avatarKelly Eden | Essayist | Writing Coach

Summary

The website content features a curated list of five compelling Medium contest entries that offer powerful narratives and moving personal stories, ranging from coping with grief to navigating a pandemic.

Abstract

The article on the undefined website showcases five exceptional stories from Medium's writing contests, each providing a unique and poignant reading experience. The selected essays cover diverse themes such as the stages of grief through family recipes, the complexities of love and loss, the haunting impact of a brother's suicide, the struggle of adapting to a 'new normal' during the pandemic, and the emotional journey of returning home amid global travel restrictions. The author of the website content emphasizes the high quality of writing in these entries and encourages readers to immerse themselves in these powerful narratives for an enriching escapist reading experience.

Opinions

  • The author expresses admiration for Brigitta Szaszfai's storytelling technique, particularly her use of objects, like her grandmother's Christmas cookies, to convey the narrative of grief.
  • Aaron Nichols' writing is praised for its captivating use of the concept of a labyrinth to explore love's complexities, leaving a strong impression on the author.
  • Lee G. Hornbrook is recognized as a master storyteller, with his piece on his brother's suicide resonating deeply with the author, who has read it multiple times.
  • Sarah Paris' essay is noted for its relatable expression of the collective feeling of transitioning into a 'new normal,' described through vivid visual imagery.
  • Roo Benjamin's story is commended for transporting readers to Australia, evoking a sense of longing for the sounds of one's homeland, which is particularly poignant during a time when travel is restricted.
  • The author invites readers to share their own favorite Medium contest entries, fostering a sense of community and engagement among readers and writers.
  • A call to action is included, encouraging writers to subscribe for a weekly writing boost from Kelly, indicating a commitment to supporting and inspiring the writing community.

5 Perfect Stories for Weekend Escapist Reading

My favorite Medium contest entries this week

Photo by Dan Dumitriu on Unsplash

I can’t stop reading the Medium contest entries. I always say contests bring out our best work as writers, and this has certainly been true on Medium this month.

Grab a comfy chair and let these incredible writers wrap you up in their worlds. Each essay is a few minutes of powerful escapism. Enjoy!

1. Recipe for Grief

A master of “using objects to tell the story”, Brigitta Szaszfai uses her grandmother’s Christmas cookies to weave through the stages of grief.

It makes for a moving narrative and one that will change the way you view your own special family recipes. Unforgettable.

“You see, that’s the problem!” This prompted my dad, who caught this last part.

“What is?” he asked.

“That we don’t freaking write down our recipes in a book or something!”

2. Love’s Labyrinth Lost

Aaron Nichols. How have I never come across this fantastic writer before? Aaron, you had me at the word “labyrinth”.

Every time I revisit this memory, call up in my mind’s eye the texture of her tear-stained face under the window’s moonlight, I wish that moment was the end of the story. I want to write “happily ever after” and move on, tell you that the players ascended to heaven right then and there, that I was strong enough to withstand the gale-force of her desperate desire to be loved.

3. In My Brother’s Shadow

(this story deals with suicide)

Lee G. Hornbrook is a former college writing teacher and a master storyteller. This is a 12 minute read you get swept away in. I’ve read it twice.

My entire life, my family called me by my brother’s name, Lynn, not Lee, Even distant relatives, family members back East where he was born, called me by his name when they first met me. They called me by his name when they’d known me for years. That’s not just a slip of the tongue. Like his high school girlfriend, they see the ghost within.

4. Entering the ‘New Normal’ Feels like Crawling Through a Birth Canal.

Told in short visual bites, Sarah Paris’ expresses what a lot of us are thinking and feeling right now.

When I walked alone to my car at the end of a long workday, I’d muster my best William Wallace and shout, “Freedom!”

I am often dumb.

5. How to Return Home in a Pandemic

I always love to read stories from different parts of the world.

In a time when most of us can’t travel like we want to, Roo Benjamin transports us to Australia with the country’s gorgeous birds and an equally gorgeous story.

I didn’t miss the politics or the media. I didn’t miss the extreme heat or bushfires. There was a specific moment when I knew what I missed. A friend sent me a video of her being interviewed in the Australian bush. In the background was the warbling of magpies and laughter of kookaburras. I found myself crying. Crying for the sounds of the land of my birth.

What are some entries you’ve enjoyed?

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