A very confident handling of the anti-prompt over on Team Ed, and a story that plays with time in a compelling and emotionally resonant way. It's a straight 'Yes' from me! NQWP368056
Amanda
@akscotland.bsky.social
Co-host of the Not Quite Write Podcast and judge of the Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction. Writes in the tiny spaces in between.
Just read a story that brought me to real tears 😢 Not a NQW Prize entry though… this one was a Writing Battle entry by @deankoorey.bsky.social!
There’s a special place in hell for businesses that think it’s okay to email you every day. Can’t you see I’m trying to read??
A compelling Team Ed story with a chance at listing but sadly it's a DQ 😱 Remember: You need to include the prompt word in full! You can add letters either side, but not in the middle 😬
Turns out, it's not just Team Amanda that can get ridiculous. Shout of to the author of NQWP336709 for delivering my favourite punchline of the round!
Oh, hello shortlist contender. How dare you write for Team Ed? I love how you took a story idea we've seen before and turned it around into something fresh. NQWP023847
For the data nerds.... F 0 Y 5 M+ 35 M 49 M- 31 N 39 No favourites this round, for how could I choose a favourite from all these cursed children?? I disappprove of you all equally!
That's a wrap on my initial judging for Team Amanda! With thanks to the last story I read, NQWP829330 for dialing the intensity back up to 11! I'll be seeing several of these stories many times more as they progress through judging. Let's see what Team Ed has in store...
So my plans changed and it's looking like I'm going to finish my Team Amanda judging shortly! My final batch has been the tamest thus far, which is just as well because I need to recalibrate my brain to have any hope of fairly judging Team Ed!
I have just one batch left to judge, but alas I have to attend to other matters at present... I wonder what treats await me...
A huge thanks to the author of NQWP725340 for the sweet palate cleanser ❤️ I really needed that!
A lot of you appear to be vying for the honour of "most shocking". Well, pay attention, because you've all got a thing or two to learn from the author of NQWP723766! My jaw has descended through the floor.
One of those stories that's fun from the jump and only improves on the re-read... @deankoorey.bsky.social is gonna love this one - it's a crack-up! NQWP857476
Congratulations, author of NQWP538888! You achieved a real life emotional effect in me as a reader... You made me gag and almost vomit! 🤮 You also earned an M+ 🙂
Dear author of NQWP48647, I am very proud of you for letting go of your inhibitions. You'll have to enter the next round of Flesh Fiction for sure!
Happy Halloween from Australia! Celebrating by hosting a birthday sleepover party with 7 screaming girls. Literally nothing more frightening 😱
From the title alone I should have guessed what was in store. No offence, but that was the dumbest thing I've ever read (and that's saying a lot rn)! lol You had me grinning from the first word to the last, and you've earned an M+ from me. Could be yours if your title was a pun 👀 NQWP544881
Not everyone has been successful in pulling off their crazy idea, but goddamn if I'm not enjoying every single wacked out one of them...
Back on (your) bullshit today after a brief break to attend to other pressing commitments... What horrors are in store for me today? 🤔
Some of you are making judging VERY hard. Like, what the hell am I supposed to do with NQWP452395?? Judging is never about comparing apples with apples, but at this point I feel like I'm comparing bananas with nuts 🤪
Dear author of NQWP446237, I HATE whatever's wrong with you 😱😭🤮 Sincerely, Amanda
To the author of NQWP395202, I love whatever's wrong with you. Sincerely, Amanda
Another Yes! This one manages to combine both the high and low brows. It's technically masterful and a lesson to the rest of you that it's possible to both get silly AND take one's craft seriously! NQWP384020
I'm not going to out this story or its author, but I just gave an M+ to a story, and my immediate thought was "I hate myself for this" 😅
These stories are so unhinged that I can't tell if this title has a typo or if it is intentionally a little "off" 🤔 NQWP648667
Ooh another Yes! This one kicks off with an unhinged first line and doesn't let up until the... climax 👀 NQWP901039