Flash 500: Unreasonable Constraints II

Details

You may remember with glee, horror, or some strange admixture thereof, the previous Unreasonable Constraints contest, where I tossed out a bunch of letters and had you all write stories.

This week, we're going to do something similar, but a bit more complicated.  Instead of tossing out letters, we're going to lose a whole part of speech: the adjective.

Now that sounds a bit crazy--and it probably is--but here's why it can be useful: adjectives often try to achieve effects in writing that can be pulled off in a more concise, effective, and impression-making way without any.  This blog post by the Precision Editors Group and this little blurb on Georges Simenon (one of the most prolific and masterful French-language writers of the 20th century) should make clear why and how.

At the same time, though, adjectives clearly serve a useful purpose or we wouldn't have them as a part of speech.  So instead of asking you to cut out all adjectives, I'm going to severely limit you to one per hundred words.  This will make you only use those adjectives when they count, and figure out more creative ways (stronger verbs, for instance, or more descriptive nouns) to paint a vivid picture in the reader's mind.

So, this week's assignment: write a 500-word (or fewer) piece of fiction or non-fiction which only has one adjective per hundred words. 

Winning entries

Winners have been announced! Log in to see them.

Prizes

Rules

• Entries must be received before midnight of Monday, April 9th (UTC time), and winners will be announced within one week of that date.

• Entrants should read read this blog post by the Precision Editors Group and this little blurb on Georges Simenon. before participating.

• Part of our mini-contests is sharing what you've learned: although it's not required, we'd appreciate it if you come weigh in on the group discussion thread here

• Only one entry per member, please. Multiple entries will all be disqualified.

• Work must have Public visibility on Scribophile until winners are announced.

• Winners must have a valid Paypal account, or we won't be able to send the prize money!

Submission guidelines

• To enter the contest, post your work on Scribophile and check the box that says "Enter this work into the F5 Unreasonable Constraints II contest". Your work will automatically be considered. The checkbox 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 work by other members.