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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 THIRTY YEAR GUILT” by Claire Tennant

Submitted to Contest #66

It is not often that I get nervous, but then it had been a long time since I sat waiting to be interviewed. I looked up at the others in the room, as I turned the page, of the only magazine available. I assumed these busy beavers were the staff. Glancing back, I stared at the picture on the page; it was of a young girl with a pretty smile. I did not read the blurb so I did not know whether it was an article or an advert, I simply stared at the photo, mesmerised. The young girl could be no more than ten. She wor...

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“Assistant Manager” by Kk Nelson

Submitted to Contest #66

You know the movies you watch when the main character competing for something that could make or break them? I'm not gonna say that's my situation, but it kind of is. It all started on a nice fall day. The old assistant manager had just retired, so we were looking for someone to fill the job. My boss had the brilliant idea of giving us little "assignments," similar to those of our assistant manager's tasks, to see how well we could handle them. We all excelled, so he decided he would start up the competition: who could make the most change ...

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“French defense” by Fplldg Wakdwwdg

Submitted to Contest #66

Special notes -1. Annoying Chess related mambo-jumbos. 2. It's not historical fiction. The story doesn't follow any real historical incident. The Dukedom of franks and Brittany were created in 736 AD.(But Romans......)Just used those names. So, don't chew the history gum. French defense. “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” "Not at all. I've learned from the ...

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“The stage is yours.” by 𝕂𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕒 🏵 𝕧𝕒𝕟 ℕ𝕚𝕖𝕜𝕖𝕣𝕜 🏵

Submitted to Contest #66

The music playing in my ears, the beat of my heart and the sound my fast breaths, as I danced my heart out that night. I ended my performance with a split-leap, and curtsey. In silence I waited for the judges to dismiss me. When they did I walked down the stage towards the dressing room to take of my costume of gold glitter, mixed with blue and a matching flowy skirt.“Melody!” I turned around at my name, seeing Grace Dean, my best friend, running towards me, shouting my name, her VIP pass bobbing up and down as she ran. “Melody, that was ama...

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“One of Them” by Addison Smith

Submitted to Contest #66

I didn't want to go with them. No one did. Those who didn't succeed usually never returned. "Don't make a sound, Brianna!" Mother Abrinna hoarsely whispered into the pitch dark. She moved to the front window and peered through the curtain. Suddenly a breath of melancholy blew through the room like a gust from some unknown sea. "They're coming!" I caught the last scent of her robe just as she lowered the lid above my head with her fragile hands. Jasmine. It had surrounded me all my life, and I couldn't bear to be closed off from it. Wi...

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“Fast Fingers” by Edward Mixon

Submitted to Contest #66

FAST FINGERS by Ed Mixon When he finally stopped playing, the skinny goateed banjo picker’s blue eyes stared silently at his audience like a king. Then he tipped his white cowboy hat to the crowd. They went wild, hooting and screaming for more. Bobby Lee clapped so hard his hands hurt. Tonight, he thought, I’m going to meet the best damn banjo picker alive. He considered himself very lucky. He had a front row seat and a private dinner with Fast Fingers Martin, all courtesy of the Martha White Flo...

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“The Flash” by Tessa Takzikab

Submitted to Contest #66

“You have two choices. You can die, or you can become a part-time slave.”“What does that mean?”“Well, when a person comes to a situation like this, usually he – or she -dies. That’s the easy option. The other option is that you get your life back. You wake up with new powers, but with privilege comes responsibility. You will have to use your powers to defeat evil.”“Okay, so I choose superpowers.”Andy smiled and shook his head. “It’s not that simple. You don’t get to-” He stopped and turned to look at the door. I turned to see Violet standing...

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“The Cupbearer” by Ruby Galvez

Submitted to Contest #66

I. PressureI was no stranger to pressure of competition, but this eco-challenge race in the Pacific Islands was a different new game. Nearly a thousand participants joined to complete a race through one of the most dangerous mountain ranges in the world, aptly called the Devil’s Playground, in pursuit of glory and riches.I could feel all eyes on me -- Ben Kelly, younger brother to Andrew, Greg, and Sean Kelly, all of whom dominated the same race one after another nearly two decades ago.“Hello, sponsor’s ace,” a voice beside me said as we lis...

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“The Duel” by Chris Buono

Submitted to Contest #66

"It doesn’t count if you are already planning your defeat,” the haggard voice said from beneath the dark hood of the riding cloak. “You know you cannot win, leave while you have the chance.” Just then, a wall of fire erupted around the two figures, separating them from their respective teams. Sonny DeForza knew that there was a skirmish happening outside this wall of flames, but for now, it was just him and the Dark Lord, Gothica. The rest of the ...

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“Spicy Noodles Soup” by Francis Lavoie

Submitted to Contest #66

“Cheating is the only way of winning in this world.” Her mother’s words were already engraved in her, echoing endlessly in her mind walls. Even before it was announced that for the last Cooking Round of the Acornia Purifying Match, all ten of them would be allowed to do any type of immorality or in other words “cheating”, Eraline was very much prepared to cheat her way into glory, or in their case, survival at least. King Huxley II was the worst ruler in the history of the slowly collapsing, isolated country of Acornia. Instead of ...

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“At the Edge of the Cliff” by GRACE LARSON

Submitted to Contest #66

The sun burned down on my sweat-streaked face as I sprinted around the corner and began the last lap up the mountain. The boy beside me was clearly as tired as myself; his face was flushed dark red and he was breathing heavily, yet he kept on with the same determination. Darn it, would he ever fall behind? All the other kids had dropped out long ago, yet this one kept on. This could present a problem. I put on an extra burst of speed, although all my muscles seem to shriek in protest. I was gasping with the effort now, sweat pouring down my...

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“Tree Dream” by Inkstained Introvert

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat,” Maia says to her son, Reese. Maia is stuck in the sky. She stands on tiptoes on a pale white branch the size of her calf. Her left arm reaches above her to grasp another branch, this one quite a bit thinner, and her other hand goes higher, higher into the sky, the pale and delicate fingers stretching, the tiptoes rising farther, but she still cannot reach the lemon she is grasping for. Her face is turned away from her son and upwards, towards the clouds, but still she speaks, loud en...

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“To save young Prince Thomas” by Tim Law

Submitted to Contest #66

Knight of the Realm, Ser Louisa de Griffin surveyed the land that extended beyond the ridge. With her helm up she could clearly smell the sulfur and burning limestone. The valley was pocketed with tiny pools of lava, what earth she could see was probably not stable. “What are you thinking?” asked Michael, Ser Louisa’s loyal page. He was fifteen, small for his age but strong. Ser Louisa knew if she asked him to Michael would happily carry whatever she thought she might need. Walking in to a dragon’s den though it was not worth risking two liv...

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“The Bookstore” by Alivia Weikel

Submitted to Contest #66

She sat looking at the window with a cup of tea, too tired to smile. Not even enough energy to focus on the people walking beyond the glass or cars that zipped by with no mind to the speed limit. Finally, she had made it. A shop of her own, her own little bookstore on main street. Her lifelong dream: complete. She thought back on everything that it had taken her to get here. Never missing a day of high school, though her freshman year had taken her mother by car accident and her junior year had taken her little sister by an ov...

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“Staring at the Inbox” by Mackenzie Littledale

Submitted to Contest #66

Staring at the Inbox By Mackenzie Littledale November 3, 2020 Michelle sat staring at her inbox since 5:30 AM, nearly two hours. It wasn’t even a weekday, but her literary agent worked odd hours, so it could come at any time. It -- the announcement of whether or not the next publisher on the list was offering to buy her manuscript. Already, five publishers had been given the chance. Three declined and two remained silent. Michelle considered them a practice round to make sure the pitch was tight like a hermetically sealed glass jar. The pu...

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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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