Overview: Contests
| # | Awarded | Story | Title | Publisher | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #010 | 2025-11-26 | EN25-016 | Ex Factor | Furious Fiction | Shortlisted |
| The original title of the story was 'HAPPILY DIVORCED: THE SHOW,' but the jury suggested a much better title: 'EX FACTOR' (which is now the new title of this short story). This is what the jury wrote: "Many stories this month began with a ‘welcome back' moment but this one cleverly drops us mid-question into the action and we can’t help but be engaged in this battle of wills and waffles. Well, this has all the elements we were looking for in a made-up game show. The ever-eager crowd, the desperate contestants and of course the gleaming host. With a trio of similes (yes, they also count as metaphors!) and a big smile, this host commands the stage as things go from divorced to absurd. Perhaps the only thing that could improve this is to have called the show ‘Ex Factor'!" Those are great comments, but there's one thing the jury didn't know: I didn't invent the show. It already exists in Belgium: 'Gelukkig gescheiden'! |
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| #009 | 2025-07-23 | EN25-012 | His Fifth Wedding | Furious Fiction | Shortlisted |
| This is what the jury wrote: It seems appropriate to end this selection with a smile on our face as Richard, Edgar and Charles are three naughty boys caught pooling their old-age pensions to hire a stripper for their friend James’ bachelor party. We saw a number of retirement home style stories this month – always a fun way to subvert a mostly younger trope, and a few made the long list below. But this one stood out in particular for its hilarious guilt-ridden trio and concise structure that starts with the aftermath and fills in the blanks. It’s true that Nurse Billing has her work cut out for her, but you have to feel more sorry for both heartbreaker Candy and poor off-screen Margaret in all this. Efficiently and expertly delivered, and a good send off for both James and our July showcase! | |||||
| #008 | 2024-10-12 | NL19-036 | Geen connectie | Diverse uitgevers / schrijfwedstrijden | Shortlisted |
| Behaalde een plaatsje in de 'Lezenswaardig' bundel met als thema Contact, te verkrijgen bij Schrijverspunt.nl. | |||||
| #007 | 2024-06-02 | NL24-012 | Terug naar Elverdinge | Marceline de Waard | Shortlisted |
| Wedstrijd 'Die ene zomer' georganiseerd door Marceline de Waard; selectie van 13 verhalen. Juryrapport: De jury houdt van verhalen rond het thema ‘wie is je vader of je moeder’ en deze bijna vergeten familiegeschiedenis intrigeerde haar. Enerzijds kwam dat door de sobere pen van Bruno, anderzijds door zijn vakkundig vermijden van de kwalificaties goed en kwaad. Het is daardoor een bescheiden verhaal geworden dat precies voldoende ‘ademt’. |
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| #006 | 2023-12-22 | EN23-002 | A Mouse Called Elephant | Furious Fiction | Shortlisted |
| Report of the Jury: The ‘he said’, ‘she said’ format works very well in this reunion of former lovers – setting the scene (and a little foreshadowing) with the awkward American meets Euro style of greeting at the very beginning. While we had a lot of stories of people meeting up again after some time, this one stands out for its efficiency – no lengthy backstories or side tangents. Just a real-time back-and-forth that works in part because it too is awkward and stilted – one perhaps still hoping for a flicker of requiting. In short, it feels real. Also a cute way to incorporate the concept of an ‘elephant in the room’ without never actually saying those words! | |||||
| #005 | 2022-11-15 | NL22-002 | De archipel | Marceline de Waard | Shortlisted |
| Wedstrijd 'Eilanders' georganiseerd door Marceline de Waard; selectie van 13 verhalen. | |||||
| #004 | 2021-11 | NL21-002 | De ex-minnaar | Marceline de Waard | Shortlisted |
| Wedstrijd 'Het gebeurde op een zondag' georganiseerd door Marceline de Waard; selectie van 13 verhalen. | |||||
| #003 | 2020-07 | NL19-064 | Waar het verstand niet bij kan... | Marceline de Waard | Shortlisted |
| Wedstrijd 'Het gebeurde op een zondag' georganiseerd door Marceline de Waard; selectie van 13 verhalen. | |||||
| #002 | 2019-06-09 | NL19-013 | De sterfelijke god | Diverse uitgevers / schrijfwedstrijden | Shortlisted |
| Het verhaal werd geselecteerd voor publicatie in een boek met als thema 'Sage' van 18.02 Publishing, maar het contract dat ondertekend moest worden, was onaanvaardbaar. | |||||
| #001 | 2019-04-09 | NL19-068 | Robots aan de macht | Diverse uitgevers / schrijfwedstrijden | Shortlisted |
| Genomineerd voor publicatie in de vierde '55 woorden verhalen' bundel van Schrijverspunt.nl | |||||