Start your story with one character telling another, “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”

Posted in Novel on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 132 stories

“BEUTELRATTE” by Joyful Joel Zemba

Submitted to Contest #66

Chapter 1“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”“Defeat!” cried that grey-haired man. “Aahan, my boy, I plan to win by losing.” He smirked as though he was the smartest man on earth. Aahan knew he wasn’t.“Eureka!” exclaimed that gray-haired man. He was not gray-haired for age, although he was not so young either, he was gray-haired because he simply was. “What it is master, do say!” inquired Aahan out of curiosity, stopping his mopping the office. “I’ve got it Aahan! I’ve got it!” the man was so happy that he grabbed Aahan...

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“Plan on Forgiveness"” by Jennifer Gallo

Submitted to Contest #66

Trigger warning: domestic violence "It doesn't count if you're already planning your defeat," Tommy told Jenny as she was finishing up her motivational speech she planned to share with the Domestic Violence shelter in their hometown. "What if they don't like my topic?" Jenny asked with worry in her voice. "You've got to trust in yourself, the pain that you have endured, all of the hurt, suffering, and unhappiness you have somehow overcome that is a story worth sharing." After praying and meditation to clear her anxiety she was finally...

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“Don't You Dare” by Mikayla Peterson

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”Anne glared at me, shoulders taut, hissing through her teeth. I looked down at my riding boots, dusty from walking the course early that morning. The sun beat down mercilessly, making horses and spectators sweat alike. Ladies in long skirts and broad brimmed hats handed the riders flowers to tuck in their mount’s mane for good luck, blushing all the while at the handsome young men that flashed their teeth in a smile. The lady in front of me had no such flowers, and I had no such ...

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“Moving the Goalposts” by Elizabeth Corbitt

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” The words hung in the air for a moment surrounding me with doubt. I knew better than to confide in my mother. This was the very reason I had tried to keep her from finding my writing, but my attempts had failed. I hadn’t realized she still searched my name once a week and one of the sites I posted to had my real name attached. It hadn’t been anything special, but it had set her on the path of asking me for updates on my the work. With November being National Novel Writing Month, she ...

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“The Ocean is Alive” by Margin 🌈

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat, Indra,” Thalassa was completely drenched, her hair matted clumsily to her neck. She did not look like the picture of triumph, but a foolish grin was plastered over her face. “It’s not worth it. We both know that,” Indra stood and stretched, emotionless. She seemed utterly apathetic about the idea of becoming Crown Princess of Icilus. Thalassa heaved a deep sigh. This was not the first time she’d dealt with her sister’s insolence, she told herself, and it wouldn’t be the last. A ...

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“Liberation” by Ambuja Rani

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” The shorter boy mumbled. “It’s not the same thing, Phil. I am not planning my defeat I am accepting it.” The taller boy chided, though he appeared doleful. “It’s the same thing, Zack. Different ways of looking at the same thing. Get that thought out of your mind and listen…” the shorter boy leant in to whisper something. “It wouldn’t work.” Zack immediately responded. “Oh, trust me, it will.” Phil had a confident smirk on his face. The two ‘prisoners’ clasped each other’s hands and Z...

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“The Cock” by S.S. Bones

Submitted to Contest #66

‘It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat,’ Stuart warned Bernard. ‘Yes it does,’ Bernard tells him, ‘As long as I win the bet. Lose the war but win the battle, or is it the other way around? Whatever Sun Tzu meant.’ He stops preparing to leave the apartment to face Stuart, ‘Listen Stu, me cock fighting isn’t anything like you running a marathon with the razzle-dazzle of inspiration and motivation.’ ‘Cock fighting,’ he laughs. ‘You are too immature for someone in their mid-twenties,’ he comments before picking up the car key...

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“Inaccurate: The Tale of an Incompetent Mage” by Cody Burrell

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat, Zev.” "You always seem to be anticipating my defeat, why can't I?" "That- is just- grief, Zev, you can't possibly be thinking that by expecting to fail your magic will actually do what your heart is wanting, can you? You're magic knows, Zev. It knows." "That sounds ominous, Win, cut it out." "Your magic is ominous! Every time you use it it's like a portent of terrible things to come. Just watching you pull in magic makes my hair stand on end." "I thought that watching me pul...

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“Fools” by Adele Moulton

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat,” Rowen grumbled to Aria, who had made herself busy tampering with her sword. She looked up, irritated. “Listen, clodhopper,” she retorted, “I know what I’m doing. Besides, there are more important things than winning.” She turned away from him to focus on the task at hand. Taken aback, Rowen took a moment to find something to say. He’d expected Aria to take the competition seriously, and she was in the semi-finals of the tournament. Why would she give up her shot at the title now? ...

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“Candlelight” by Taylah Embra

Submitted to Contest #66

Lit only by the cold candlelight on the walls, the room seemed to be empty. Of people, anyway. There wasn’t much to do but sit on the bench only a few feet from the cells that lay rotting, the metal bars patiently rusting. That was the only real way to tell that time even passed here – the candles were not replaced often enough to be of any use, and the light of day never reached this part of the ship. It could be the middle of the day right now, and yet it was still almost pitch black in the cells. Only one was occupied at the moment. Th...

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“Checkmate.” by Sue-Ann Van Der Hoeff

Submitted to Contest #66

"It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat."Our eyes met as the words fell off my lips, finally breaking the silence."It doesn't count if you were willing to sacrifice everything.It doesn't count if there was no reason for me to keep going.""So, you confess." Her caution is logical, but it did catch me off guard. It was the first emotion she displayed after picking me up.I would call us old friends.She doesn't like it when I call her that.“E2 to E3.”Her home number was installed on every burner phone I owned. And she was the fi...

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“Lemonade” by Aakriti Anil

Submitted to Contest #66

"It doesn't count if you're already planning your defeat." Reema from the kitchen shouted over Vidhya.Vidhya was all ready to quit the hearing. She had decided to sign off the petition she filed to save her home. The day was of the final court hearing. Whereas in intense surrounding Vidhya forgot her diet, life and smile. While sitting in the dining. Reema stood inside the kitchen. While preparing Lemonade, she was blubbering her thoughts to make Vidhya realised her faults. But in last she stooped at the only question she wants to ask- ...

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“Defeat” by A.K. Truss

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat” The words echoed in my head. That's what she had said the last time I had lost this futile competition. An embarrassing loss that I still hadn’t lived down, but here I was competing again and this time I planned for victory. I remembered the last competition like it was yesterday. I hadn’t thought of her as an opponent but as a distraction, now I knew how wrong I had been to think that. I had been preparing all day. We had planned for the competition t...

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“To Be Certain With The Uncertainty” by JAZMEDIA PRODUCTIONS

Submitted to Contest #66

Dr. Allan peered at me with his chin tilted down, his gold-brimmed glasses threatening to fall off of the hook of his nose. I really did it this time: I said that I felt like I was going insane even though I was progressing and that I couldn't live with OCD forever and now surely this was the last straw. He was going to send me to the psychiatric ward. "It doesn't count if you're already planning your defeat, Darren." He had that same look in his face that he had when I told him that thinking makes me upset. My memories are constantly c...

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“Victory” by Crys De

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn't count if you're already planning your defeat" Bob said. “I am not planning for my defeat, I am just making sure I am prepared if I am defeated" Trevor said. “Well then, my apologies. It just does not seem that you are preparing for a victory either" Bob responded. “I do not want to jinx it" Trevor claimed. “Oh, ok. Well Sven is much less likely to win than you" Bob assured Trevor. “Yes, but he is also known to cheat. And this is a big event, it could lead to one of us getting into the pros” Trevor replied. “Well...

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Start your story with one character telling another, “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 132 stories

“BEUTELRATTE” by Joyful Joel Zemba

“Plan on Forgiveness"” by Jennifer Gallo

“Don't You Dare” by Mikayla Peterson

“Moving the Goalposts” by Elizabeth Corbitt

“The Ocean is Alive” by Margin 🌈

“Liberation” by Ambuja Rani

“The Cock” by S.S. Bones

“Inaccurate: The Tale of an Incompetent Mage” by Cody Burrell

“Fools” by Adele Moulton

“Candlelight” by Taylah Embra

“Checkmate.” by Sue-Ann Van Der Hoeff

“Lemonade” by Aakriti Anil

“Defeat” by A.K. Truss

“To Be Certain With The Uncertainty” by JAZMEDIA PRODUCTIONS

“Victory” by Crys De

🌟 Similar prompts

Halfway through a fierce competition, your character is given the opportunity to cheat their way to victory: do they take it?

Write about a character who makes a dramatic life change to pursue a goal they’ve secretly always wanted.

Write about a contest with life or death stakes.

Write about a character who’s finally on the verge of achieving their lifelong dream.

Contest #66

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

584

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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