Sledghammer 2009 Is On!

Writers to your marks. Get set. Shatter!

(Your writer’s block, that is.)

For the second year running, the Sledgehammer Writing Contest innovatively incorporates a scavenger hunt with a team competition and a prize package worth thousands of dollars—oh, and did we mention there’s a 36-hour time limit?

Here’s how it works:

Teams of writers converge at noon on Saturday to receive their first writing prompt and scavenger hunt clues. From there they head out to several locations around the city to gather all four writing prompts, and then they have 36 hours to write the best fiction piece they can. Final submissions are due back in person by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.

The following week, competitors will read their stories at an unveiling, and the audience will vote on the top three. The top three from each city will win gift certificates to local businesses, be invited to read their work at Wordstock and other venues, and go into the running for the grand prize package worth thousands of dollars!

Thanks to all of our sponsors who make the prize package so phenomenal.

Portland: August 29-30
Seattle: September 19-20

Start and end locations TBA.

Visit www.sledgehammercontest.com for more details and to register.

Sledgehammer Recap

Okay, so I'm a little late in posting on Sledgehammer, but that doesn't mean it hasn't had my adrenaline going for the last week! Sledgehammer took place in Portland on October 18 and 19, and I, for one, had a blast. We had 11 teams register for the 36-hour writing challenge--complete with scavenger hunt and optional teamwork--and 100 percent more who said they wouldn't miss it again for the world. I think that means we'll make it annual!

Teams or individuals were required to write a short story completely within the 36 hours dedicated for the contest. They had to follow clues to three Portland businesses to pick up writing prompts that were required to be included in the final product. Prompts included:

the sushi chef from Mizu Sushi
dialogue written by Writers' Dojo members
a three-line excerpt from the book Visibility
the phrase all girl summer fun

With those same four prompts appearing in each story, results varied greatly. Judge Jan Underwood, 2005 winner of the 3-Day Novel Contest and Portland resident, summed them up with, "These eight stories range in tone from farcical to contemplative. Three include romance and three involve elements of the supernatural. Settings range from a snow-bound prairie town to an antique tractor fair to our own dear Portland."

If you've got your editor eye working, you saw that Jan said "eight stories." Yes, it's true. We had three tragic losses along the way. Actually, we don't know if they were tragic in any capacity other than not finishing the stories, and we certainly hope all contestants are alive, well, and still writing.

From the participants who finished, feedback includes:

"Thanks for getting me started on writing! Writing the story helped me gauge the extent of my imagination, and how difficult it is to be a writer. To be honest, I never expected to write something dark, but that is what came out. I realized that writing is that less explored mode of self-expression, which is something I have never explored earlier. I really appreciate your efforts, and I hope you have great success in this and the future years in SledgeHammer!"

"Nice job putting everything together! It was really fun, even the frantic-revising-until-the-last-minute part."

We also had amazing support from the business community in Portland, with 30 businesses donating to our prize package, which totaled over $3,000 worth of prizes, including a bike tour of Hawaii from Common Circle Expeditions, a lunch meeting with literary agent Cathy Fowler, and oodles of gift certificates for food, books, classes, writing community membership, and much more.

The Oregonian came out too, immortalizing our inaugural event and one participant's sweatpants. Check out the article here.

In short, we love this time-constrained writing challenge and will definitely be doing it again next year. Watch for us next fall!

Only Three Days Left Till Sledgehammer!

The writing contest of the century--or at least the weekend--is almost upon us.

Indigo Editing & Publications introduces a new approach to shattering writer’s block: create teams, run around Portland gathering writing prompts and write a story … all within 36 hours.

This weekend will bring the first-ever Sledgehammer writing contest. Starting at noon on Saturday, October 18, teams of writers will converge at Backspace, 115 N.W. 5th Ave. in Portland, to receive their first writing prompt and clues to further writing prompts. They’ll head out to several locations around Portland to gather all four writing prompts, and they’ll have 36 hours to write the best fiction piece they can come up with. Final submissions are due back at Backspace by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 19.

The winning piece will be selected by judge Jan Underwood, 2005 winner of the 3-Day Novel Writing Contest for Day Shift Werewolf. The victorious team takes home the prize package worth over $3,000 and will be scheduled to read during Wordstock, held November 8 and 9 at the Portland Convention Center.

Prizes include a bike tour of Hawaii, writing classes, writing community memberships, books, gift certificates, magazine subscriptions, T-shirts, editing services and much more! The winning piece will be distributed in print at Wordstock and online at www.indigoediting.com/sledgehammer.

Participant registration is open to individuals as well as teams. Register online at www.indigoediting.com/sledgehammer or in person as late as noon on October 18. Cost is $20/individual or $75/team. Open to all ages. Participants 12 and under will receive free feedback on their story, courtesy of Indigo Editing & Publications.

Through the Sledgehammer writing contest, we support writing as a team activity, foster love for the beautiful city of Portland and its small businesses and thrive through cooperative creativity among people and across the arts.