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Speculative fiction writer, wife, mum, gamer, and adventure seeker who just wants some sleep. She lives in sunny Queensland, but often fantasises about snow capped mountains in cooler climates.

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NYC Midnight 100 Word Micro Fiction Challenge 2022

Tuesday, July 12, 2022 by Sarah Hegerty
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Earlier this year I entered in a 100 word micro fiction challenge. For something to do. To challenge myself. 100 words is tricky, but it's also fun. I missed out on making it into the second round of the competition by 1 place, but I got some great feedback from the judges. They liked my story but I have to work on removing any ambiguity in meaning when there is only 100 words. Maybe next time I'll nudge over into the second round.

 So, the way the 100 word micro fiction challenge works is there are 3 rounds where writers are randomly put into groups and have 24 hours to write and submit a story with a specific genre, action and word. This year there were 6,973 writers participating in 118 groups with approximately 59 writers per group. 1770 writers went on to the second round (The top 15 from each group). I did get the first honourable mention in my group though (16th place).

 

I was in group 95 and we were tasked with the following:

Genre: Action and/or Adventure

Action: Peeling a sticker off something

Word: Review

 

 

Here's my story, it was exactly 100 words. I was happy with the feedback from the judges. The main issue was that I'd made the protagonist neurotically remove an instructional sticker off a bomb, which implies it would have been pretty big to miss. So, maybe it was intentional, which would make it sabotage. In future I will have to be more clear! Too many questions for 100 words.

 

Sticking the Basics

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

Ben eyes me suspiciously. “We’re nearly there.”

I nod then go back to peeling the sticker off the box on my lap. Rolling it into a little ball. Flicking it out the window of the Jeep. Relaxing.

Ben and I are part of The Movement. Our mission is to destroy a bridge, preventing enemy transit. We reach the bridge. Assemble explosives. Go to set the detonator. Instructions are missing.

“Hey, what happened to the instructional sticker on the detonator?”

I point at the box. “That?”

Ben nods.

“You didn’t review the manual?”

Ben might explode.