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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 Pursuit Of Happiness ” by Melissa Robinson

Submitted to Contest #66

Leo took one glance at the envelope and tossed it to the pile by the side of his desk. Each pocket contained a check, money from the work he had done. There were months’ worth of paychecks lying there, untouched. His job payed well. He was lucky. He didn’t have to worry about anything, his life was set. But money isn’t everything. Each day, he wakes up. He gets dressed, drinks his morning coffee, reads some news articles. He brushes his teeth, puts on a tie, smooths his hair. He starts up his car and drives twenty minutes to the ...

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“ Our Segregated Table” by Zoey F

Submitted to Contest #66

Trigger warnings: fat phobia, bullying Our Segregated Table By Zoey F. We had been best friends for five years. We were so close that even our parents were good friends, and because of that our sleepovers seemed to be endless. We always hung out during and after school- never void of each other’s company. We were both loners; both social outcasts as we shared the burden of being labeled “ the ugly chubby girls” within our school. Perhaps if we were funnier, perhaps if we were more outgoing and cool, we could...

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“A Writing Life” by Vincent Cruz

Submitted to Contest #66

I’ve been at the same job for nineteen years and eight months. It will be twenty years driving trucks at my next anniversary. I’ve driven all across this country. I've seen polarizing politics, unique fried food, the same damn chain stores all across America. I’ve navigated some of the best roads crisscrossing the nation. I've seen the variance of life, of culture and the subtleties of being. When I go to sleep--the road lingers in my mind. The endless highways and freeways with their long white lines and dotted yellow ones. Headlights as fa...

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“Amaris just wants love” by Moana Fatongia

Submitted to Contest #66

“Just kill me now. I don’t have the strength to go on...” A young woman in tattered clothing sat on the cold floor of a jail cell as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Her wrists were shackled above her head as blood dripped down from her nailless fingers. The woman, who had just endured days worth of torture, was covered in old and new wounds from head to toe. As the world’s top agent she has never surrendered to anyone, but now she is pathetically asking for death. ‘I’m tired. I’m tired of fighting...I thought that gaining strength and...

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“Last Prince Standing pt.2” by Serenna Antoine

Submitted to Contest #66

Trigger warning: domestic violence Samuel After reading mom's will, I couldn't help but feel nervous of what my half-brothers truly thought of me, but I still felt relieved that she still accepted me as her son. Then again, there were the times I was beat for simply saying hello to Luke, or the time when Anthony and Joshua were rough housing and accidentally pushed me down with the king's meal and I ended up getting punished very, very violently, even after Joshua explained the situation. I never had or kept a grudge against this family, sim...

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“Your Neck on the Line!” by Steve Owen

Submitted to Contest #66

Your Neck On The Line! by Stephen Owen “I'll ask you again.” Charlie Smart grins, ginger hair and turquoise suit glowing like he just beamed down from another planet. He flashes a phony smile at the audience, winks at camera number four and rests a hand upon the contestant's shoulder. He repeats the final question of the game, almost spits it in Frank's face. “What is the capital of Kenya?” Frank is strapped to a cold wooden bench in this final round. He doesn't know the answer and Smart's shitty breath makes us wouldn't shut up abou...

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“Showdown In Shangri-La” by Dragon Fire Network

Submitted to Contest #66

Kyle and Tina rapidly approach Shangri-La when suddenly a huge wave knocked the 997 into the opposite direction. The waves began to grow stronger forming huge tidal waves with twisters ripping through the ocean. This wind is intense! Screamed Tina. Don’t worry Tina. We’ll outrun this hurricane. Exclaimed Kyle. Tidal waves crashed into the 997, and were close to turning it over with no sign of letting up. Captain Kyle steered the ship with all his might until a powerful twister caught them without warning and the heroes became trapped in its ...

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“Too Many Cooks” by Murray Rivette

Submitted to Contest #66

Too Many Cooks... It wasn’t that unusual to hear one of Jason Tyler’s very popular hit songs being played at his ...

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“Little Old Crazy Lady” by Kesey Trout

Submitted to Contest #66

I walked in the rain, as the old concrete crumbled under my feet. My boots began to fill to the top with cold water. I shivered, as I didn’t have an umbrella at the time. I stumbled across an elderly woman, rocking on her rocking chair, under the coverage of her porch. She took notice of me, shivering, soaked from the rain. “Darling, you look miserable! Come in, I have some freshly baked cookies you could eat!” she grinned. “Thanks, but no thank you, ma’am. I need to get home.” I replied and kept walking. “Oh, please! Just until the rain ...

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“Conqueror of Death” by Iris Van De Pavert

Submitted to Contest #66

The crowd cheered when Ari circled above them on her dragon. They seemed small from this height, yet their voices echoed through the stadium. She knew that somewhere in that circle, the Queen and her noble advisors were watching. Butterflies erupted in her stomach, and she took a deep breath. This was no time to be nervous—she was so close. Out of the twelve contestants, only three were left. She saw them flying in place across from her. One of them was a big, burly man with arms like tree-trunks called Dozer. He wore expensive-looking arm...

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“The Fickle Forest” by Nappy Peak

Submitted to Contest #66

The sole resident of Sky moon stood, afraid but intrigued enough to stay in the wolf’s presence. “Don’t mind them…” He said to the dog, “ they’re a lot like where you’re from.” Much more threaten, different, but obscured together and equally suffering. The wolf tilled the ground with it’s fore paws, two times, then turned to face the looming forest. His name, the boy’s name, he heard it somewhere in the darkness, he knew it; his mother was looking for him. The youngest child never answered to her call, instead, he stepped to the ...

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“Life” by Chelsea S D

Submitted to Contest #66

"November seconds? Can all November seconds please make their way to the deciding room for final placement." The voice over the speaker was as unenthusiastic as a pile of dirt, but Emerson was excited nonetheless. Not that their name was really Emerson... souls didn't have names. They were actually November 2nd number 7,842, but this time around they preferred the name Emerson, and had called themselves that for the past year. Ever since their death. Emerson got up and followed the other November 2nds to the deciding room. They had all ...

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“Come Find Me” by Mari Layne

Submitted to Contest #66

There is just one game that I have never played. Just the name of it is haunted--coated in cobwebs of silence and respect, creaking with stories of the past, and buried under thick secrets just waiting to be uncovered. As far as I know, there has only been one attempt to play The Game before our turn. His name was Ralph.Ralph attended my grade school. He had a mop of shocking blonde hair, so pure it was almost white, and a grin that could chase off the worst troublemakers. But his most distinct attribute was his curiosity--rivaling that...

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“Three Minute Sand Pit” by Joseph Lancaster

Submitted to Contest #66

The chill of the ocean breeze faded in the midst of the crowd. Dozens of faces, in the dark lit underbelly of a warehouse. Did she recognize any of them? Would they recognize her? The wraps were snug, but it’d be too much of a detriment to make them tighter. Dockmen drank ale at night. A hood and mask should be enough.The host led her through the crowd. The bearded dwarf stood nearly half the size of most of the onlookers, but he passed like a noble at market square. The customer base of burdened laborers and seasick sailors came to such a p...

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“The Y program” by Svetlana Shemena

Submitted to Contest #66

“Congratulations, mister Hobbs, we reconsidered our options and decided to offer you a part in our project. We hope you realize that usually, we do not give second chances. This is your lucky moment.” “Like for real?” that was the first thought to cross his mind. “What are you five? Say something smart, quick!” his inner dialog started turning into an inner fight, “Say something before they think you’re crazy!” “I am honored. Honestly, when I saw an incoming call from your office, I thought that I forgot something during my first in...

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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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