Our Flash Fiction Festival Curator, acclaimed writer and teacher, Meg Pokrass is unable to come to the festival again in July, this year, but we’re delighted she has offered a writing challenge for all festival participants, another one of her trade-mark “Pokrass Prompts”. Meg will be judging the submissions for this contest, named after her.

Everyone who has booked for the in-person flash fiction festival in July, gains a free entry to the contest. The challenge is to write a up to 300 word micro inspired by the prompt, the words and the image and send to story{at}flashfictionfestival{dot}com by midsummer’s day, Tuesday June 21st. (attaching your document to the email in docx preferably, with Pokrass Prize in the email subject line).

Results will be announced at the festival.

The first prize winner will win £50, a copy of Alligators at Night, which isone of Meg’s flash fiction collections, a Flash Fiction Festival Anthology, three free entries to Bath Flash Fiction Award and publication in the fifth Flash Fiction Festival anthology.

Two Runners-Up will receive a copy of Alligators at Night, a Flash Fiction Festival Anthology, three free entries to Bath Flash Fiction Award and publication in the fifth Flash Fiction Festival Anthology.

Here’s your Pokrass Prompt:

Write a story that focuses on a particular span of time in a character’s life. It can be 10 minutes or 10 years. See if you can do this in under 300 words:
You should include at least four of the following words in your story.
plain, cosmetic, hear, pin, simple, convict, lunchtime, hair

(photo by Louella Lester)