Please use this thread to ask any questions relating to the 2020 Flash Fiction Challenge: Visioning a Better World Beyond the Pandemic.
It is also a place to share your thoughts, inspirations and feedback with other participating writers.
See the Challenge page for full details.
Ready to submit your story? Post it in the Submissions thread.
Should the story be a fiction or non-fiction? And should it include all the principles of the vision of Systems Change Alliance? Can you please make it clear, and also will you elaborate on the content you are expecting? Like, a brief synopsis of the content, apart from the details given in the contest page. My confusion is whether the story must be an article ( non-fiction) or a fiction. Like, must it include factual concepts or hypotheses? And can you please make clear the genre of the story? Also, is there any age limits or payment of any kind? Should the story be set in the present or in the past? I guess that’s up to us.
I am sorry if it’s a lot.
Hi wonderwoman (great name!),
Welcome to the Systems Change Alliance Community.
Apologies for my slow reply - somehow I missed your questions here.
Your piece should be flash fiction - a short short story. We don’t need a synopsis.
You don’t need to include all the principles of what we stand for, more that one or more of them should be an inspiration for how your story unfolds.
There is no specific genre, other than flash fiction. I will post a link to an article on this genre in the following reply.
There is not age limit and no entry fee.
The time and place of your story is up to you.
I hope that covers everything. Feel free to ask more questions if you have any.
Best wishes,
Roshnii
For anyone not yet familiar with the concept of Flash Fiction, you may find it helpful to read the article below before writing and submitting your piece.
Hey, Thanks about the name.And thank you, everything is clear.
Ma’am, I had a query; can you please help me out?
The software that I’m currently using creates file in .docx format. And when I try to convert it into .doc format, it’s just gets messed up; not a single word is left legible.
So, can I mail my work in .docx format—as my priority is to submit my work privately—or I have to post it here?
Please help me out.
Vritant.
Hello roshni,
can i ask about the last date to send the article ? 1 october or 1 november?
thank you
Hi there,
I’m very sorry but I have only just seen your message. The flash fiction challenge closes on the 1st November. I hope you are still able to participate.
Best wishes,
Roshnii
Continuing the discussion from 2020 Flash Fiction Queries & Discussion:
Hi, I wonder- what is the maximum length, and is this contest open worldwide?
Hi there,
The limit is 1000-1250 words. Yes, the contest is open worldwide.
Thanks,
Roshnii
Hi there! I had accidentally deleted my story on the challenge thread. I just posted it again now. Will this disqualify my new post from being part of the competition? So sorry for the trouble, I am new and it shows, unfortunately.
Hi. No, it’s not a problem. These kind of technical glitches happen all the time.
Thanks for your story.
Best wishes.
That makes me feel relieved. Thank you so much for answering my question! And for all the hard work that you do!
Can the story be sci-fi?
Hi wonderwoman,
We are not looking for sci-fi. The story should depict a near future in which the vision and values of Systems Change Alliance are being put into practice as a result of changes unleashed by the Covid pandemic.
Please see https://systemschangealliance.org/we-support/ for details of what we stand for.
Thanks for your enquiry!
Oh yes it is, but will you accept it if it’s sci-fi?
I mean like it is depicting the near future but an element of sci-fi has been used. Will that be a problem?
We will not immediately reject a story with scifi elements if it is convincing and believable.
Like a time machine?
Or like the concept of time travel?
Good question!
If it supports the unfolding of a feasible reality and incorporates the values I referred to above then it could be fine.
I don’t want to interfere with your creative flow!