Official (Unofficial) Ekphrastic Challenge Rules!
That's a mouthful! How about "Rules for the Send me a Photo Challenge?" Yeah... That's better.
Update 2/6: Bit of a delay in posting the winners! My apologies. Should be up this evening.
WELL CRAP.
How dare you all send me 30 photos! It’s like you took me up on my challenge or something. Seriously, though, why aren’t more of you posting your glorious photography for us all to see? I spy brilliant camera-genius artistes amongst us!
If you missed the deadline for submitting photos, never fear! I plan to run this challenge again in a few months.
Anyway, I suppose you’re wondering what exactly this challenge will consist of. If you’ve given it some thought, you’ve probably guessed that this will be a writing challenge. Check. And if you’ve given it even MORE though, you’ve deduced that the writing will be based on the photos you submitted. Right again!
Basically, I used a random word generator to assign each of the photos to the people who submitted them (sans one AI image, unfortunately. See my note here). There was only one person whom I did not know, so I’ll leave them dubbed “the parakeet photo person” in the list.
Your mission — should you choose to accept it (though, I suppose you already have) — is to write at least one micro or sudden fiction story based on the photo I’ve assigned you. I’ve decided not to opt for poetry, as I feel that photos don’t always evoke poetry and that it’s something the writer has to feel moved to do. Because I’m assigning the images, y’all will not have such a luxury. So, no poetry.
The word count maximum is based on Reedsy’s guide, which restricts micro fiction to 500 words and sudden fiction to 750 words. It’s your choice, given your photo, how long you would like it to be. But my word count minimum is 300. I would like there to be enough space for an immersive narrative to emerge. So to recap, story word count should be between 300 and 750 words.
I say, “at least” one story because I don’t want to limit your creativity, especially if you feel that one of your later stories is better than your first. So, no limit on the number of entries! (Yay! Though I feel a wave comin’...)
I will be using a rubric, like last time, as I feel like that went over well with everyone. Though I do not disparage anyone who chooses winners based on personal favorites, I would like to establish some structure in how I do it because, hey, I hate making decisions when I’m enjoying myself. Plus, I’d like to feel that there is some rhyme and reason to the winners!
There will be 3 prizes and a few runners-up, which will be decided during the judging process.
- First Place: $10
- Second Place: $5
- Third Place: $2
- Runners-up: $1
* If anyone has Ko-fi, do let me know. They don’t take out fees, so, hey, anything we do to avoid that, amirite? 😀
The Rubric
Total: 100 points. 110 with bonuses.
Story is based on the photo = 40 total points.
Story has a solid beginning, middle, and end, or at the very least, leaves the reader in a different place than they began = 50 total points.
Story clearly demonstrates a unique and careful thought process. Does not fall back on easy tropes, tired plots, or predictable characters. Contains an element of narrative surprise, in other words = 10 pts (with an additional 10 bonus points if done particularly well).
Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments!
Aaand now….
…here’s the line up!
Photo Assignment List
I literally numbered everyone's photo and name and then "rolled" the generator to give me a random number. I paired that number to the name as it appeared in the list on the Google Doc (also reflected below). The picture under your name is the picture you're assigned.
Davina Zinn McKee
Mike Singleton
Celia in Underland
Leslie Writes
Andrei Z.
Chloe Gilholy
Natalie Wilkinson
G.A. Botero
Judey Kalchik
Roderick Makim
Lamar Wiggins
Dana Crandell
Harbor Benassa
Mesh Toraskar
Donna Fox
ROCK
Rachel Deeming
Suze Kay
Oneg in the Arctic
Gerard DiLeo
Hannah Moore
Angie the Archivist
Rachel Fendrich
Randy JK
Rebekah Conard
Paul Stewart
Alex McEvoy
Poppy
Parakeet Photo Person
Lana V Lynx
Note: Some people have been wanting to swap photos since I've posted the list. While I'm not opposed to that, I do want to say that my intention with this challenge is to, well, challenge you. I chose to randomize the photo assignments so that none of my knowledge of any of you would bias those pairings. If you do not like your photo, I understand. But I also want to encourage you to think more creatively about what you can do with it. I'm not intent on forcing you to write; quite the contrary! So, how can you include an element of the photo, the symbolism of the image, etc., into your story? We don't have to approach this in a linear, purely logical, "what you see is the story," fashion. We are writers, yeah?
Please use the photos as the featured image to your story. If you write multiple stories, don't feel like you have to have duplicate featured images, but do please include it somewhere so we know that it's for the challenge. 🤓 Please drop your story links in the comments of this article! (You know, typical unofficial challenge stuff. 😁)
That's it! (Ha, as if it wasn't a lot of information.) Happy writing, everyone! I’m super excited to see what you publish in the upcoming weeks.
The deadline is February 1st and I’ll be judging through that weekend, results on February 5.
And thank you so much for participating. 🙏🏻❤️🥰
Cheers!
About the Creator
Mackenzie Davis
“When you are describing a shape, or sound, or tint, don’t state the matter plainly, but put it in a hint. And learn to look at all things with a sort of mental squint.” Lewis Carroll
Find me elsewhere.
Copyright Mackenzie Davis.
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Comments (55)
Here is my entry! I had to wait a while for it to get published: https://vocal.media/horror/escape-royale
Hi sorry I am late. Here is mine. https://vocal.media/stories/silence-the-wisdom
Here's mine! With either 15 minutes or a few hours to spare; I don't remember what time zone you're in. lol! https://vocal.media/fiction/a-little-dirt
Mackenzie, here is my piece for the challenge. I'm looking forward to reading some others in the line up, so far I've only read Dana's. Natalie https://vocal.media/fiction/lonesome-road
Just published! Thank you for the wonderful photo. https://vocal.media/fiction/life-happens-fo1rk08ks#comment-ee7742e6-7c7f-411c-a7f7-42dd261134cf
I've been working on this and am hoping to submit a story for publication tomorrow! That being said, a different story that I submitted three days ago (not for this challenge) still hasn't been reviewed, so I'm a little concerned about whether or not this story will be ready and shared here by the 2/1 deadline. If I'm eliminated because of that, that's fine, I understand! I just wanted to let y'all know that I am working on it!
Ok - I have a story forming- on it! Thanks for the nudge today
Salut Mackenzie! I finally found the words!! HAHA! Now Andrei and I's duel shall be completed! In all seriousness, though, I do so hope you enjoy what I've created for your challenge! It sure was a fun one! https://vocal.media/fiction/afterglow-gs2uh0weg
https://vocal.media/fiction/two-parakeets-on-a-wire
Hello! Shall I post my entry in vocal.media fiction? Thanks!
Awesome challenge, Mackenzie. I see the stories are rolling in. I've already read a few and will read more tonight! Here is mine. https://vocal.media/fiction/the-perils-of-hunting
Almost forgot to post this here, lol. https://vocal.media/fiction/the-whole-2x19a0ibn
This was such a great challenge. I wish I'd found it earlier. I did enjoy a few of the entries especially Leslie Writes one about the duck. Loved that story
I wrote another one: https://vocal.media/fiction/sign-ox4w90xtz Like Gerard, I don't know who took the picture of the marvellous birdie. Could you advise me please, Mackenzie? Thank you!
Here’s mine 😁 https://vocal.media/fiction/the-day-paradise-shattered Thanks again for the challenge Mackenzie!!💙
Really great. Read more here: https://latestnewsheadlinestoday.wordpress.com/
Finally... here's my story for your challenge! I really liked Lamar Wiggins’ photo: “The Bronze Beauty”... so pretty! https://vocal.media/fiction/serena-s-song-mut0615
Here is my entry! I’d posted it earlier, but the link was messed up. Here is my entry! https://vocal.media/fiction/a-sitting-duck I had a wonderful photo to work with, so I want to give kudos to Rachel Fendrich! Thank you Mackenzie!
I've done the story for my assigned photo, MacKenzie, but I don't know who the photo is from. Can you tell me so I can annotate my story, at https://vocal.media/fiction/down-to-earth-pnfn0z8h? ?
I'm gonna start my entry this week. :)
Here is my first entry: https://vocal.media/fiction/the-angel-of-death-3b3b30l2e I am debating doing another one but am still thinking about the overall plot and things... 🤔
Man, so sad I missed this! Would have loved to have been a part of it! I'll definitely be looking out for the next one!
I've finished mine, so impressed with myself as I have a bunch of deadlines for work to meet: https://vocal.media/fiction/dead-or-asleep
This looks like such a cool challenge, I ended up writing my own piece based on one of the pictures. You'll have to let me know if you choose to do this again.
This is great... Add me in next time!!! Looks like fun!!!