Writers
Write about the first piece you ever wrote.
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $250
- 10 Runners-Up:
- $25
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Aug 10, 2023
Submissions closed
Sep 15, 2023 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Oct 03, 2023
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $250
- 10 Runners-Up:
- $25
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Aug 10, 2023
Submissions closed
Sep 15, 2023 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Oct 03, 2023
About this challenge
The Prompt
Write about the first piece you ever wrote. How has your style or perspective changed since then?
In honor of the launch of the Writers community, embark on a nostalgic journey by reflecting on the very first piece you remember writing. We're not talking about the school days of mandatory book reports. Think back to that heartfelt poem, fledgling story, innocent journal entry, or your debut piece on Vocal. Dive deep into its essence, the emotions it evoked, and the message it conveyed. Then, contrast it with your present-day style and perspective. How have you evolved as a writer? How have your themes, voice, or viewpoints transformed over the years? Share this intimate voyage of growth and rediscovery, and let's celebrate the ever-evolving art of storytelling together.
In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:
- Between 300-3,000 words.
- Submitted to the Writers community. Choosing a community is a final step in the submission process.
The Prizes
- Grand Prize: $500
- Second Place: $250
- 10 Runners-Up: $25
Reminder: There is a Bonus Boost for Vocal+ members, and entering this challenge can help you earn. If you publish in all four of our new communities—BookClub, Writers, Chapters, and Critique—before 11:59PM EST on 9/01/2023, you'll be eligible to receive a $10 Bonus.
How to enter
For your story to be eligible, it should be between 300 and 3,000 words, and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until 11:59 PM ET on September 14, 2023 will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.
The Writers Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+ visit https://todaysurvey.shop/vocal-plus%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E.%3C/p%3E%3Cp class="css-1923z11-Text">To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or runners-up prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and residing in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need to have a Stripe account created and connected in order to receive the prizes. For this reason, entrants located outside of any of these countries will not be eligible to win.
Open challenges
Challenges you can enter now for a chance to win.
Craft Over Catharsis
Write a story that prioritizes structure, technique, or form over emotional release.
$200 Grand Prize4 days leftInstructions for a Feeling
Write a poem that gives instructions for how to experience, create, or avoid a feeling.
$200 Grand Prize9 days leftRituals of Affection
Write a story about a recurring ritual tied to love, romance, or connection. Something about it is unusual, unsettling, or unexplained.
$200 Grand Prize11 days leftThe Unnecessary Line
Write a poem that includes one line that does not strictly belong and let the tension it creates remain unresolved.
$200 Grand Prize18 days leftA System That Isn’t Working
Write about a system, whether social, economic, cultural, technological, or otherwise, that feels broken or misaligned.
$200 Grand Prize25 days leftEveryone Is Acting Normally
Write a story in which something is clearly wrong but all characters behave as if everything is normal.
$200 Grand Prize32 days leftThe Haiku of Now
Write a haiku that captures a small, precise moment from the present without reflection or commentary.
$200 Grand Prize37 days leftWhat the Myth Gets Wrong
Write a story set in a world where a well-known myth exists that focuses on a detail the myth simplifies, ignores, or distorts.
$200 Grand Prize39 days leftSomething Is Beginning, I Think
Write a story that opens at the edge of a beginning that feels uncertain, partial, or reluctant and avoid resolution.
$200 Grand Prize46 days leftSay It Plainly
Write a poem that states its central concern directly without metaphor, indirection, or symbolic substitution.
$200 Grand Prize53 days leftThe Rule Everyone Knows
Write a story centered on an unspoken rule that everyone in the story understands and follows, allowing the rule to emerge through behavior.
$200 Grand Prize58 days left
Challenge resources
Instructions Included Challenge Winners
For the Instructions Included challenge, we asked writers to tell a story through instructions and to trust the form to carry what could not be said outright. Across the top entries, that trust paid off in many different ways.
By Vocal Curation Team5 days ago in Resources
The Ritual of Winter Challenge Winners
Welcome to the Winners Announcement for The Ritual of Winter challenge. This prompt focused on winter rituals and the meaning that settles into them over time. The top pieces stay grounded in ordinary acts and repeated routines, letting winter shape the work through pace, attention, and restraint.
By Vocal Curation Team24 days ago in Resources
