Simon & Schuster Challenge Epilogue
The Simon & Schuster challenge was one of our greatest accomplishments, and one of our most difficult undertakings to date. It was our first time working with a big publisher and taking challenges to a larger scale. Given the number and quality of entries, determining the top 50 was extraordinarily difficult. Having never done something like this before, we had to really bootstrap our selection criteria.
We spent weeks reading through every single one of the entries as a team. The first criterion we used was grammar. Repetitive grammatical mistakes, and a lack of respect for English syntax in general, were grounds for disqualification. The second criterion was creativity. We looked for storytelling excellence, moving characters, inventive plots. We looked for content that captivated us, that we thought would enthrall others as well. After narrowing the list of entries by these two criteria, 166 remained.
For each of these 166 entries, each team member assigned a subjective "quality rating" from one to five. We considered likes to break ties when the average quality score was too close to call. We wanted to include some democratic element in determining the winners, rather than solely rely upon our own subjective judgment. When all was said and done, we had found our 50 entries.
In reflection, our process was imperfect and we intend to do a better job in the near future. Here are some of the ideas we are considering:
1) Limited Voting. When the challenge ends, everyone gets a limited number of votes, and cannot use these votes on their own entry. We would use these votes to distill the pool of potential winners more democratically.
2) Electoral College. A panel of judges is either elected deliberately or selected randomly to read through the entries and determine the winners.
3) Gauntlet Tournaments. We select a few factors, a combination of judging panel, spell check, democratic votes, and other creative criteria, to advance the best content round-by-round, tournament-style.
We would love to hear your suggestions and ideas for improving our challenges.
Once again, congratulations to the winners and entrants alike.
We are working hard to bring you more publishing opportunities.
An Ode To Being A Millennial
An ode to being a Millennial,
To the feeling generation,
To the generation that get offended too easily,
To the generation, who don’t know how to take a joke
To the generation of narcissists, who love themselves so much that they couldn’t have anything besides a hookup culture
To the generation that killed romance, and writing
To the generation that killed everything just by being born.
To the generation that has been told by everyone around them who they are
You my dears, are stronger than anyone, and I am proud to consider myself among you
An ode to being a millennial
To the generation that is afraid of feeling
To the generation that just doesn’t think racism is funny
To the generation that will no longer excuse your bigotry as humor
To the generation who know the difference between confidence and narcissism
To the generation who has explored love, and learned that love is like humans, different but equal
To the generation that are happy to consider their birth the birth of social change
To the generation that is still enough inside themselves to be comfortable with not knowing who they are.
You, my dears, should wear the word millennial like a badge of honor, of pride.
An ode to being a millennial
An ode for this generation, because while it doesn’t shine with the most pristine luster,
An ode for this generation, because while it doesn’t have the most perfect shine,
An ode for this generation, because it is different
An ode for this generation, because society up to this point has hated everything different
An ode for this generation, because our name falls out of people mouth’s like a barrel over Niagara
An ode for this generation, because no one ever writes one,
An ode for this generation, because we are growing up like no one ever has before, on the cusp of cell phone lights and street lights.
An ode for this generation, because we are the first generation in a long time who are not only trying to figure out who we are, but what, we are.
America’s King
Bogus beast, demons unleashed
dark depths of netherworld explored
deplored, abhorred, waterboard
He rules the realm as he sits at the helm
Beware Americans, hold on for sanity's sake,
kiss the ass of our newly crowned sheik -
pretend you don't know what's at stake.
Not one of us escapes alive to survive,
to strive, to thrive, to connive, to arrive.
Predator King Trump lies as America dies
but he'll never waver in your favor,
slicks his hair to transform, perform, reform
into phantom of urban legends on history page
stands on center stage, traps us in a cage!
History grovels on its knees if you please,
blood shot eyes kick and scream with his dream
as he watches blood being shed, torture he says, okay!
Unwind, rewind, remind of blasphemy of kings,
catastrophe, politics and greed, planting the seed,
flailing nations's needs at full speed as we plead.
Curse the stench, breathe fresh air but don't despair
as American souls are sold in cold moves so bold
for fame and wealth and hidden stealth.
Don't interrupt with profane streams of dreams
clean your side of the street, he demeans.
Lullaby of death to humanity plays
as bricks are layered on wall, that's all.
Pacing man, stirring frenzy in air, doesn't care,
cut's off health care except for himself,
stays privileged on his own gilded shelf.
Cavalierly gives go ahead on pipeline
the Hell with Indian spirits so fine.
No funds for planned parenthood
forget birth control, have babies, babies, babies
but don't fund their cost, forget the loss.
Don't let anyone into our fair country
unless they think and look like Trump
a red-haired jackal of all trades, but
master of none, not even one!
Tax, tax, tax the middle class
Trump doesn't pay taxes at all
It's not fair but what does he care?
Trumpty Dumpty sits astride his wall
The bigger he is, the harder he'll fall!
But who will save America after all?
Prose Challenge of the Week #56
Good Afternoon, Prosers,
We hope this challenge announcement finds you well and writing!
It’s week fifty-six of the Prose Challenge of the Week.
For the last two weeks, you guys have been writing about a stranger, and boy did you all deliver. Before we check out who is the lucky winner and the recipient of $200, let’s take a look at this week’s prompt:
Challenge of the Week #56: Write the beginning of a story about a tyrannical king who threatens the entire realm. The most masterfully written piece, as voted and determined by the Prose team, will be crowned winner and receive $100. Quality beats quantity, always, but numbers make things easier for our judges, so share, share, share with friends, family, and connections. #ProseChallenge #getlit #itslit
Now, back to the winner of week fifty-five.
We have read all of your entries, and have come to a decision. The winner of the “stranger” challenge is @dobbyness3 with their piece Thanatos.
Congratulations! You have just won $200. We’ll be in touch with you shortly.
In the meantime Prosers, you have one week to get your write on!
Until next time, Prosers,
Prose.