Embrace The Changing You – WRITING CONTEST

Embrace The Changing You  — The CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED TO ENTRIES

Writing CONTEST – No entry fee

Calling on Women Writers

Have you made life changes over the challenging past year, set a goal and stuck to it, discovered something about yourself? Do you feel the need to come into your own kicky self? Have you sprung forward with authenticity and want to celebrate a bit?

I will help one of you do that.

Here is my story, and why I am offering the contest.

Last year I had an urge to shake things up a bit. I decided on a change in hair color and a shorter cut to celebrate our changing lives and give me the kickyness I now deserved and worked hard to reclaim.

My life is HOPEFUL, and I felt DARING! So, I changed my hair color to silver/gray.

With the change to my hair, I felt buoyant. There was a bounce to my step, dancing was back. A sense of renewal and a galvanizing vibe seeped through my soul. With my lovely gray hair taking over my dull brownish red, I started ordering clothes reminiscent of my travel days. Colorful and cute. Mixing with the grays and blacks I was hiding behind. thredUP now delivers a package almost weekly. I love helping the environment by shopping at an online consignment/resale store, giving clothes a reprieve from the landfill and a new life, letting them become part of mine. At least, that is my excuse!

I started my memoirs and this blog. On it, I have written about the writer’s groups I take part in and the amazing sense of camaraderie that has moved me forward in troubled times. And the challenges of being a newbie writer figuring out how to do her craft. I have remained busy, forward thinking and energized while learning to work with schedules, and organize my thoughts, two amazing things in their own right.

Throughout it all we have seen balloons at sunrise, bringing promise to our day. And clinked glasses of wine at sunset, exhilarated that we are still here to do so.

My goal is to finish the first memoir rough draft by March 1st. And I am doing all I can to make that happen. When it does, I will celebrate again.

And I want someone to cheer me on and celebrate with.

PROMPT

Write about a positive change you made or a discovery about yourself in 2020 that celebrates the authentic you.

Please read carefully. 

What do you need to do?

• Cheer me on in the comments below for the completion of my rough draft. I need to finish by March 1st.
• Be a Subscriber to this blog (subscribe in the sidebar). You must be a subscriber to enter an essay and to take part in the voting.
• Write a 500 – 700 word essay from the writing prompt above.

PRIZE ***

Your choice of:

$200USD into your PayPal account to reimburse you for your own I Am Fabulous Makeover.

OR

$200USD into your PayPal account to reimburse you for your thredUp shopping spree. (see here- They only ship to the United States and Canada**) or a Poshmark shopping spree. (United States)

OR

$200USD into your PayPal account to reimburse you for a writer’s workshop of your choice.

I need a  minimum of five essays to be submitted in order for the prize to be awarded. ***

 

RULES AND NOTES

Open to all women writers over the age of 18.

All entries are via email to: riatalkenwrites@gmail.com Put Embrace the changing you – WRITING CONTEST in the subject line. And attach a Word document.

You must include your Name, Birth Year, and Contact Information.

You must have a PayPal account for us to deposit the prize (USD) into.

One entry per person. Make yours count.

 

Judging a contest like this is, of course, subjective, especially with the styles of writing. We are so excited to read what all of you will come up with.

 

DATES

Deadline March 8, 2021 (International Women’s Day).

We will announce five semi-finalists on April 1, 2021 and post their essays.

You will vote for your favorite one from April 1 – 5. Only one vote allowed.

I will announce the winner on April 14, 2021 – National Reach As High As You Can Day.

Winning Essay highlighted by a separate blog post on Ria Talken Writes, along with a bio and social media links to the author.

Here is the twist:

**I must complete my rough draft by March 1st in order for someone to win the full prize. If I don’t, the amount will be $100USD towards the prize of your choice. **  I do not want to let anyone down. You will be the fire under my butt.

I have 20 essays left to write. (700-2000 words each)

Watch for updates on my Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/riatalkenwrites

And please share this contest with your friends and writer’s groups.

UPDATE – THE CONTEST DEADLINE IS PAST. CONTEST CLOSED TO ENTRIES

I  have met my goal to finish my rough draft. So the winner will receive the full $200 prize. 

I just wanted to thank everyone who participated in my women’s writing contest “Embrace The Changing You.”  I received wonderful essays!!  Because of this, I am considering making a writing contest an annual event with a changing prompt.

To let you know what happens next:

I and my staff (my husband) will be choosing our top 5 essays and I will be sharing these on April 1st. I decided that the essays will be posted blind – meaning the author’s name will not show but each will be assigned a number. I am still figuring out how the posting will

From April 1 – April 5 voting will occur. In order to vote people must subscribe to my blog, so tell your friends.

And on April 14 – National Reach As High As You Can Day, the winner will be announced.  – I will already have contacted the winner and will write and post a dedicated blog post including the winner’s bio, essay, and social media links for April 14th.

I can’t wait to find out who the winner is!!

Regardless, every person who brings their stories forward and has the courage to write is a winner in her own right.

Thank you all!!