Shattering the Writer's Block

October 18, 12 p.m. to October 19, 11:59 p.m.

Writers to your marks. Get set. Bang!

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 thirty-six hours.

This October brought the first-ever Sledgehammer writing contest. Starting at noon on Saturday, October 18, teams of writers converged in Northwest Portland to receive their first writing prompt and clues to gather the three remaining prompts. From there they headed out to several locations around Portland to gather all four writing prompts, and then they had thirty-six hours to write the best fiction piece they could.Final submissions were due back in person by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 19.

Writers were not only competing for the title of Sledgehammer winner, but also a prize package worth over three thousand dollars donated by local businesses as well as a reading at Wordstock. Portland resident and 2005 winner of the 3-Day Novel Contest Jan Underwood judged submitted stories. Here we present to you the chiseled and polished product of the winning contestant’s shattered writer’s block.

Watch this page for news leading up to Sledgehammer’s second adventure in fall 2009.

Download the winning story here.

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