The Shiny Dime Challenge

A Shiny Dime is a specific and surprising idea. It's the singular focus of a piece of writing. And it's a concept that will help you capture attention in a crowded world.

Hey writers,

This week, you learned how to compress your ideas (the right way). Now, it’s time to put it into practice. Here’s your writing prompt for week three of the Shiny Dime Challenge:

Write about a time you overcame an obstacle and achieved something you’re proud of. 

As you choose a topic, think of yourself as the main character in a story. Pick one success you’re proud of, and convey that story as succinctly as possible. Remember: it probably won’t be succinct at first, and that’s okay. Get your ideas on the page first; then, focus on density, not brevity. Pack your words with value. With every sentence, ask yourself: “How can I say more with less?”

Pro tip for compressing your work: use descriptive, active verbs.

As the main character in your piece, you perform every action. Success didn’t happen to you, but rather, you achieved that success. Descriptive, active verbs help you communicate more with less.

Don’t: “Our team received a huge trophy after winning the championship.”
Do: “I hugged my teammates and hoisted the championship trophy.”

The idea of a Shiny Dime is all about compression. Once you write your messy first draft of this story, identify your Shiny Dime. What is the one specific and surprising idea that you can focus on for your whole piece? Then compress what you’ve written around that idea. Descriptive, active verbs help. You can pack more meaning into the same number of words.

How can you say more with less? 

Good luck and happy compressing,

The Write of Passage Team 

Don't forget to post your writing in Circle. That way, others can read your work. And while you’re at it, like, comment, and leave feedback! Use the Circle community to connect with your peers and find inspiration.