It is my honour to present the fourth contest in the October month of Rodeo contests. This competition is free to enter and carries a cash prize of $25. Winning submissions will automatically be forwarded to the Overall Rodeo Winner which carries a cash prize of $50. Naturally you can’t have a competition without rules and as each competition convenor has devised their own rules I suggest that you read those for this competition prior to submitting your piece. The rules follow the competition topic.

The Topic

As a memoir writer and reader I am very aware that it is the situations in life that have a massive impact on the memoirist, those events which leave scars, whether physical or emotional, that are the chosen part of the life to be relayed. As a flash fiction writer delving into fiction, a genre with which I have not previously attempted, I became aware that we draw from real life to write fiction as well as memoir. The more observant we are as writers the greater our ability to convince our readers of the authenticity of our story. The more we remember from our own life informs our writing. In his book, Misery, Stephen King wrote “Writers remember everything…especially the hurts. Strip a writer to the buff, point to the scars, and he’ll tell you the story of each small one. From the big ones you get novels. A little talent is a nice thing to have if you want to be a writer, but the only real requirement is the ability to remember the story of every scar.”
In a double length, or 2 chapter, Carrot Ranch flash, (198 words), tell a story that shows a scar. It can be memoir, other forms of creative non-fiction,  any genre of fiction or a BOTS (based on a true story).

To read the rules for this competition and find the submission form go to

Source: Flash Fiction Rodeo Contest #4

My judges Angie Oakley and Ellen Stromqvist are looking forward to reading the entries. Join in the fun of the rodeo and get writing.