We need more Hub challenges!

1. 78

   Availiasvisionposted 9 years ago

   It has been such a fun exercise to participate in Hubpages author Annart's shorty story challenge.  She posted a picture of her own painting and asked everyone to write a story from it.  It has been amazing to watch so many talented writers rise to the challenge and produce incredible work. 
   
   Anyone else want to sponsor a writing challenge?  I'm not sure I can right now, but if someone wants to rise to the plate, I'd be grateful to participate.

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      brakel2posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Where is the Annart's challenge, and is it a work in progress? It sounds like fun.

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         Barbara Kayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I haven't seen it either. I'd like to participate also.

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         1. 78

            Availiasvisionposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            It's at the bottom of this Hub:  http://annart.hubpages.com/hub/THE-RICH … ood-Effect

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   2. 77

      CatherineGiordanoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I ant to sponsor a hub challenge, but I don't know how to do it.  Is there a place that explains about hub challenges?

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         calculus-geometryposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I think people just do it informally, via a forum announcement or writing a hub inviting people to do a challenge. 
         
         HP also does contests once in a blue moon, with monetary prizes.  There hasn't been one since earlier this year though.

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      2. 78

         Availiasvisionposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Catherine, most of the challenges are done at a grassroots level.  There is a forum for the 30 hubs in 30 days challenges.  I've never done one of those, so you'll have to find it in the forums. 
         
         I'm sponsoring a hub challenge for short story writers.  I just created a hub explaining the rules and how the game is played.  I hope you will join.
         
         http://availiasvision.hubpages.com/hub/ … -Challenge

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            ForLoveofCupcakesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            Hello, although I've been on HubPages for a couple of years, I am new to the forums.  I'm currently trying to boost the quantity (and quality) of my hub writing, and a challenge sounds like a great way to do so!  I don't know what a shorty story hubber is, but I'm guessing a hubber that does creative writing in the form of short stories...? 
            
            I just read another thread about niche writing on HP vs writing whatever content you'd like.  I'm not sure if I should jump into creative writing from my usual [loose] niche, but I'm definitely going to click to see what your challenge is about either way.  These sound like a lot of fun!
            
            Thanks,
            Jamie

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      3. 95

         Glenn Stokposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         You can also post your challenge in the question/answer section as I did. Here's mine: http://glennstok.hubpages.com/question/ … -challenge

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      4. 86

         easylearningwebposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I recently did some research about Hub Challenges. I found this info in help: http://hubpages.com/faq/#hub-challenge  and I found an old forum about challenges where others had posted their hubs during their challenges, but it was very old and inactive.
         
         As Availiasvision and Glenn have noted, I think we have to take matters into our own hands and create our own challenges.
         
         I didn't know about Annart's challenge but I will definitely check it out.
         
         Some of you may already know that I just recently started my own 30 hubs in 30 days challenge.
         
         Catherine - I didn't know where to begin either, so I created a hub for it here: http://easylearningweb.hubpages.com/hub … tivity-Log
         
         I also created a thread too: http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/127177
         
         Please join me be either creating your own challenge, or join me in my challenge. I will be glad to post a link to your challenge on my hub or thread for you.
         
         Let's keep the challenges going! Thank you for everyone's support!!! Much appreciated. :-)

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         1. 84

            Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            I think there's a misunderstanding about Challenges.
            
            The 30 Day Challenge was always a self-challenge, not a group thing.  The idea is that you set yourself the goal of writing 30 Hubs in 30 Days, and by announcing it in the forums, you give yourself more incentive to complete it.  Hubbers can cheer each other on, but it was never a thing where everybody had to start and finish on the same day.   There have never been any prizes or accolades associated with it.
            
            There were a few group Challenges officially supported by HubPages, but there are a couple of reasons why they died out, I think.  The main one is that the way they worked can't be done now.  Nowadays the only way to find Hubs written for a Challenge is if they're listed on a forum or on Facebook, whereas in the past they could all be interlinked automatically for people to browse.
            
            The way that worked was this. Once upon a time, you could add 'tags' to your Hubs and you could add a RSS feed to your Hubs.  When you joined a group Challenge, you added the relevant Challenge tag and Challenge RSS feed to each Hub you wrote for it.   So for instance, if you were writing for the Travel Challenge you would add "Hubtrail":
            
            http://travelespresso.hubpages.com/hub/ … trail-FAQs
            
            The interlinking was part of the reason it died out.  Unless the Challenge was on a specific topic, like travel, then you'd end up with Hubs on lots of different subjects interlinked with each other  - not a good thing in Google's eyes.

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               easylearningwebposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               Marisa, You are right again and offer a lot of good tips.
               
               For me, I'm actually doing my challenge for different regions, and it may be a different reason that others have for doing it. The only way I can explain it is like this: Suppose someone was planning to swim the English channel; the person might practice everyday, doing laps in a swimming pool. When compared to writing, I'm planning on embarking on some "big" writing projects next year, and writing 30 hubs in 30 days is my preparation, my learning process, my way of trying to learn from others, and getting support too. I am so motivated for this challenge and I can see myself at the finish line.
               
               I hope to motivate other to write and pursue their dreams.
               
               All writers out there...even though the challenges are not what they used to be and times have changed...don't let that stop you. Reach for the stars! *****

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      Sue B.posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I think I would really benefit from a one hub a month for a year type challenge.  What are your thoughts?

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      The Story Dooodeposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      For the past two weeks, I have been trying to introduce a new kind of Hub challenge into Hublandia.  My idea was to submit a children's Christmas story as a Hub (in daily installments through Christmas Day)  and challenge older members of Hub-reading families to take a few minutes each day to either (1) read the story to children in the family or (2)  provide an opportunity for the families' children to read the story to adults.  I envision this endeavor of mine becoming a major family event that could build family values, create new family bonds, and simply be something for family members to look forward to each day.  And it'll work.  How do I know?  Because an AP writer by the name of Lucrece Hudgins Beale did just this same thing back in the 1940s and 50s.  And I was then a child who greatly bnefitted from the experience.  So much so that (sixty years later) I reinstituted that tradition of serialized Christmas stories (as a volunteer effort) with our regional newspaper....and it was greatly received.  My "story" Hub as written is just simple text, mere words in sentences in paragraphs with no photos, videos, or artwork.  I believe that carefully-written words can do a great job of creating the intended mental images and visualizations.
      My "story" Hub is written, edited, and ready to be used.  My problem is I'm a new Hubbist  and this Hub represents my first foray.  So far I haven't been succcessful.  I can't get the Hub system to accept my simple text.
      
      Anyone have submittal-procedure suggestions for me?  Yes, I've delved into the Hub Learning Center and the FAQ and I couldn't gleen a submittal procedure that worked, receiving failure notices that didn't seem to apply to my objective.  I have a long track record of writing successes, and the story I want to Hub is an extract from one of my Christmas story books on Amazon.com (since 2012).  Plus this particular story was copyrighted and published in our local newspaper (beginning above-the-fold on page 1 each day) in 2006.  My only motivation for doing this is my desire to spread the spirit of the holiday season a little further and down paths previously untravelled.   Can anyone help me submit my Hub?

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         Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         What message are you getting when you try to publish the Hub?
         
         Are there any messages at the top of the Hub which you can click on to get more explanation?
         
         HubPages does not allow duplicate content, regardless of whether it was written by the same person.  However, that applies only to content that is published online - so your Amazon book and the newspaper should not matter, unless the newspaper has published the story online. 
         
         The only problem I can see with your project is that there is no way of notifying your followers that you have updated a Hub to add new material.

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      2. 89

         Jodahposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Hi The Story Dooode, this sounds like an interesting and worthy project/challenge. As Marisa suggested you should look at the reasons HP gives for this not being published. You will find you will need at least one photo at the top of the hub. What is the initial word count etc? I hope you get it off the ground I would love to participate. I actually started a progressive Christmas poem as a hub a couple of years back where other hubbers added verses to a poem I started. It was very popular and worked well. It is called "A Poem Without and End" if you wish to check it out.

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   5. 77

      CatherineGiordanoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Some people suggested that I do a lipogram challenge on it. I am finally getting around to doing so. Three literary-types who are active on HubPages will be the judges.
      
      Read the hub, especially the section titled "How do I write a lipogram?" The tips in that section are the guidelines the judges will use to pick the winner.
      
      The winners and runners-up will be featured with a bio and their winning entry in a new hub. Your entry constitutes your agreement to have your lipogram included in the new hub on lipograms.
      
      You can submit your lipograms in the comments section. There is no minimum number of words; the maximum is 50 words. Entries must be written in English--since spelling sometimes differs between British and American English, you may use either, but be consistent within the lipogram. The contest is open to both hubbers and non-hubbers.
      
      The deadline is January 31, 2015 midnight EST.

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      1. 77

         CatherineGiordanoposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         The deadline for the lipogram challenge is fast approaching--(it's 1/31/15).  I have chosen three judges from outside HubPages. One is a very successful editor, one is a former teacher, and one is a retired chairman of the humanities department at a large university. I thought the jusging would be more impartial if I used judges with no connection of HP.  Please go to my hub, "What is a Lipogram" for full rules and tips.
         
         

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2. 89

   Jodahposted 9 years ago

   I love participating in these hub challenges. I have done annart's recent one as well as a few by Frank Atanacio, and also billybuc. It's a great way to get inspired and to try a few different genres to what you normally write.

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   1. 78

      Availiasvisionposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      At first I thought I had too much on my plate to host a challenge, and was hoping that someone else would step up to the plate.   However, I saw the need and the opportunity to host one and decided that it would be fun.  I enjoyed Ann's challenge so much that I thought that more Hubbers should follow suit.   
      
      I would love it if all of you would join in on the fun. 
      
      http://availiasvision.hubpages.com/hub/ … -Challenge
      
      HubPages used to do lots of challenges, but have backed off.  many of you have expressed  interest in more challenges.  I guess we the people have to take matters into our own hands.  Let's do this!

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3. 59

   Brenda Andiposted 9 years ago

   Hello, I,ve been a member just a few weeks done one hub don't think i did very well. I'm not sure about this short story think but I may try can't hurt right.
   
   Thanks for listening
   Brenda

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4. 91

   cam8510posted 9 years ago

   I'm playing catch up on the challenges.  I know about Annarts, which I participated in, and billybucs some time back.  Availiasvision, you sponsored a great one as well.  Is there a new one since then? 
   
   I'm interested in sponsoring a flash fiction challenge.  I'm thinking of holding the stories to 500 words and presenting a genre, location and object.  This is similar to the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge I participated in recently with over one thousand other writers.  It was a blast. 
   
   Jennifer, you tried to do one which would include voting.  It didn't work because the voting was done in a poll capsule that couldn't be updated without losing all previous data.  That could be resolved by waiting for an end point to the challenge.  On that day, I would post a hub that included a poll capsule for voting.  It would have the names of all the stories and the authors.  It would not have to be updated since the challenge would have ended.  The actual voting could take place a week or so after the end of the challenge in order to allow everyone to read all the stories. 
   
   I could write a hub to start the challenge which could include a brief tutorial on writing flash fiction.  I'm not an expert, but I think I could give enough guidelines to get us on our way. 
   
   I could use some help spreading the word far and wide, since many of my 309 followers are not even on hubpages any longer.  It would be fun to see how deeply we could penetrate this site of over 83,000 published users.  I would write a brief description of the challenge that each participant could paste into their story hub. 
   
   So, how about it?  A 500 word Flash Fiction Challenge.  Everyone writes on the same prompts provided by me.  The prompts would be similar to this:
   
   Genre--Romantic Comedy
   Location--A speed dating session
   Object--An ink pen
   
   This is just an example of the prompts, but you can see how it works.  The location would be key to the story.  Most of the story should occur in that location.  The object would be of minimal importance, requiring only a mention.  But it could also play a creative roll as well.  I could also do away with my prompt idea and just have a photo for a prompt.  What do you think?  Is there too much going on right now in the way of challenges.  Is it too close to Christmas?  Are people too busy?  I could wait until after the New Year if that would work better.  Let me know your thoughts.  Thanks,
   
   Chris

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      Jodahposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      We discussed this awhile back Chris and I think it is an excellent idea that you have obviously developed further. I for one am a willing participant whether or not you begin it before or after Christmas. If you start it before you just need to allow a longer deadline to allow for people being busy or away. The idea of the prompts sound good as does the voting poll in a seperate hub after the contest has ended. I look forward to the challenge.

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      1. 91

         cam8510posted 9 years agoin reply to this

         John, you and I discussed an idea that is really very different from what I've presented here.  Unless we talked about two different challenges, which is very possible.  The idea I remember talking to you about would be like a relay race in track.  Someone would run the first leg by writing the beginning of a story using certain prompts.  The next person would take the story as written by the first person and carry it on, adhering to the same prompts.  A third person could wrap it up.  Each person would have total freedom to carry the story forward however they wanted.  I have no idea how this would work.  It might be fitting if the prompt was a train wreck.

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            Jodahposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            Yes you are correct Cam, it was a different idea wasn't it. I must have been mixing it up with something I'd been discussing elsewhere. This is good though.

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5. 89

   Jodahposted 9 years ago

   I have written a new Hub Writing Prompt/Challenge and would love it if as many people as possible would attempt it. It is based on selecting a random sentence from a book, magazine, news article etc. and writing a poem or story from that sentence. See my hub:" How to Construct a Short Story Using One Sentence as a Prompt" for details. Cheers, there is no time limit.

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