The 100-word Microfiction Challenge 2025 / 1st Round Assignment Feedback - A Philanderer
My Date Looks Like Richard Gere
On March 21, 2025, I entered the 1st Round of the 6th annual 100-word Microfiction Challenge 2025. I had 24 hours to complete this Challenge. Four thousand three hundred thirty-nine writers participate in 75 groups, with approximately 58 writers per group.
Here are the criteria I was given to write my story:
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Action: Overcoming a fear
Word Assignment: Spirit
Time: 24 hours
Word Length: 100 Words Maximum
Dear Anita Wladichuk,
The feedback from the judges on your 1st Round submission for the 100-word Microfiction Challenge 2025 is below. We hope you find the feedback helpful, and you are proud of the story you created. Thank you for participating, and we hope to see you in a future challenge!
''A Philanderer'' by Anita Wladichuk - WHAT THE JUDGES LIKED ABOUT YOUR STORY - {2538} This story is filled with shrewd, clever characterization that accomplishes two jobs at once. Not only do you define the romantic interest with great detail, but you're also able to imbue the main character with anxiety and suspicion. That's a difficult tightrope to walk, ensuring both characters are analyzed without either feeling neglected. It's an impressive feat. {2324} The introduction to the Richard Gere look alike sets the story up well! You instill a sense of suspicion and foreshadowing for the reader, engaging them right away. This helps to set the tone to captivate your audience throughout the entire story. {2503} I like that while there is an element of humor here with the Richard Gere mistaken identity, you've flipped the genre and made it not about falling in love but rather the fear of losing love. WHAT THE JUDGES FEEL NEEDS WORK - {2538} This is a wonderful story of a character with a clear fear: They have no idea if they can trust the authenticity of this possible philanderer. You populate that fear with great examples of the main character's struggle to determine his honesty, such as the first date moment. However, I wish the main character did something (probably in the end) where she tried to catch him in a lie. She doesn't have to succeed (it might be better if she fails), but it would help us feel like she's a little more active in the story. It might also leave us on a stronger note: Right now, the final line feels a little flat. Reworking the final line to include the main character's attempt at testing "Richard Gere" may be a more fitting end. {2324} The bit about the play they attend could be condensed. "On my first date... a woman asked whether he was Richard Gere, leaving me wondering..." Be particular about word choice in microfiction since each line needs to propel the plot and character development forward. "Wondering" in lieu of "Uncertain" is just a bit clearer, allowing the reader to understand that this is a lingering concern. This condensing also allows for some space to provide concrete insights into their relationship dynamic. For example, what sort of silly gestures did he do? Anything specific would be helpful for contributing to the character development. This also goes for overcoming the fear of his cheating. How is she trying to overcome it? Why? {2503} Richard Gere pretty famously has silver hair (or black if you're going for a young Gere), not blonde. It's a minor detail, but since the plot hinges on him being mistaken for Richard Gere and using that to get women, it stands out. How does the character change? What happens in the end? We need to see some character growth here for this to feel like a complete story.
This is what I wrote: https://ghostlyowl.substack.com/p/a-philanderer
