Last year at this time I was clinically depressed.  Really, really depressed.  Apathetic not–get-out-of-my-pajamas-or-leave-the-house-for-days-at-a-time kind of depressed.  Although I would not call my mood “sunny” this November, I at least can acknowledge the holidays are coming without muttering “whatevs” under my breath and maybe even muster up some energy to do a little something this year.

I have decided that I would like to host a Winter Holiday Writing Prompt Challenge that acknowledges that not everyone celebrates Christmas and that the holidays can be more stressful than joyful at times.  A Winter Holiday writing challenge where you can do you, whatever that means.

*Please forgive me for even hinting at Winter Holidays before the American Thanksgiving but I did want to give people adequate time to write and submit

The Guidelines

Writing Prompt- The Winter Holiday Song of Your Choice**

1. Using a Winter Holiday song of your choice as inspiration, write a 100 to 800 word original, previously unpublished piece.  It can be poetry, prose, short fiction or even essay.  The Winter Holiday song can be used as the title, you can use the phrase intact, or break it up however you want within the written piece.  I do ask that tell me what song inspired your piece and that you include a link to your favorite version.
2. Pick out an image to go with your submission
3. Write a brief biography
4. Send the following to christine.e.ray@gmail.com by midnight on Friday, December 15 2017:
   • Your original piece
   • suggested image
   • brief biography including the name you write under
   • link to where you post your writing (blog, Facebook page, Instagram, etc.)
5. Submissions will be judged by me and at least one guest judge.  If you are interested in being a guest judge for this challenge, let me know.
6. I will publish all submissions on Brave and Reckless as long as they are appropriate and you are welcome to reblog to your platform once they have been published on Brave and Reckless first. They will also get a plug on Brave and Reckless‘ Twitter and Facebook pages. All participants are strongly encouraged to reblog the winning submission to their own blog.

Please feel free reblog and post this challenge invitation on social media.

**I really mean any song that mean the Winter Holidays to you.  Except for maybe Alvin and the Chipmunks singing Christmas music.  That is an abomination.  If one of the Alvin and the Chipmucks Christmas songs is your inspiration, your writing had better be EPIC!

My favorite non-traditional Winter Holiday Song?  Joni Mitchell’s River covered by Robert Downey Jr.