"Five Poisoned Apples" Writing Contest!

Rooglewood Press has just announced their theme for this year's fairy tale retelling contest!


THE FINAL FAIRY TALE CONTEST
Rooglewood Press invites you to join the adventure of the Five Poisoned Apples creative writing contest!

This is the final contest that Rooglewood Press plans to host, and it looks like it will be a lovely one. (Just look at that cover!) Contestants must write a retelling of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" that is between 5,000 and 20,000 words in length. Submission forms are due December 16th, 2017, and the finished stories must be emailed to Rooglewood Press by December 31st, 2017. Further details, obviously, are available at the above link. 

As a lover of fairy tale retellings, I adore the concept behind these anthologies. By focusing on one fairy tale at a time, these books provide a greater range for creativity and a more complete look at their chosen fairy tales.

As a contestant and winner of the previous contest, Five Magic Spindles, I highly encourage aspiring authors to enter. I learned more from writing Out of the Tomb than from any other writing experience. (First because of the word count limit--when you're trying to tell a novel-length story in 20,000 words, you learn to make every scene count--and later from the editing). Even if you don't win, retelling a tale and finishing a story is an invaluable writing experience. 

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" has tons of potential as a retelling. Assassination attempts, unlikely allies, betrayal, magic, disguises, true love, housework...there are a lot of dramatic elements to play with. Or comedic elements. Or horrific elements. You decide which direction to go. It's your retelling!

The most important advice I can give to potential contestants is: Be creative. Everybody knows this story...so you've got to work hard to surprise your readers. Come up with a conflict that goes beyond "Will Snow White live happily ever after?" Mix up characters, approach it from a different angle, create bold new settings or pick a strange new genre. Believe me, I never thought that "gender-swapped sci-fi Sleeping Beauty starring aliens" would be selected for the last anthology...yet I loved writing it, and the editors didn't find it too strange to fit into the book. As long as you fit the pieces of "Snow White" somewhere into this year's story, you can have tons of fun with your retelling. Snow White in the modern day? Snow White in Antarctica? Snow White and the Seven Giants? Snow White as a murder mystery (with a title like Five Poisoned Apples, it seems fitting)?. Snow White starring cats? Who knows what your story could be? The sky's the limit!

So, have at it, writers! Take the challenge and retell the fairy tale. Be creative, have fun, and write a great story!

Comments

  1. Hamlette (Rachel)June 1, 2017 at 2:01 PM

    Yes! If I can win with a retelling set in the old west that has zero magic involved, people can win with just about any idea as long as it's well-written.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ashley StanglJune 6, 2017 at 5:46 PM

      Yes, your retelling was brilliant! It's so important to make the story your own.

      Delete
    2. Hamlette (Rachel)June 8, 2017 at 9:40 AM

      Aww, thanks :-) That really is key -- make the story your own, write the story YOU want to read.

      Delete
    3. Hamlette (Rachel)November 22, 2017 at 5:22 PM

      BTW, I tagged you with the Disney Princess Book Tag. Play if you want to :-) Happy Thanksgiving!

      Delete
  2. E.F.B.June 2, 2017 at 11:54 AM

    I'm glad your gender-swapped sci-fi Sleeping Beauty won because it was one of my favorites of the collection! :D (I quite liked your zero magic old west retelling too, Hamlette, and this from someone who's never read a western before!)

    I had intended to enter the Sleeping Beauty contest as well, but life stuff got in the way (not to mention I didn't know enough about retellings at that time to write one) and never finished my story. This time is different. I've done my research and I'm really excited about my idea! It'll be on the more traditional side, but I'm still adding twists and new angles that I hope make it fresh. I'll certainly give it my best, anyway. :) Oooh I can't wait to see how this collection turns out!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ashley StanglJune 6, 2017 at 5:49 PM

      Thanks! I'm glad you liked my story! And I also can't wait to see how this collection turns out!

      It's awesome that you have the prep work in place. That can help so much in creating a new story. Good luck with the writing!

      Delete

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