Literary Contest: New Paths for Ukrainian Writers

Julia Butenko from Odesa is among eight Ukrainian authors participating in the Instagram contest LITUSA, competing to be the first to complete a novel online within a year. The winner will receive a chance to publish their work.

The progress of the show is shared on the organizers' Instagram page.

As a practicing lawyer, Julia is working on a novel that delves into the challenges of family dynamics. It's described as a "story about Astrid, who ran away from herself but returned to her native Odesa," according to the contest's press release.

Other contestants include writers Irina Yashchuk, Miroslava Kuntner, Marina Mozgova, Maryana Ravlo, Anna Bondarenko, Kateryna Naumka, and Irina Pakosh. They write across various genres, from historical fiction to detective stories and non-fiction.

The authors create their texts in real-time, holding open coworking sessions that anyone can join. Every week, LITUSA participants report on their writing progress.

Readers become part of the game: they vote, comment, choose names for the main characters, and support or critique their favorite authors.

The project’s page highlights all stages of the creative process: inspiration, procrastination, battling the inner critic, writer's block, unexpected insights at two in the morning, and various interesting insights – as shared by the organizers of the online contest.