By Helen Morgan

Professor Richard (Ric) Jahna has announced Arizona Western College's 100 Word Short Story Competition which is open to current registered students, faculty or staff members until 5 p.m. November 17, 2010.

Jahna has taken Porchia Moore's position as Creative Writing Director for AWC after teaching three years in Parker. Although he has worked under three graduate programs at the University of Arizona and South Florida, this is his first full-time position. He is currently working on a Phd from the University of Louisiana in Layfette and has released a book called True Kin, available on Amazon.com with rave reviews.

"I think that the elements that make good fiction are the same whether the story is 100 words or 10,000 words," he wrote in an email to me. "Strong characterization, intriguing plot, precision of language, symbolic resonance. Those are just a few. In a 100 word story (also called micro fiction), you're working on a very small canvas, so you have to make a little go a long way."

Some suggestions he offered for the 100 word contest were to be focused, vivid and suggestive. "Try to make each story element accomplish more than one thing. For example, a description of a tree might both contribute to the story's tone and symbolically echo a character's rootedness in the community," he wrote.

Many people struggle with blank pages, not knowing where to even begin. Jahna suggested developing a habit of mind. As you go through your day try to keep mental notes to generate ideas. "A lot of people think they are only a writer when they sit down at the desk," Jahna said," but they are a work in progress." For example, if you pass a stranger in the coffee shop, see if you can develop a story about why they were in the coffee shop and what they were doing there. Or, just write down interesting notes about things that happened to you throughout your days.

The main thing is to lower your expectations. Jahna repeated this several times in our phone interview and quoted E.B. White who said, "The best writing is rewriting."

"It won't come out right the first time," Jahna wrote. "Spend time with the story."

Another suggestion Jahna gave was to read similar stories that others have written. Jahna won first place in a 100 word story contest while in graduate school and provided this website for some examples. These can be seen at http://www.usforacle.com/2.6026/the-oracle-100-word-short-story-contest-1.633187

There will be two first-place winners (one from both the Student and Faculty/Staff categories) will receive a prize of $50.00 and publication in AWC's student newspaper, Western Voice.

There will also be two 2nd place selections whom will receive gift packages and publication in Western Voice.

Honorable mention stories may also be selected and will appear in Western Voice.

Specifics for submissions are

• the stories must total no more than 100 words, not including the author's name and title.
• The story must be an original, unpublished work of fiction.
• Each author is limited to two submissions.
• Submissions should be attached as a word file.

Hardcopy submissions can be turned in at the front desk of the Humanities Office (LR-068) or through email at creativewriting@azwestern.edu. Manuscripts will not be returned.