The Five Hundred celebrates five years with a new book

Winston Blake Wheeler Ward, 32, started online flash-fiction challenge The Five Hundred in 2010 while living in Seoul, South Korea, as a way to stay immersed in the literary world he’d grown accustomed to here in Atlanta (after stints in Brunswick, Concord, Mass., Germany, Texas and Tennessee). “The idea was never anything particularly special, I don’t think,” he says. “I post a prompt on the first of every month and whoever comes across it can submit a 400- to 600-word reaction to the prompt.” (Past prompts having included phrases such as “Let’s take it from the top” and “The struggle is real.”) While Ward, who’s once again in based in ATL, uses the term “flash-fiction,” submissions may be poetry, essays, short plays, or anything in between. “Anything that is submitted and adheres to the word count limit is posted on the site and open to discussion,” he says. “It’s really that simple.”

So simple, it seems, that he’s been able to amass a roster of more than 40 contributing writers, many of whom will be featured in The Five Hundred’s new tome, We Wrote a Book: An Anthology of Stories, slated to come out next month with a release party at The Highland Ballroom March 19. “I decided to publish an anthology because the site’s five-year anniversary was in February and I wanted to show my appreciation to all of the talented authors who have contributed over those years,” Ward says. “I’ve had authors contribute upwards of 50 stories in the 60 opportunities so far — and their only reward is the satisfaction of having done it. It’s remarkable devotion.” He adds that, to date, the site has received a remarkable 600-plus submissions.

Ward chose to self-publish the book, compiling and formatting it himself, and funded the project through donations via GoFundMe. Only 150 copies will be printed on the first run, several of which will go to the contributing authors, and the rest will be available during the release party. “I’m constantly humbled by the hard work and dedication of those involved in the city’s lit scene,” he says. “Over the past few years, they’ve built something special here and I can’t thank them enough for their efforts. Atlanta is my home and they make it so much better through their works.”