The Twitter Writing Contest is Now Closed. Thanks to everyone who submitted an entry, and winners will be announced Friday, May 30.
Can you tell a story in exactly 140 characters?
That’s the idea behind the first ever @copyblogger Twitter writing contest.
It should be a great exercise and a lot of fun. Being constrained to exactly 140 characters will spark your creative juices and force you to focus stringently on word choice, sentence structure, and even punctuation.
Here’s an example that I tweeted over the weekend:
Three flies are bugging me on the deck. I kill two, and spare the third. “Go tell the others this is what happens,” I warn as he buzzes off.
OK, so that’s a bit of a goofy spoof on Keiser Soze from The Usual Suspects. But it’s still a mini-story that allows the reader’s imagination to run with it.
Did I go hunt down the other flies along with their families and neighbors?
Or did the flies retaliate Amityville Horror style?
See, it is fun. And it’s great for sharpening your writing skills, too.
But of course, we aren’t always motivated by what’s good for us. So, let’s add in another incentive.
Whoever writes the best Twitter story (as determined by me and a couple of other Twitteriffic judges) will win an IPod Nano 4 GB from Amazon in your choice of available colors. Plus, you’ll have bragging rights as the winner of the first-ever Twitter writing contest (at least that I know of).
Ready to play?
Just post a link to your Tweet (one per person, please) in the comments to this post before 5:00 PM CST on this Friday, May 23, 2008. That’s all there is to it, but remember…
It’s not 140 characters or less, it’s exactly 140 characters. Cool?
P.S. If anyone out there wants to contribute additional prizes for the winner, or for second and third place, email me and we’ll sweeten the pie.
P.P.S. Out of fairness, Copyblogger regular contributors are not eligible to win, but encouraged to play along any way.
Bookmark and Promote!
Related Articles
Copyblogger runs on the Thesis Theme for WordPress
Thesis is the search engine optimized WordPress theme of choice for serious online publishers. Its innovative options panel and incredible customizability make Thesis perfect for beginners and professionals alike.
The theme is robust and flexible enough not only to accommodate a site like Copyblogger, but also to enable the site to run far more efficiently than it ever has before. With Thesis, it’s easy to implement and make the most of valuable site-building tools like subscriptions, affiliate advertising campaigns, and well-formatted content that will really drive your marketing ship. Find out more about Thesis below:
{ 61 trackbacks }
{ 567 comments }
Brilliant Idea… I remember there being something similar with a “write a story in 6 words” somewhere in the blogosphere…
This should get people excited
M.
I take up your challenge - always good to let the creative juices run riot … albeit with boundaries.
I got one! It’s adapted from a real situation I heard days ago, re-told the story into one where I found the source of that chilling cry just minutes ago.
Tweet sent to u. @Daniel_Richard
I’m game… True story to boot!
http://twitter.com/hownottowrite/statuses/814992419
Oooo! Can we submit more than one story?
http://twitter.com/supakow/statuses/814994052
http://twitter.com/carterfsmith/statuses/798359043
also at http://carterfsmith.blogspot.com/2008/04/4score-and-how-would-lincoln-do-on.html
One submission per person, please.
I’m with Lolagrrl…I hope we get more than one entry? Also, sent you a quick note about additional prizes.
Does it have to be an original story, or could it be inspired by/a nutshell version of a story someone else has written?
Oh now I get it
http://twitter.com/mleis/statuses/815003007
word and twitter count differently
http://twitter.com/videocrime
micro/flash/nano-fiction is pure awesome.
count me in.
One day I entered a writing contest and much to my chagrin I never learned how to count past seventy-seven. Damn rules make me feel so dumb.
http://twitter.com/liamvictor/statuses/815004044
This is my entry
http://twitter.com/banji/statuses/815004043
http://twitter.com/mkarim/statuses/815007857
140 character story … can we try more than once?
http://www.onesentence.org meets Twitter. Brilliant!
Great Article, I love it, and, I am up to the challenge,
http://twitter.com/ezrabutler/statuses/815010518
http://twitter.com/MarcieVargas/statuses/815012008
Hey, count me in!
@Muhammad - I ran a six-word story contest in January ‘07. You can check out the results here.
http://twitter.com/murdaugh/statuses/815012217
I will say I wondered what was up with the fly thing. “Huhhhh, Brian needs a break,” I thought to myself.
Of course I’ve got to try it . . .
http://twitter.com/rishil/statuses/815015888
Brian, would the following piece qualify? Let me know and I’ll post it on my site and provide a link later.
A Tweet is neat. Not the tweety one - the Tweet with thumbs - the er breed. On the go? Send a tweet. You never know. The tweets you’ll meet.
Buck
http://twitter.com/bigbrightbulb/statuses/815019374
I need more coffee to come up with a story, but here’s a tweet on “How to write well”: http://twitter.com/soniasimone/statuses/815021492
this was a unique and great idea.. hmmmmmmmm *thinking of writing a 140-character story*
ps. I know it’s twitter with an “I” but you said you “tweeted” so is that the correct past tense? (I don’t use twitter yet so I’m not up on the twitter vocabulary).
I’ll change the spelling if needed.
A gruesome tale of grammar police gone bad:
http://twitter.com/soniasimone/statuses/815026003
My entry http://twitter.com/s4ur4bh/statuses/815026481
Regards,
SG
http://twitter.com/ajvchuk/statuses/815029241
My cat attacked my husband and I used his new bottle of Jameson to kill germs fast. Husband more upset about bottle than bites.
http://twitter.com/thedynamo/statuses/815029198
Great, I love working to restrictions. Not sure if progression of plot is a requirement, but here’s my 1st person story, entitled “The vexatious gardener”
http://twitter.com/aroberts/statuses/815029147
OK here is my 140 Character story. Entitled A Day of Life.
Enjoy
http://twitter.com/blantonious/statuses/815034301
I’ll try too!
http://twitter.com/cdejarnatt/statuses/815032595
Hokay… here’s my one (sigh) entry.
=)
1st transmission from Earth to reach outer space: Hitler’s Olympic Speech. Last Transmission: Supercollider test commences in 3… 2… 1…
http://twitter.com/Lolagrrl/statuses/815034389
I’m still not getting it. where the heck is Tweet?
Here you go: http://twitter.com/toddmintz/statuses/815041025
A true Hollywood story:
http://twitter.com/pearsonified/statuses/815043546
http://twitter.com/raeining/statuses/815045515
To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question. Is this event interestingly mundane enough to steal 4.3 seconds of life from my 14 followers?
This looks pretty sweet, I will partipate and who knows. I might just win this thing for crying out loud. Everytime I read copyblogger I get something!
http://twitter.com/mdjensen/statuses/815058018
http://twitter.com/teepoole/statuses/815041059
http://twitter.com/audioconnell/statuses/815059844
http://twitter.com/ciaranj/statuses/815063835
Brilliant idea! Do our titles count as characters? Or should we have them at all?
we are going to play, too
http://twitter.com/oddpodz
Here’s mine:
http://twitter.com/Hadi_AO/statuses/815054649
http://twitter.com/brusimm/statuses/815065866
http://twitter.com/lyndoman/statuses/815067262
Heres mine:
http://twitter.com/rocknarayan/statuses/815067566
*off to read the other tweets and hang head in shame*
Ok, I’m in.
http://twitter.com/digiphile/statuses/815069348
Great idea!
http://twitter.com/loganalexander/statuses/815067895
A fine idea. Here’s my attempt:
http://twitter.com/christhesoul/statuses/815071202
http://twitter.com/TheBloggess/statuses/803396131
I’ll give it a shot…
http://twitter.com/tschmidt/statuses/815072395
Alright Brian, I will play…
Exactly 140 characters…
http://twitter.com/JosephRatliff/statuses/815072790
I hope I win
Here’s my entry:
http://twitter.com/cgranier/statuses/815076162
The world spun wildly as I descended ever deeper. As I looked up, I saw a hundred yards of water separating me from safety. Could I make it?
Alright here you go boss
http://www.Twitter.com/TravisReynolds/statuses/815074582
I’m doing this all from my phone, so if that’s not right just go to:
http://www.twitter.com/travisreynolds
thanks
Excellent idea!
the first-ever twitter thriller :
http://twitter.com/petitesphrases/statuses/815079168
That was fun! Mine is all too true today:
http://twitter.com/Kellye_Crane/statuses/815079425
Long time reader, first time poster.
Enjoy:
http://twitter.com/bmaleszyk/statuses/815082078
Bryan
Haha - this is fun
http://twitter.com/lisawood/statuses/815083889
Here’s the true story of what happened when I finally met Geddy Lee of Rush. (Alex Lifeson was there, too, but that’s another 140-Story.)
http://twitter.com/PopDaddy/statuses/815078179
http://twitter.com/SearchStudent/statuses/815087324
Hey I’ll glady contribute a big fat crappy blog link to the winner because I’m cool like that!
http://twitter.com/coffeecupkat/statuses/815088616
Marguerite weighed the envelope carefully. Unsealing it would result in her hated enemy’s downfall, but possibly her own, too. What to do?
reminds me of ficlets (http://ficlets.com/)
http://twitter.com/nullvariable/statuses/815089605
OK, here’s mine:
http://twitter.com/roberthruzek/statuses/815089602
http://twitter.com/zimmicz/statuses/815096558
http://twitter.com/jehzlau/statuses/815096201
That’s my cute little entry about Inzy and Winzy… Yay!
http://twitter.com/edbury/statuses/815100141
For the steampunk in all of us.
Kindly disqualify my first twitter URL because it was wrong.. it should be “went” instead of “when”. hehe..
This was the right one:
http://twitter.com/jehzlau/statuses/815100154
Ooh, what fun! Here’s my contribution!
http://twitter.com/CoolMomsRule/statuses/815105148
http://twitter.com/icjackson/statuses/815104090
Thanks for the inspiration to be more creative and expressive with less words
I’m giving this a shot. It really made me think, thanks.
My entry is at: http://twitter.com/angienewton/statuses/815106052
This is fun. Here’s mine:
http://twitter.com/BillS2000/statuses/815110880
Here is mine, just a try
http://twitter.com/paulissima/statuses/815111354
Tales of woe, folk, old wives’, duck, cautionary, fairytale or chit. A tall tattletale told us “thereby hangs a tale in a tiny wee twittie”.
http://twitter.com/christinaari
My contest entry.
http://twitter.com/franpro/statuses/815119055
Joel Libava
http://twitter.com/rogasm/statuses/815119676
http://twitter.com/debgallardo/statuses/815123298
I’m so glad to finally learn how to link to a tweet! Thanks.
Deb Gallardo
I know I can only enter one, but I’ve had so much fun reading and retweeting y’all’s, another one came to mind:
http://twitter.com/bigbrightbulb/statuses/815127292
At the mouth of a wormhole…
http://twitter.com/binarywolf/statuses/815130180
This is fun!
http://twitter.com/Anklebuster/statuses/815140921
Cheers,
Mitch