Member-Sponsored “Who Am I? / Who Are You?” Contest

Details

The question of personal identity (Who am I? / Who are you?) has intrigued and perplexed me for many decades. So much so that my two novel-plays “Bearings for Balboa” and “The Secret Life of Paladin” were based on the anagram YMIINYRUU which phonetically becomes “Why am I, I and why are you, you?” I am running this contest in the hope that other fellow Scribophilers will also ponder these questions through flash fiction and perhaps help me at long-last find some answers to my life-long quest to understand the enigma of self-consciousness and personal identity. It might also be a fun and rewarding exercise for all of us. Here’s the challenge: Write a short piece of fiction (1,000 words or less) relative to the question “Who am I?” or “Who are you?” All genres (except poetry, novel chapters, or memoirs), either serious or humorous, are acceptable. Entries will be judged on originality as well as

• Engagement with the theme of personal identity (Who am I? / Who are you?)

• Storytelling (e.g. plot, pacing, descriptions, POV, characters, dialog).

• Technical ability (e.g. grammar and spelling).

To help you get started, you might find it useful to read this interesting article from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

In addition to the prizes listed below, honorable mentions will receive between 2 and 10 karma points.

Prize money for this contest is provided by the Scribophile Writing Contest Prize Fund.

Winning entries

Winners have been announced! Log in to see them.

Prizes

Rules

• Entries must be received before midnight (UTC time) Saturday, July 15, 2017 and the winners will be announced on or before August 15, 2017.

• Entries must be no more than 1,000 words per Scribophile’s count.

• All genres (except poetry, novel chapters, or memoirs), either serious or humorous, are acceptable.

• Multiple entries are not allowed.

Submission guidelines

• To enter the contest, post your work on Scribophile and check the box that says “Enter this work into the Member-Sponsored “Who Am I? / Who Are You?” Contest.” Your work will automatically be considered. The check box will be visible until the contest deadline, which is in UTC time.

• Entry is free, but you’ll need karma points to post your work. You can earn karma points by writing critiques of other members work. If you have placed in a contest in the past with a piece, you may not resubmit that piece in other contests.