In an attempt to broaden my horizons regarding the things I write about and the style I write in, I decided to take part in some themed competitions, most of which lie outside the realm in which I usually write. I find this a great exercise in creativity, one in which I can push myself past my perceived limitations. And who knows, maybe I will surprise myself and something really awesome will come out of it.

As a first endeavor, I entered the 5th edition of the Flash Fiction Competition held by the César Egido Serrano Foundation. The entries accepted were to be written in only 100 words and with regard to the motto: The Word, bridging the gap between different cultures and religions.

I was really excited to give this a try, as I have written flash fiction stories before, although somewhat longer than 100 words. I immediately started thinking of possible stories and themes I could write about, but for quite a while no tangible idea came forth. This, of course, had left me uneasy, as I had felt this lack of new ideas and inspirations for quite some time now.

A tranquil heart creates no waves. I wondered if this was true. In my younger years, when my heart had been a hurricane of emotions, my mind whirred, birthing stories one after another, and all I needed was something to hold it fast with. A pen, a keyboard, a recorder. Anything to keep that fleeting idea encaged. But now, for some reason, it seems a rare occasion when a new idea pops into my head. And it worries me sometimes.

But thankfully, my motivation persisted over my perceived loss of imagination critters, and, after some effort, my first entry was born. Peace had returned to my mind. And though it was a bit difficult to squeeze it all into a mere 100 words, in the end I triumphed. I hoped I had captured the essence of what the story was about, and that its soul remained intact in this confinement. I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

For my second entry, I had chosen a short piece I had already written, one that was close to my heart, and which I wanted to share. Alas, it was more than 100 words, so my struggle started anew in bringing it down to an acceptable size. This proved even more difficult than the first one, but after some restructuring I think I have ended up with a good version of it. Same message, despite the different form. And so, my contributions to this competition had been completed.

And now, I eagerly wait for the results, and hope to learn something new from the winning stories. It’s a win-win either way. A good breeding ground for my imagination critters. And once the results have been announced, I would like to share my stories here as well, for those interested.