Category Archives: News

News about the site.

STORY OF THE MONTH: December 2018

News

The Story of the Month is chosen from the Story of the Week winners announced from the past month.

The finalists for December were:

Bad Like That by Kiah Mott
Everything is fine. You? by TPA
The last time I saw my brother by Guy Preston
Last of the old ones by Taryn Noelle Kloeden
Last Tango by Sudha Balagopal
Season Greetings and Untimely Departures by Bob Thurber

The winner of the December 2018 Story of the Month, and the $10 prize, is…

The last time I saw my brother

Guy Preston is a 50WS Hall of Famer for a reason, and he’s added to his trophy case here.

I confess that I’ve wrestled in the past with my idea of the “appropriate” way to use the title in a 50-word story. In general, I feel that the title should be handled carefully, not exploited to circumvent the word count by adding information that is essential to the story. But now and then, a great 50-word story author does something new and unique with a title. Guy’s winner was one of those. The story stands very well on its own, without the title, and is an entirely worthy entrant in that form. But when the title is layered on top, it adds another dimension that elevates the story.

STORY OF THE MONTH: November 2018

News

The Story of the Month is chosen from the Story of the Week winners announced from the past month.

The finalists for November were:

Closing the Loop by J Bradley
Sabbatical by Khalilah Okeke
Dizzy Spells by Bob Thurber
Archived News Clipping (Filed Under Irony) by Jo Withers
The Good Father by Paul Negri

The winner of the November 2018 Story of the Month, and the $10 prize, is…

Archived News Clipping (Filed Under Irony)

Jo’s story clearly struck a nerve not only with me, but with many 50WS readers. She found a unique way to approach themes of homelessness, war, and social justice. The balance of tragedy and comedy made the irony really hit home, exactly what that literary device is meant to achieve.