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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#66: Ready, Set, Go!

It’s almost November, and for many writers around the world that means the start of National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. This wild challenge dares you to commit to writing a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days!

It’s an impressive feat, but it’s hardly the only way to exercise your writing muscles. If you like your writing in smaller doses but still want to build up the habit, today I’m going to challenge you to commit to writing a story from one prompt every week in November! (If you already do that, try for two, three, or even all five.)

To get you started, this week we’ll be focusing on stories all about challenging yourself. Whether it’s running a marathon, finally writing that novel, or just making it through a tough personal situation, challenge is what consistently pushes us to grow into our best selves.

And if you are giving novel writing a try, here are a few resources to help you along:

What Is NaNoWriMo? And How to Win in 2020
Join Reedsy’s NaNo Squad (with weekly live write-ins!)
Crafting a Novel Opening (workshop replay)
How to Write a Novel

This week's prompts

Start your story with one character telling another, “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”

Novel – 132 stories

Halfway through a fierce competition, your character is given the opportunity to cheat their way to victory: do they take it?

Short Story – 52 stories

Write about a character who makes a dramatic life change to pursue a goal they’ve secretly always wanted.

Novel – 120 stories

Write about a contest with life or death stakes.

Adventure – 145 stories

Write about a character who’s finally on the verge of achieving their lifelong dream.

Dramatic – 135 stories

Stories

“The Photographer” by David Dicaire

Submitted to Contest #66

The Photographer Richard Maynard was an executive for a very large conglomerate. He was second in command to the president/CEO. Richard had worked up from the mail room through the ranks of the company. He had a corner office with a spectacular view, a full-time secretary, plus two more part-timers if needed, a company car that was taken out once a month, washed and waxed, there were stock options and he golfed at least once a week. Of course, the green fees and cart and lunch were on the companies tab. But,...

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“Gibson, The Paranoid Orphan” by Austin Miller

Submitted to Contest #66

“Dear Son: If you’re reading this, then your mother and I are dead.” Gibson’s father never beat around the bush. His father was a big man, with a big personality. Gibson always imagined he’d die in his sleep, a quiet end to a loud life. Instead, lightning struck him dead at Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. Gibson's mother suffered the same fate. The week before that they sailed the Caribbean. Before that they hiked Colombian coffee fields. Gibson had not left his home in five years. He was 18. The letter continued… “Your...

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“Tall Tails and Big Fish” by Stan Allen

Submitted to Contest #66

“Ron, hand me a drink.” I was strapped to a fighting chair on the bow of the boat and couldn’t get up. We were anchored close to a sixty foot deep hole, which is a short distant south of the Sebastian inlet and about a half mile off shore. That is the point where the current slows allowing everything from the inter-coastal waterway to settle to the bottom. One other feature about this area is why the locals call it the monster hole for reasons soon to become obvious.“I didn’t know I’d be a servant.”“Stop complaining. You wanted to come. Pick...

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“Death Match” by Rachael Clark

Submitted to Contest #66

I twirl the dagger back-and-forth in my grip taking care not to cut myself on its blade. The thing is already coated in a thick build-up of rust and dried blood, I’m pretty sure a scratch from the thing would give someone an infection. Unfortunately, this is all they gave me to protect myself with. My life now relies on a single bloodied dagger. I glance up as the crowd erupts into chaos. Another down, I’m next. My hands fall slack at my sides as I watch the men run across the arena and toss the last competitors remains into the cart; alon...

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“Saving hope” by RABI CHATTERJEE

Submitted to Contest #66

His days were gradually reducing, but the determination was concreting with the excitement. After 5 years, the village was going to prepare for a cycling race once again. Within a few days, it would be started. Lots of people from different parts of the village gathered here to witness the program. Not only from this village, people came from many different places - from town, from the beside village also. The race was very popular among people. Paresh was also preparing himself for his last show. He knew he was a moment's person. This race ...

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“Life or Death” by Illıllı L̴u̴n̴a̴ ̴ V̴i̴x̴r̴n̴ Illıllı

Submitted to Contest #66

This is life or death. That was what the poster said. I rolled my eyes. It was so stupid. Every single year, there would be a contest for the king’s champion. The champion would be chosen based on a series of contests that sometimes proved fatal. The winner would go up against the dark knight who had kidnapped the princess of the kingdom, Lira, and only one would survive. Did I forget anything? Oh yeah. I’m one of the judges. Lira’s mother died a very long time ago, and the new Queen, Elena, is my mother, which makes us stepsisters. Whic...

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“SHEILA'S VENGEANCE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #66

Among the super-specialty hospitals in that city VJ had a reputation for good disease treatment and patient care. One of the specialists in VJ was Dr.Roy, a neurosurgeon. He was an imposing figure with his height and body build. He had rugged features and was balding. His always friendly smile made him popular with patients and their kinfolk. That day he was in his room in the hospital when the nurse brought him a patient’s file. He saw it and asked for the patient to come in. A good-looking lady came in holding on to a bearded elderly man. ...

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“Into The Wilds ” by Meli Mangos

Submitted to Contest #66

Each person in line walked tied together by the chains around their wrists. Each link of chain that circled her skin outlined the scars that got Dinah into this contest. She dared not take her eyes off the feet in front of her, but heard each shuffle of bare feet on hard ground behind her as they walked in silence. She hardly breathed as they were led into the huge arena that would decide their fate. The metal barred double doors loomed like an armory. The guards instructed them to stand in a line next to each other against the wall a...

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“Safe Haven” by Charlotte Brown

Submitted to Contest #66

My heart feels like it’s trying to punch a hole in my chest. If it weren’t trying so hard to keep me alive, I think it might kill me. It’s trying so hard to oxygenate my body, but my lungs can’t suck air in fast enough. The filter in this mask needs changing. I’m so tempted to tear it off. I push myself to keep running. Not far now. Pain shoots through my foot as I roll my ankle on a piece of rubble. I stumble. Every footstep sears red-hot. A bullet whizzes ...

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“STRUGGLE AHEAD MARCH ON,,, MARCH ON...” by SHYAMALA BHUVANACHANDRAN

Submitted to Contest #66

Rohini with her son Praveen was waiting to cross the road. A long procession was going on. The leading man with a megaphone on his mouth, was shouting slogans of ‘Struggle Ahead. March on. March on’. The followers behind him endorsed the leader by repeating the words ‘March on – March on’. Praveen was quite amused by their slogan shouting. More than that he was very much impressed by their white and white dress code. All of them were in white dhoti and white shirt, popularly known as ‘Vetti-Chattai.’ He had a great fascination for white dres...

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“Her Turn in The Spotlight” by Nanci Arvizu

Submitted to Contest #66

It’s amazing, how dreams come true. They don’t arrive in a unicorn or rainbow kind of way. Real Dreams don’t roll up in a glitter-covered pumpkin carriage. No, that’s not how real dreams arrive. Real dreams take work. The blood, sweat, and tears kind. The middle of the night in the pouring down rain and a 10-degree windchill with a fever but you’re going to get this done because you know you have to kind of work. Your dreams don’t care who else cares about them. They aren’t dreaming your dreams. Olivia Nicole Davies arrived at th...

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“The Queer New Lawyer” by Hanna Moore

Submitted to Contest #66

Winning arguments is my middle name. Since I was little, winning arguments was all I cared about doing. The subject of the debate never mattered to me. All I cared about was beating my opponent. At least, that was until I began my lectures as a law scholar. Now that I've begun the study of modern laws, achieving the successful argument has lessened as the achievement I primarily thought it was.As I emerge from my slumber, my roommate Chasey hops onto my bed. Still shaking off the effects of slumber, I gently blink in acknowledgment. Chasey s...

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“Valley Of The Window” by Olisa Okoye

Submitted to Contest #66

Daxter stood at the edge of the cliff thinking, one more time and this could be it. His thick goggles were designed to break the force of the wind. His suit was thin enough to provide comfort and well padded to protect him from the windchill. This was his sixth time on this same cliff. This same exact spot. Every year for the past six years, he managed to convince the entire village that his perfectly welded contraption would take him past the valleys and gates of the city, beyond the clouds and into the great remote yonder. Five attempts, f...

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“The Best Is Yet To Come!” by Edwina Frazier

Submitted to Contest #66

Prologue 1990 I peeked out my public housing window looking for the Head Start bus. It would be pulling up soon with Crystal, my youngest child. It was her first day of school, and I was excited to hear about her day. I thought of my mother, a former school teacher, who always asked, “What did you learn in school today?” She’d get right down on her knees and speak to me at eye level. “Toni, what do you know now that you didn’t know this morning?” She’d lean in and really listen to what I had to say. I wished she were...

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“Life's Gambit ” by S.N. Beale

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”“How so? What if my plan was to lose?”“Why would anyone do that?”“Everyone needs to lose sometimes. And sometimes it helps to see how your competitor wins.”“That sounds counterproductive.”Dull scraping and hollow thuds echo in the quaint chamber, the stone walls dampening the sounds of the outside world. The fireplace's crackle and burn: gave warmth to the chilly situation, casting a focused glow about the two figures seated opposite each other—everything depending on the next move. T...

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$50

Prize money

584

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 22:59 - Nov 06, 2020 EST

Won by David G. 🏆

Title: Mahalo King Cod Filet

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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