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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

“More Than Yourself ” by Morgan Dreiske

Submitted to Contest #66

More Than Yourself My sword reflected the bright morning sun. I tried to focus on the maneuvers I was supposed to do, but my mind kept wandering to the contest the next morning. I would be facing the best swordsmen on this side of the mountains. I breathed deeply. That was not the problem, the problem lay in the fact that I was a girl, well not a girl, a woman. My skill with the sword was formidable, but I had been prohibited from competing in the Trials. The Trials were held every year, they boasted many different competitions, but the one...

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“Bakery Life or Death” by Sandy Bake

Submitted to Contest #66

Bakery Life or Death (A sweet story of mystery) By: Sandy Baker Chapter One Patti Baker was just a young kid who wanted to find her way in a Midwest City by Lake Michigan, Milwaukee. It was summer of 1979 and she was out of work. As Patti strolled along the hot sands one summer day, looking at the twinkling waters of Lake Michigan, she saw a family eating a wonderful picnic. The picnic spread had fresh cold-cuts and a large fluffy loaf of Italian Bread which was laying on an old oil cloth tablecloth. Two people were throwing around a co...

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“The Millenia Race” by Christopher Gibson

Submitted to Contest #66

The participants took their positions at the starting line. Each one hoping that they had trained rigorously enough to stay well ahead of everyone else in the race. Hector breathed deeply, attempting to calm his nerves before the race began. He looked down either end of the line and analyzed what competition he was up against in this race. Most of the racers seemed to be average to mediocre, according to Hector’s judgement. He was very proud of how hard he had trained the previous two years. For six days every week, Hector ran wildly around ...

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“Rade's Dare” by Nikita Dhulekar

Submitted to Contest #66

Rade's last few stories were based on real-life situations. Well, almost real. Stories are born in the cross-section of imagination and facts. The percentage of each element affects the perception of these stories. Sometimes, the only difference between a story and life is that of life and death. He was conducting research for a new collection of short stories. He found inspiration in his neighbourhood, nature, and daily routine. Although he was a reputed mystery writer, none doubted his abilities to concoct a gripping short story out of thi...

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“The Prize of Profession” by Charné A.

Submitted to Contest #66

I sit there, at the cluttered desk, and drop my head into my hands. I realize without a shadow of a doubt that I am blocked. And if I was being honest with myself, I knew that I had been for a while. Sighing, I crumple up the current page of notes I'd been working on and throw it at the already overflowing trash basket. It bounces off and lands on the floor alongside the other fallen wads of white paper.Just another piece of trash that won't amount to anything. No use even thinking about submitting this to the Contest.The Contest was tough. ...

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“Do We Have to Fight People?” by Mickie Royce

Submitted to Contest #66

I nervously walked into The White Room with my little brother. Today was the day I hated. The day I dreaded. Today was the day everyone in our District had to fight each other. Head-to-head, face-to-face. “Cambria,” My younger brother Ian said. “Do we have to fight people?” I breathed deeply and shook my head. “No, Ian. We will never fight people. It’s not who we are. No matter how much they might seem to deserve it, remember what God tells us.” “Love your enemies,” “That’s right. We will always love people no matter what.” “So we’re n...

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“Game Night” by Harmony Douglas

Submitted to Contest #66

“ If you’re seeing this Sean, I love you! I wish I could have come back but the storm canceled my plane, sorry baby but I got to go...it’s game night!” I stared out the window, my right leg resting on top of my left. I was supposed to be on a plane going back home to my husband. But my flight back home was canceled because there was supposed to be a big storm coming. Sighing I looked over at my grandparents who were in the kitchen preparing dinner for me, my sister, and a couple of other people I had to meet a week ago along with my grandpa...

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“LIFE OF EMILY” by AI Editzz

Submitted to Contest #66

LIFE OF EMILY - By Ashfa Ilham “You’re fired!” The chef busted out at Emily, she removed her apron and threw it on his face recklessly for whi...

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“Narrow Escape” by Nandana Prem

Submitted to Contest #66

Adventure, fun and risk. These three constituted the life of Alexis. Ever since she was born, she had shown a keen interest in exploring and adventuring , and other stuff that normal girls definitely wouldn't think of. Now she was a tall, sturdy, sporty girl of sixteen who went a high school with other teenagers. A girl so good in various sports and who dreams of adventure can hardly concentrate on other studies, and that is exactly the kind of girl Alexis is. Her grades suffered badly, which earned her some scoldings from her parents and te...

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“The Tragedy of Ishmael” by Kridh Charatcharoenwitthya

Submitted to Contest #66

Call me, Ishmael. Some years ago, I lost my left arm in a major car accident. The doctor said that my arm was seriously injured and they needed to cut it off or else... I didn't want to hear it, so I just ignored it. Since then, I have never felt happy again. Whenever I touch my wound, I can't stop thinking about it. The indescribable pain, I'll never forget it. Most people that get into a car accident usually lose their sanity, but not me. Right after I was hit by a car, I realized something. I don't know if it was because of the chaos arou...

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“Amoris Cultro Blvd.” by Laura P. Schrüfer

Submitted to Contest #66

I can see my breath, but I don't feel cold, even though my clothes are ripped and soaked. I don’t know where I am, but this place feels familiar. The cobble stone streets filling up with rain, and old buildings with their signs fading away with every drop. My long hair starts feeling heavier with every minute; I need to get out of the street. I fear I wont make it to wherever I'm supposed to go. “Smack”. The back of my head and spine hit the brick wall behind me so hard I’m no longer holding myself up anymore. I don't see his eyes, his flopp...

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“The Million Dollar Game ” by Ruby Hoerter

Submitted to Contest #66

Memories came rushing towards me as I thought about it more. The choice, the effort, the risks. Was I ready to take the chance? “You’ve got to be kidding me!” my best friend Finn said when I brought up the idea, “You’re going to die! Everyone always has! There hasn’t been a person who actually completed all the games since before we were born!” “Well, I’ll be the first,” I said, trying to make myself feel a little bit better. “Whatever,” Finn said as he rolled his eyes, “There’s the mailbox. Go put your application in the...

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“A gun with one bullet” by Gary Belton

Submitted to Contest #66

“A pistol with one bullet, something that cuts, and a wild card item that can fit in to a back pack— that’s it“. Jorge brusquely responded to his riveted sixteen year-old sisters questions about the inaugural “California island Blood Race”. Standing a slight 5’3, the teen-aged mother of two was taken by the ideal of competing to gain visas for her and her two boys to the mainland, but gave no indication as to the true nature of her inquiries. Instead she allowed her brother to keep his macho and dismissive attitude, knowing that he’d...

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“Don't Forget” by Patricia Ramirez

Submitted to Contest #66

In an elderly, compact room, crept creatures of darkness who feasted upon those who lost, painting the wrinkly skin in crimson. Vines and flower buds hid in between the cracks of the floorboards, praying that the monsters would never detect them. One by one the victims fell, drenching the wood in their liquids, rotting it, releasing a putrid smell that drove them mad. Some ended their lives, others waited for the master to do the beheading, while a few begged to play once more. The number of corpses grew creating a grand pile that even...

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“Hypothesis” by Maria Windsor

Submitted to Contest #66

My breath catches in my throat, loud and ragged. At this point, the prospect of death feels cool and inviting, a peaceful escape from the hell I’m living in. I summon a surge of energy from nowhere and quicken my pace the barest bit. My head swims and colors spin in my eyes. I am so lucky. Via is the best chance I have at survival, but I can’t let her sacrifice herself for me, which she keeps telling me she will do if she can. I called her last night, and she was so calm, trying to reassure me. I worry for her, she’s so used to keepi...

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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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