Critique

The Prompt

The primary focus of the new Critique community is to post a piece that you want critiqued. Now, it's your turn to critique a popular work in just 50 words. Can you capture the essence of a masterpiece (or its flaws) in just a few sentences? We admit we're a bit obsessed with challenges that focus on brevity, but we believe that a good critique need not be long-winded. Our hope is that this challenge will make you more comfortable critiquing.

Wondering what we mean by "a popular work"? A "popular work" refers to a piece of literature, art, music, film, or other form of media that has gained widespread recognition, appreciation, and often commercial success in the general population. Such works often resonate with many people, leading to discussions, adaptations, and even influencing culture. Examples of popular works could include bestselling novels, blockbuster movies, chart-topping music albums, viral online content, and iconic paintings or sculptures that attract millions of visitors.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must:

• Be exactly 50 words.
• Include the title of the popular work in the story title.
• Be submitted to the Critique community. Choosing a community is a final step in the submission process.

The Prizes

• Grand Prize: $500
• Second Place: $250
• 10 Runners-Up: $25

Reminder: There is a Bonus Boost for Vocal+ members, and entering this challenge can help you earn. If you publish in all four of our new communities—BookClub, Writers, Chapters, and Critique—before 11:59PM EST on 9/01/2023, you'll be eligible to receive a $10 Bonus.

For your story to be eligible, it should be exactly 50 words, and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until 11:59 PM ET on August 24, 2023 will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Critique Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+ visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.

To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or runners-up prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and residing in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need to have a Stripe account created and connected in order to receive the prizes. For this reason, entrants located outside of any of these countries will not be eligible to win.