not there before. C.S. Lewis said The Chronicles of Narnia was inspired by a mental picture of a faun walking through the snow carrying an umbrella. J.R.R. Tolkien was grading papers one day when a line popped into his head, which he promptly wrote down: “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” So of course he had to find out what a hobbit was, and The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were born. I was encouraged when I learned that Tolkien was just as surprised as his characters when Black Riders entered the Shire and the hobbits met a stranger called Aragorn in an inn. Stories, once begun, can run away with you.
To acquire that elusive beginning, I can offer a few hints that may help you (some serious, some perhaps less so).
Dream often. The books Frankenstein and The Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were purportedly inspired by their authors' nightmares. So if you can remember a weird or fascinating dream, write it down. You may become the next Robert Louis Stevenson. But if you are not gifted with such dreams (I'm not), take heart and read on.
Take long showers. While this advice might seem a little strange, I have found that some of my best inspirations come while I’m taking a long, hot shower. Maybe the streams of warm water aid in the flow of imagination. But seriously, find the right place where you write most easily and haunt that place like a restless ghost. Maybe it is not the shower (I rather hope not for the sake of your family members who will be taking arctic baths), but whether it is under a favorite tree or in a cozy nook or in the local library, settle yourself down and start banging or scribbling away.
This next one is a no-brainer: Learn from the best. Read the great works of other authors. I promise, they are the farthest thing from stuffy or dull. As you read, pay attention to the things they do well. How does this author tell an engaging story? How does he make you care about his characters? How does she make the setting seem real? Find the crème de la crème of the genre in which you desire to write and learn from them. And while I have no quarrel with the living, dead authors often are the best teachers. Though I'm sure you can get plenty of recommendations, I will put in my own plug for Dostoevsky, Flannery O'Connor, and C.S. Lewis. And the Bible definitely counts as well. God is, hands down, the best Storyteller.
Bounce ideas off your friends. Many of my story ideas come from conversations in which my friends and I spin a “what if?” into a story.
Find some children to tell a story to. Kids love stories, and they will help you think on your feet. When a six-year-old asks you for a story about a dragon, he likely won't be willing to wait for an hour while you sort out your thoughts. You will be forced to invent quickly. So find some siblings, kids you babysit or a friend's little sister and weave them a tale. It doesn't have to be serious; make it light-hearted and funny. But I guarantee it will get your imagination working.
Look for story ideas in your studies. My friends can attest that my school notes are full of story scribblings because ideas will drop into my head while a professor is lecturing or the class is discussing a concept. Unlikely as it might seem, school textbooks, history lectures, and biographies are a gold mine of story ideas. Be on the alert.
Notice the little things. Anything, a diverting circumstance, an interesting sounding place, even an unusual name can release a train of ideas that eventually gel into a narrative. Story ideas often come when they are unexpected. So pay attention and be ready. Write ideas on napkins if necessary.
While this may sound patently obvious, one of the best ways to write is to, well, write. Just sit down and start spewing whatever comes to mind. Trust me, this is not a waste of time. Often when you start writing, the words begin flowing of their own accord. (This article is a perfect example. I started not knowing what I was going to say and now you are scrolling down, searching and praying for an ending).
Final advice (yes, this will have an end): Be patient. Keep working and give yourself time to let ideas brew. Dig persistently and you will find some nuggets of treasure, even if it feels like you have to dig all the way to China. In short, just keep spilling words onto paper (or Word processor) and keep your eyes and ears open. Who knows what might drop into your head, demanding to be scribbled down. Happy writing one and all!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Announcing: A Call to Pens 2011!
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| {Photo Credit: sxc.hu} |
Pick up your pens, grab your laptops, sharpen your number two pencils and start your coffee grinders.
I'm very excited to announce the fourth annual Patrick Henry College "A Call to Pens" short story competition!
I hope this year's themes will inspire you to strive for literary excellence. The themes are:
The First Division
Theme: An Unexpected Adventure
Age group: 12-15
Word limit: 1,500
The Second Division
Theme: Redemption
Age group: 16-18
Word limit: 2,500
Contest deadline is February 1, 2012.
About the blog: Like last year, this blog will continue to be a repository of information on the Christian writer's calling, literary excellence, good books on writing, and tips from the pros (PHC professors and some of our most exceptional student writers). I hope this blog will generate some discussion as we encourage each other in our writing endeavors.
A little about me: My name is Alicia Constant. I'm a junior Classical Liberal Arts Journalism major at Patrick Henry College, and I will be coordinating the contest this year. When I served as a judge last year, I enjoyed reading your works of fiction so much that I decided to get more involved this year.
I'm a journalist at heart-- which means that I mostly deal in non-fiction these days-- but I'm also a poet, a voracious reader, a puttering librarian, and a some-time scribbler. I believe that good stories, whether fiction or non-fiction, communicate truth by challenging and delighting the soul.
I hope this blog is not only your chance to hear from me but also to learn from the colleagues and mentors that have taught me many things about the literary craft. Please leave comments with your suggestions for topics you'd like to see on the blog.
Also, you can contact me at shortstory@phc.edu with any questions about the blog or the competition.
In Christ,
Alicia Constant
2011 Call to Pens Contest Coordinator
Monday, October 11, 2010
welcome back!
Welcome to the third year of A Call to Pens! I hope you're glad to be "back." I'm certainly excited to be coordinating the competition for a second time. I look forward to reading your stories, but I also look forward to the opportunity to stretch ourselves mentally and spiritually as a group and to reflect on the truth, the goodness, and the beauty of our God, and the mysteries that surround Him.
To briefly quote the announcement:
In 1 Corinthians 10:31, the apostle Paul exhorts us to "do everything for the glory of God," whether "you eat or drink or whatever you do." Creativity is a gift from God, one of those essential characteristics that make us human and can have an immense impact on the way people think and feel. If we wish to glorify God and influence the culture by writing fiction, whether as a hobby or as a life-long career, we need to study our craft and think wisely about our creative choices. The purpose of the blog is to give practical advice about writing, but also to share valuable resources, encourage interaction between fellow writers, and provoke discussion about what it means to be a Christian writer.
What does this entail? Topics might include how to handle writer's block, the characteristics of an excellent writer, the power of the Christian imagination, clarity and style, the most influential Christian novelists of the past century (or of today), and much more. You'll reap the benefit of advice from several different writers: featured authors like C.S. Lewis or G.K. Chesterton, for example, but also students, alumni, and even professors from Patrick Henry College, who will be contributing their thoughts to the blog as well. I hope you will find this not only an instructive experience but also a very enjoyable one!
But we want to hear from you as well. Much of what I post will respond directly to your questions and your concerns. So if you do have questions - about the contest, writing in general, the connection between Christianity and fiction, or whatever - let me know. Post them here or submit them to shortstory@phc.edu. And feel free to share your own insights or answer questions other people might ask. The more we interact with each other, the more we benefit from each other. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)
Well, that's it for now. Next week I will post about the contest themes, courage and endurance. In the past, I've found that there is always some confusion concerning "what I can/should/want to write about." Hopefully, we can eliminate that obscurity. If you have thoughts or questions about the upcoming topic, let me know and I will respond to them in my post.
In Christ,
Crista Richey
A Call to Pens Competition Coordinator
To briefly quote the announcement:
In 1 Corinthians 10:31, the apostle Paul exhorts us to "do everything for the glory of God," whether "you eat or drink or whatever you do." Creativity is a gift from God, one of those essential characteristics that make us human and can have an immense impact on the way people think and feel. If we wish to glorify God and influence the culture by writing fiction, whether as a hobby or as a life-long career, we need to study our craft and think wisely about our creative choices. The purpose of the blog is to give practical advice about writing, but also to share valuable resources, encourage interaction between fellow writers, and provoke discussion about what it means to be a Christian writer.
What does this entail? Topics might include how to handle writer's block, the characteristics of an excellent writer, the power of the Christian imagination, clarity and style, the most influential Christian novelists of the past century (or of today), and much more. You'll reap the benefit of advice from several different writers: featured authors like C.S. Lewis or G.K. Chesterton, for example, but also students, alumni, and even professors from Patrick Henry College, who will be contributing their thoughts to the blog as well. I hope you will find this not only an instructive experience but also a very enjoyable one!
But we want to hear from you as well. Much of what I post will respond directly to your questions and your concerns. So if you do have questions - about the contest, writing in general, the connection between Christianity and fiction, or whatever - let me know. Post them here or submit them to shortstory@phc.edu. And feel free to share your own insights or answer questions other people might ask. The more we interact with each other, the more we benefit from each other. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)
Well, that's it for now. Next week I will post about the contest themes, courage and endurance. In the past, I've found that there is always some confusion concerning "what I can/should/want to write about." Hopefully, we can eliminate that obscurity. If you have thoughts or questions about the upcoming topic, let me know and I will respond to them in my post.
In Christ,
Crista Richey
A Call to Pens Competition Coordinator
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