Virginia Writers Club Writing Prompts

The Virginia Writers Club, Inc.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of writers and poets, screenwriters and playwrights, journalists and essayists, and other publishing professionals whose purpose is to support and stimulate the art, craft and business of writing, as well as advocate the literary arts in the Commonwealth.

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Monthly Writing Prompt
"A good many young writers make the mistake of enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope, big enough for the manuscript to come back in. This is too much of a temptation to the editor."
Ring Lardner

old typewriter Consider how one decision you have made or one action you have taken in the past six months has affected the lives of those closest to you. Now consider the ripple effect: how may your action or decision have affected the lives of people you know casually, or not at all? Tell me, and all who read these pages, in 100 lines or fewer of poetry or up to 1500 words of your best prose.

Are you looking for Internet fame? Look no further! Submit your response to the above prompt to the Webmaster, and if your work is chosen, have it featured on this Site for one month.

But that’s not all! Monthly winners will be archived on this site for at least one year, and one or more entries will be chosen annually for publication in The Virginia Writer.

Last month's writing prompt was widely ignored, and so Gerrie Beck's short story, Collapsible Life, will stay posted for another month. Want to read something fresh? Respond to this month's Writing Prompt! Meanwhile, enjoy Gerrie' story:

STAGE 1:

His hair was amber then, shiny like topaz, in a buzz cut. I loved rubbing my hand atop his head, fuzzy as a short-furred dog. He smelled of after shave and I often nuzzled his neck smelling the sweet perfume. His long arms cradled me on summer nights at the drive-in as we ate french fries and drank cokes. His voice soft and melodious whispered in my ear how much he loved me. I wore his class ring around my neck on a silver chain. I was his girl.

To read this story in its entirety, please click here.

To read previous winning entries, please click here.

Think you can do as well? Think you can do better? Then hit me with your best shot--but be sure to follow the rules (see below).

Rules

1. On or about the first day of each month, a new prompt will be posted on this page. Based upon that, write not more than 1500 words of prose or 100 lines of poetry.

2. Submit your response via email to the Webmaster as an attached file, in Word (*.doc), WordPerfect (*.wpd), Rich Text (*.rtf), or Plain Text (*.txt) form. NB: I have a new email address, which I hope proves more reliable than its predecessor.

3. Submissions must include author's legal name, pen name (if used), and city and state of residence. Submissions must be received by the 25th of each month.

4. Which response or responses shall be posted is in the sole discretion of the Executive Director of the Virginia Writers Club, or such others as he or she may designate. This decision is final.

5. By submitting a response, Author agrees to have said response displayed and archived on this Web site, without compensation. Author further agrees to reasonable reformatting for space or other considerations.

6. By submitting a response, Author agrees to have said response published in one edition of The Virginia Writer, without compensation. Author further agrees to reasonable reformatting for space or other considerations.

7. Other than as agreed under Rule 5 and Rule 6, Author retains all rights.

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