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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

“Beginner's Luck” by Jessy Glazewski

Submitted to Contest #66

Daniel Patterson was an inventor. He invented things--Or at least, he thought of himself as an inventor. You know, someone who invents things. He didn’t listen to the people who told him that he would never amount to anything. Those that said things like, “Don’t quit your day job.” and “Why do you waste your time with these stupid inventions?” or Like, “That will never work?” and “I bet You’re really bad at sex.” However, Daniel was determined to show them all, to prove them wrong--Not necessarily the sex one, but you get the point...

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“Topics Addressed Include, in Order: Campaign Decisions, the Virus, and the Chain of Command” by Meggy House

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” Marjorie Williams crossed her arms triumphantly and smirked as Ezra Lee vibrated, his muscles tensing, hoping to some higher power that he could resist the urge to smack her. Luckily Ezra knew how to lock his emotions up into a little stronghold box, then smash the box into smithereens and scatter the pieces across the Arctic—not that he supported litteri...

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“The List” by Pratheeksha R

Submitted to Contest #66

23 July 2002Dear Diary,To say I’m obsessed with ranking is an understatement. Seeing phrases like “Top 10 rankers of the class”, “Top 5...”, “Top 3”... “The 1” and the names make me happy. These are the set of students who are deemed the best from the rest! And the adrenaline rush if I’m in one of them!!May all domains be ranked - “Top 50 actors”, “Top 50 artists”, “Top 50 innovators”. I wish to make it big by being ranked in one of the prestigious lists.But, I’m a third-grader. So let’s focus on class ranks now. ***8 November 2003Dear ...

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“The Map Room” by Moon Lion

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” Simi said, her arms crossed. I took a controlled inhale, breathing in the anxiety, coffee-infused smell that made up the map room. So many victories had been decided here. "Seriously?" I didn't take my eyes off the map, determined not to let her shake my stance. This was happening whether or not a certain elf wanted it to. "You are giving up, this is the dumbest plan, I have ever heard!" She snapped, moving next to me, her dark eyes drilling into my head. "Weren't you the ...

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“Binding” by Cathryn V

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #66

The road stretches out in front of me as far as I can see, all the way to the horizon, straight and flat with empty fields on both sides like enormous blank pages. Nebraska, almost halfway to San Francisco, I am alone on this endless stretch of interstate 80.The audible book supply is depleted. For a change, I'm riding in silence.In the rear view mirror, a patrol car with flashing lights screams toward me. I slow the car and pull to the side to let him pass. But the lights slow too.The state trooper is at my window, sunglasses, wide fla...

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“The Miracle” by Yasaman Ghobadi

Submitted to Contest #66

I was motionlessly leaning my forehead against the cave wall when I felt someone locking his fingers in mine and pressing his warm lips on the back of my neck with no hesitation. I abruptly and unconsciously turned around. Being able to see half of his shadowy face, lurking mysteriously in the dimness of the enclosure‌. - “Oh, Jack! Is that you? Nearly scared the wits out me!” (I said shaking patently.) - “Thought you might like some ambiguity in your life sweetheart.” - “My whole life is a vague terror with unforeseen happ...

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“Simplicity” by Lina Oz

Submitted to Contest #66

“You’re on in five. Ready?”I stare at Alyssa. She jerks her head to the stage, giving me the all-too-familiar “what the hell are you doing?” look.“Um...”“Well? What the hell are you doing? This is it! Go!”“Right. Yeah.”My body moves on its own accord. I look down, rather surprised to see my legs moving forward, robotic and stiff, toward the stage. I glance up. I’m at the edge of the curtain. My eyes drift around the material, and I swallow.Hundreds––no, thousands––of fans are spread before the stage. They’re one massive, unintelligible ...

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“Broken Verses” by Radhika Diksha

Submitted to Contest #66

His eyes spoke it all. The warmth, the lust, and the innocence in his feeling spoke everything. In all these 15 years, I was lying to myself. It's high time now, I have to break my life to complete my dreams.I called Tanya, she was my lawyer. She covered all the cases that were against me.My name was more on high profile cases rather than on educational degrees.And all I had done this was for Aryaman. I loved him 15 years back and I still love him now, but in all these years I forgot to love myself.Tanya, please pick up the phone, it ha...

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“Candice Takes the Challenge” by Gip Roberts

Submitted to Contest #66

Candice couldn't lose. The stakes were too high. A slew of ingredients covered the kitchen table: carton of eggs, sticks of margarine, sack of all-purpose flour, five-pound bag of sugar, the chocolate chips, everything the online recipe she'd printed said to use.She grimaced at herself. Sixteen years old and had never so much as even boiled a pan of water. But somehow, she had to pull through on this. The timer was ticking, and she felt lost as a foreigner in a new land. Her frizzy, strawberry hair was already soaked with the same perspirati...

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“Obsidian” by Kylie Wallis

Submitted to Contest #66

Audrey Lang was alone on Valentine’s Day. Again. Not that it really bothered her. She’d rather enjoyed these past two and a half years of being single. It was a Saturday, so Audrey thought she would go shopping. She had already dressed in jeans and t-shirt.Her ash blonde hair was plaited down her back. She added dangly earrings, some bracelets, and her favorite ballet flats. A quick dusting of powder on her face and balm on her lips and she was good to go. Oh wait, she nearly forgot her sunglasses.While backing out of her driveway, she stopp...

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“Thirty Years of Writer's Block” by A.Dot Ram

Submitted to Contest #66

“It’s daylight savings this week,” I remind Cyrano. “So really 11pm feels like midnight, and somehow I’m still waking up before the sun.” “There’s always coffee,” Cyrano says. “Yes, true,” I sigh. “And there’s always HoloBack.” I wave my hand and watch the images swirl on my white living room wall. “Yes, I see you’ve been refreshing the interface on average once every ten minutes. Would you like me to block out the app to eliminate the distraction? I could report any major developments.” “No,” I say. “Knowing is not the same as con...

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“The Axe Murder House” by Enenche Elizabeth

Submitted to Contest #66

Standing at my terrace looking through the creepy dark night and inhaling the cool romantic breeze of the night, I thought of the topic Jace had brought up earlier. The Synoda Axe Murder House; it sounds nice and I crave to see the magnificent ancient buildings and the beautiful sight I have always heard of. I finally gave it a second thought and phew!! I laid my back on my soft sofa reminiscing on the topic before I concord to the strong hands of sleep.I am Alejandro Mauricio from Venezula. I am the outspoken, intelligent world Genius who t...

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“Retiring at Last” by Goblin King

Submitted to Contest #66

Inside a decrepit apartment building in a boring town in a questionably-existent territory sat an old man. He covered what remained of his hair with a dark green flat cap and when attempting to stand upright, his spine declined to cooperate and his head stuck out in front of his chest. He sat in front of a television playing the travel channel. The oceans of a Hawaiian beach repeatedly swallowed up a few feet of shore before spitting it out again. He had dreamed of sitting there, unemployed and carefree, for as long as he could remember...

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“Pow!” by Kristin Neubauer

Submitted to Contest #66

“Come on! Harder!” Mayra Alexandra clapped her punch mitts together and squatted to accommodate her tiny opponent. Alicia lifted a fist enclosed in a boxing glove almost as big as her head and tapped the older girl’s mitt. Mayra Alexandra sighed as only a 13-year-old could and stood up. “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat,” she told Alicia. “Stand back. Watch me.” The bag shuddered as Mayra Alexandra unleashed a flurry of jabs and crosses on it, long braids whipping around her face, hot pink ...

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“The Tank” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #66

“Giiiiiiiiive it up for our five contestants!” The Crowd complied. “Contestant number one is Bull!” The Commentator’s voice was smooth like butter. Cheers and hoots from The Crowd. “Contestant number two is Oceanic Whitetip!” The excitement in The Commentator’s voice was palpable. The Crowd’s volume increased. “Contestant number three is Shortfin Mako!” Several screams and whistles. “Contestant number four is Tiger!” Thunderous applause, hands clapped against hands. “Contestant number five is—” the commentator chuckled “—...

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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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