writtenwas

writtenwas is a collaborative online literary project and conceptual genre that centers on ultra-short prose pieces reflecting on writing, memory, and publication. The name, writtenwas, is typically rendered in lowercase and suggests a state of textual existence that has been authored but not fully realized in public discourse.

Origins and development

The project began in the mid-2010s as a loose zine by writers in North America and Europe and later migrated to a web platform designed for user-submitted micro-essays. An editorial rotation was established to curate a monthly theme, balancing individual voice with collective aims. Over time, writtenwas established guidelines that emphasize brevity, precision, and reflexivity about the act of writing.

Format and style

Pieces in writtenwas are usually compact, often under 150 words, and emphasize cadence, sonic texture, and meta-textual commentary on how texts come into being. The style favors elliptical narration, as if each entry records a moment of writing that has not yet become published or widely read. Submissions are commonly published with minimal edits to preserve authorial voice; attribution is typically by author alias, reinforcing a sense of communal authorship rather than individual prominence.

Reception and influence

scholars and readers regard writtenwas as part of a broader movement toward digital micro-literature that values immediacy and participatory culture. Critics may note variability in quality due to the open submission model, but the project is praised for fostering experimentation, dialogue, and new forms of collaborative writing.

See also

microfiction, flash fiction, digital literature, collaborative writing.