I Entered the Whimsy “Happy Travels” Microfiction Challenge and Didn’t Do So Hot
Hi friends!
One of the things that’s incredibly satisfying about being a creative (even in an amateur’s capacity) is exploring other people’s worlds
Altro...
Hi friends!
One of the things that’s incredibly satisfying about being a creative (even in an amateur’s capacity) is exploring other people’s worlds
Altro...Hi friends!
One of the things that’s incredibly satisfying about being a creative (even in an amateur’s capacity) is exploring other people’s worlds and finding out what they’re doing. A few months back, yours truly stumbled upon a new microfiction writing contest. Usually that’s enough to peak my interest and do some research, and what I found was a pretty unique take on the form.
For those not familiar, Whimsy is a monthly microfiction contest in which writers are given 300 words to write something a little less serious. Something a little more off the beaten path. Each edition comes with a unique theme and subtheme. The subtheme comes in the form of a “whim,” a guiding set of words and phrases to help establish a direction within the story. On top of that, the story must include a provided object that is unique to each person. However, entrants are given a week to finish their story.
The contest is product of one Timothy Hayes, who apparently came into the world of writing contests back during 2020. Hayes says on the contest’s website that “One of the ironies of writing contests is that lighthearted stories can have a hard time being taken seriously. Whimsy exists to change that, and to create a dedicated space for all those weird and wonderful stories to shine in their own right.” He and the team behind Whimsy cite a number of media as what they aim to achieve with the competition, including The Princess Bride, Everything Everywhere All at Once (a personal favorite), The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and What We Do in the Shadows among a number of other multimedia examples.
So, how’d it go for VS Virsus? Well, not good. Unlike others discussed on the blog, the Whimsy contests only have one round, so either someone wins or they don’t. A total of 10 people are highlighted at the end of it all (five winners and five runner-ups). The August contest had nearly 250 people, not exactly a big pool, but not small by any means. Writers last month had the theme “Happy Travels.” For my “whim,” I choose “This Wasn’t on the Itinerary,” and was required to include a stone tablet as my object. Needless to say, we didn’t make it.
However, that shouldn’t take away from how awesome a project this series truly is. It has strong, unique identity carved out for itself, and it was genuinely challenging not just to default to something more gritty and action-packed while thinking about the themes. Media that is quiet and contemplative, even joyful and fun, can be engaging, and its nice to see other authors taking up that mission. Despite not making it to the finals, I did wanna feature my story for those who are curious. There is also a chance It’ll get revised and rereleased later on. Anyway, hope you enjoy!
On a New Path, Somewhere Between Forest and City Emeria lived in routine, which is why she flew from Dublin to the other side of the world. Tokyo had called out many times before, but flights and travel cost money. Eventually, she found a job that afforded her comfort, enough days off to try biking and painting. Still, hobbies couldn’t scratch the itch of boredom at home.
The airport, and the area just outside, was busy. The fading sun of an early evening shone on suit-wearing salarymen walking almost in lockstep. She couldn’t help but snort in public.
She thought about all the tourist spots she had talked over with friends. Snacks from konbenis. A bullet train to Shibuya. Walking through parks in Nara. After finally making it, adventure pulled her into something else.
The somewhat lonely businesswoman started walking through back alleys. In them she found craftsmen sculpting pottery, clothing designers measuring angles, chefs making the same bowl of ramen over and over.
Eventually, alleyways led to outskirts. Bright lights and tall buildings faded into lush greenery. Stone paths continued to cover the forest floor. The scene felt like a gateway.
It must have been five minutes before stumbling upon a series of tiny homes. In one yard, an elderly man watered vegetable plants. The two locked eyes for a few seconds before the man bowed and continued his task.
On the other side of his house sat a headstone, upright in the ground. Characters she could not read carved into its face. Watered flowers sat inside a glass bottle next to it. They looked…alive.
The rest of the week looked exactly as Emeria had planned. All the spots she had dreamed of. On the flight home, she thought of noodles and hidden places with old men caring for the dead.Thanks for reading!
If you like what you’ve seen on this post and want to see more, well then I certainly won’t stop you from clicking around and checking out some other stuff I’ve written. Those who are looking for a good place to talk about anime, manga, and other nerdy things should check out Animated Observations, where I do exactly that. Those who feel inclined to support financially can do so on Kofi or Patreon down below.
http://animatedobservations.com
Thank you for these lovely people for their ongoing support on Patreon:
Travis
Jenn
Karena
Bye for now 😉
