Write a story in the form of diary entries, written by someone who has set themselves a month-long challenge.

Posted in Narrative on Jan 12, 2024

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✍️ 49 stories

“Vegan Hamburgers” by Ariana Tibi

🏆 Winner of Contest #233

Vegan Hamburgers February 1st 11:11pm WOW. I cannot believe that just happened. I went to AJ’s studio and almost walked out with a record deal. I was sober, too. He started rolling a joint and offered me some but I immediately said no. Last week, I had drinks at Lighthouse Studios and the executive was totally judging me when I got into my car. Anyway, AJ wants to record me!!! This sounds weird but on the drive home, I swear I felt the presence of god or whatever in my windshield. I paused at a stop sign to see if I could bottle up the...

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“Nicotine” by J. D. Lair

Submitted to Contest #233

12.20.2022 - TuesdayWell, California officially banned flavored nicotine. The gas station I would get my disposable vapes from was clearing its shelves today, so I guess now’s a perfect time to try quitting again. I would rather not switch over to regular ol’ cigarettes at this point. It’s not as easy hiding the habit that way haha. Plus, I never cared for them in the first place—too harsh and gross tasting. At least vapes tasted good and didn’t make me smell bad.I remember one time I tried quitting by tossing my vape into some bushes at the...

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“Diary of a Serial Killer” by Janet Boyer

Submitted to Contest #233

[WARNING: Strong language and sensitive topic.] "How might one endure the silent and secluded nature of winter? Be the bear, enter a deep cave, and dream, dream, dream." – Jacqueline Suskin I probably shouldn't be writing this, but oh-fucking-well. When the most precious thing lodged in your heart is ripped out and crushed by an unthinking alcoholic asshole driving with a revoked license, you do things—unimaginable things. And not just burying your beloved eight-year-old son, which was not on my Shitty Life Bingo Card, obv...

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“The Swear Jar” by Keelan LaForge

Submitted to Contest #233

1st January The challenge begins. I’ve promised myself and my friends I won’t swear for an entire month. On the 1st of February, I’ll be shouting expletives all over the street, but until then, I have to keep my big mouth shut. ****, this is going to be hard. You don’t realise how much you do something until you make a rule that you can’t. A mate of mine suggested it as a joke. He bet me if I started a swear jar that it’d be overflowing by the end of a week, but I’m determined to prove him wrong. Now that I have to be aware of it, I’m rea...

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“I'm Gonna Punch Lucas Redmore in the Face” by James Lane

Submitted to Contest #233

February6th - TuesdayI’m gonna punch Lucas Redmore in the face. Today at art class, while I was busy with my rocket, Lucas snuck up and drew a line on my lip with a black marker. And then he called me a Creeper! The whole class laughed. I swear I heard M...

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“Home Cooking” by Joseph Manopello

Submitted to Contest #233

Jan 1, 2024 - Primary resolution: a home-cooked dinner for every night in January. I live on unhealthy fast food, expensive ready-made meals from the grocery store, or nothing at all far too often. I hate that trite language, like "new year, new you!" Yet, this year will be different. A month of healthy, tasty, home-cooked meals is just what I need to kick off the year right - I'll save money and look and feel a whole lot better. Other resolutions: lose 40 pounds, quit all drinking, read one book per week, and make more money. Dinner tonig...

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“Dear Journal, I might Go Crazy ” by Caitlin Morris

Submitted to Contest #233

Day One Dear diary, Writing out the words “dear diary” makes me feel like a little kid. I haven’t journaled like this since I was young though, so it doesn’t feel completely strange to start up where I left off. Except now, I am an adult, tracking a personal challenge for myself in this notebook that I’ve had sitting on my bookshelf for the last couple of years. It’s time to put it to good use. Anyway, I’m going to try to stay off of my phone for an entire month. It sounds nearly impossible, but I know I can do it if I work really...

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“My thirty-day challenge” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #233

Day -1 A day before the challenge begins. Dear Diary, Tomorrow will be the first day of my month-long challenge that I have planned for weeks. I have set a goal to wake up at 5 a.m. every morning and write a thousand words toward finishing the first draft of my romance novel. Over the past few weeks, I was torn between a few equally fascinating writing prompts, but I ultimately settled on one with the title 'A Dance in the Moonlight.' Since I usually stay up late, waking up early every morning is challenging. This will require a signific...

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“Insatiable” by Layla Robinson

Submitted to Contest #233

November 1 Dear Patrick, Today, I abstain. -- November 2 Dear Patrick, Yesterday I slept. I don’t know whether it was the exhaustion, relief, or because it was the only way I could switch my mind off. I didn’t have to think or feel the emptiness inside my body. I can’t even remember if I ate. But it wasn’t just my stomach that felt empty, it was my chest, my throat, and everything but my mind. My mind is the opposite, it’s full of thoughts of satisfying my craving. I can’t write anymore. I think I’ll go back to bed. -- November...

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“History of Religion Final Exam Scenario #4582” by Katie Schnelle

Submitted to Contest #233

October 8th, 1531 Professor Schneider was right, and trying to talk her off Henry was a complete waste of time, and now I’ve blown a whole week. I don’t know what I was thinking--it’s not like she had any say in the matter! I’ve enacted Scenario Beta and moved myself forward to the early days of her exile, and now I’m going to do a hard push for the nunnery. Even if I can’t get her in by the end of the month, I think I can get the ball rolling enough that she ends up there before 1533, and then I can still win. Additionally, María is driving...

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“The Whatever Thing” by Joe Smallwood

Submitted to Contest #233

Jan 1, oops, the 2nd, Too hungover on the 1st, lol!Oh my! What a big blank piece of paper I have here when I could be using that leather-covered expensive whatever thing that Grandma gave me. Where did that thing go? I last saw it under all the Xmas wrapping and kicked over to the side. Did it end up under the couch that Mom later threw out? If so, it is strictly AWOL, and of course, I will promise to transfer everything I am writing here into it, or it will break Grandma’s heart. How many times has Grandma had her heart broken? Darned if I ...

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“30 Days Are Not Enough” by Luna Lin

Submitted to Contest #233

Day 1 A friend once told me that keeping a gratitude journal for a month helped her write her pain away, so I decided to try it. I am not really sure how journaling works nor do I know what to be grateful for everyday for 30 days, but if it worked for my friend, it should work for me. I want to be able to write my pain away too. Let’s see… Today, I am grateful for the driver who let me pass in the crazy peak morning traffic. This seldom happens in Singapore, where people drive like they own the roads and everybody has to give way to them...

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“Emery Putnam’s Boyfriend” by Hilary Yelvington

Submitted to Contest #233

January 12, 2012 My name is Emery Putnam and I am 25 years old. I live alone at 222 Carriage Way, Apartment 2B, and I work at Keefer’s pharmacy downtown. To clarify, I am a cashier, not a pharmacist, but it is still a fine job and I am comfortable enough. As you can see, this diary was meant for a young girl, not a young woman, but I haven’t had use for it until now. It was a Christmas gift from my father, and I received it when I was just 8 years old, hence the tiger stripes and rainbow clasp. I received the diary from Santa, or s...

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“Bleached Bones” by Syd .

Submitted to Contest #233

Entry 4December 7th, 2004Bones, Bones. I wish I could say this is not my first time writing in this thing for a while but there is no hiding the truth from you, Bones. Maybe that's why I cannot help but ignore this book, although it mocks me as if it sits high on a throne, propped above the rest of the mess in my room. It’s not that I don’t want to write, I love writing. But there is something about this book that makes things seem too real. Anyways, my main point is that I’m sorry for not writing to you more often, Bones. Entry 4....

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“The Dope Witch” by Olivia Bruce

Submitted to Contest #233

January 1st, 1996 This is it. The beginning. A new beginning. Today is the day I start my new life. No more running away, no matter how scared or sad or angry or empty I get, I will not fill my body with toxins to escape. I will be coherent, for myself, for my family, I will change. I have to. I can’t keep living a life where I’m paranoid all the time. My mother tells me the things I believe are coming after me aren’t real, that I’ve filled my body with so much booze and drugs, it’s altered my brain… But it all felt so real. She’s got to ...

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Title: Vegan Hamburgers

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Write a story in the form of diary entries, written by someone who has set themselves a month-long challenge.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 49 stories

“Vegan Hamburgers” by Ariana Tibi

“Nicotine” by J. D. Lair

“Diary of a Serial Killer” by Janet Boyer

“The Swear Jar” by Keelan LaForge

“I'm Gonna Punch Lucas Redmore in the Face” by James Lane

“Home Cooking” by Joseph Manopello

“Dear Journal, I might Go Crazy ” by Caitlin Morris

“My thirty-day challenge” by Sasan Sedighi

“Insatiable” by Layla Robinson

“History of Religion Final Exam Scenario #4582” by Katie Schnelle

“The Whatever Thing” by Joe Smallwood

“30 Days Are Not Enough” by Luna Lin

“Emery Putnam’s Boyfriend” by Hilary Yelvington

“Bleached Bones” by Syd .

“The Dope Witch” by Olivia Bruce

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a character participating in Dry January.

Your character, having abstained from their worst vice (big or small), finds new clarity.

Set your story in a bar that doesn’t serve alcohol.

Set your story during a month of drought — whether literal, or metaphorical.

Contest #233

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

231

Contest entries

78

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: