canvas

In an exchange of letters over the topic of my upcoming spec fic antho, poet and fictionist Cyan Abad-Jugo told me about the Canvas First Annual Children's Storywriting Competition.

Just like those writing challenges that pop up all over the internet, this contest requires you to write a 2000 word story based on an oil painting (cruelly cropped, above) by artist Elmer Borlongan. The winning author will have his or her story fully painted by Emong and then published.

Deadline for entries is August 15, 2005. Download details as a PDF here.

It's a very interesting challenge, given the small number of words and the fact that your story will inevitably have a guy playing a violin on rocking-horseback. But apart from the delight in writing, the adrenalin-high of competition, and getting your story painted and published, the P30k prize money is a very decent prize.

Nothing to lose by trying, so sige, subukan. I'll give it a shot myself though children's literature is not exactly my strength.