Your Story Competition

Every other month, Writer’s Digest presents a creative challenge for fun and prizes. We’ll provide a short, open-ended prompt. In turn, you’ll submit a short story based on that prompt. The winner will receive publication in an upcoming issue of Writer’s Digest.

The Rules:

  • Judging criteria are inventiveness, creativity and—where appropriate—humor.
  • One entry per person.
  • WD retains first-time rights to run the winner (and finalists) in the magazine and/or on our website, after which all rights return to the author.
  • The decisions of its editors are final.
  • Winners will be published in a future issue of Writer’s Digest and on the Your Story winners page at WritersDigest.com.

    • Read the official rules | Your Story Frequently Asked Questions

Your Story #90: Submit Now!

By: | | Comments 0

Prompt: Write the opening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on the photo above. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Use the submission form below OR email your submission directly to yourstorycontest@fwmedia.com. IMPORTANT: If you experience trouble with the...

Your Story #89: CLOSED

By: | | Comments 3

Prompt: Write a short story, of 650 words or fewer, based on the photo prompt above. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Your Story 89 is now officially closed. Please visit our website in late April to view the top 5 entries — and to vote...

Your Story #87: Vote Now!

By: | | Comments 33

  Prompt: Write a short story, of 700 words or fewer, based on the photo prompt shown here. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Vote now to help choose our winner for Your Story 87! Read the finalists below, then vote for the one you...

Your Story #86: Winners!

By: | | Comments 39

Prompt: Write the opening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on the photo in this post. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story.

Your Story #85: Winner!

By: | | Comments 26

Prompt: Write a short story, of 700 words or fewer, based on the photo at left (or below for mobile users).You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who participated in competition #85 (either...

Your Story #84: Winners!

By: | | Comments 37

Prompt: Write theopening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on this photo. (For mobile users, it will appear below.) You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Thanks to everyone who entered and/or voted in WD’s Your Story 84!...

Your Story #83: Winner!

By: | | Comments 36

Write a short story, of 700 words or fewer, based on this prompt: A man is surprised to find himself feeling both pleased and liberated by the news that he will soon die. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who participated in competition #83...

Your Story #82: Winners!

By: | | Comments 52

Write the opening sentence (one sentence only, 25 words or fewer) to a story based on the  photo on the left. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Thanks to everyone who entered and/or voted in WD’s Your Story 82! Here are the results. The top 10...

Your Story #81: Winner!

By: | | Comments 42

Prompt: Write a short story, of 700 words or fewer based on the prompt at left. (For mobile users, it will appear below.) You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who participated...

Your Story #80: Winners!

By: | | Comments 56

Prompt: Write a line (just one sentence only, of 25 words or fewer) that best describes what’s happening in the prompt at left. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Thanks to everyone who entered and/or voted in WD’s Your Story 80! The top 10 winners...

Your Story #79: Winner!

By: | | Comments 35

Prompt: Write a short story, of 700 words or fewer, based on the photo prompt on the left. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who participated in competition #79 (either by entering, reading...

Your Story #78: Winners!

By: | | Comments 43

Prompt: Write the opening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on the photo to the left.You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Thanks to everyone who entered and/or voted in WD’s Your Story 78! Here are the results. The top 10 winners are...

Your Story #77: Winner!

By: | | Comments 113

Prompt: Write a short story, of 700 words or fewer, based on this prompt: When a man takes lunch to his wife’s office, he’s told that she hasn’t worked there in weeks. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who participated in competition #77 (either...

Your Story #76: Winners!

By: | | Comments 87

Prompt: Write the opening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on the photo to the left.You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Thanks to everyone who entered and/or voted in WD’s Your Story #76! Here are the results....

Your Story #75: Winner!

By: | | Comments 84

Prompt: Write a short story, of 700 words or fewer, that begins with the following line of dialogue: “You don’t have enough points, sir.” You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who...

Your Story #74: Winners!

By: | | Comments 67

Prompt: Write the opening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on the photo to the left. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Thanks to everyone who entered and/or voted in WD’s Your Story 74! Here are the results....

Your Story #73: Winner!

By: | | Comments 80

Prompt: Write a short story, of 700 words or fewer, that begins with the sentence prompt on the left.You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who participated in competition #73 (either by entering,...

Your Story #72: Winners!

By: | | Comments 53

Prompt: Write the opening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on the photo to the left.You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Thanks to everyone who entered WD’s Your Story 72 contest! Here are the results. The top 10...

Your Story #71: Winners!

By: | | Comments 74

Prompt: Write the opening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on the photo to the left. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Thanks to everyone who entered and/or voted in WD’s Your Story 71! Here are the...

Your Story 70: Winner!

By: | | Comments 57

Prompt: Write a short story, of 700 words or fewer, that begins with the following sentence: The difference is, I lie for a reason. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who participated in competition #70 (either by entering, reading or voting). Out of more...

Your Story 69: Winners!

By: | | Comments 35

Prompt: Write the opening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on the photo to the left.You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Thanks to everyone who entered and/or voted in WD’s Your Story 69! Here are the results....

Your Story 68: Winner!

By: | | Comments 74

Prompt: Write a short story, of 750 words or fewer, based on the picture prompt on the left. You can be funny, poignant, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who participated in competition #68 (either by entering,...

Your Story 67—Winners!

By: | | Comments 69

Prompt: Write the opening sentence (just one sentence), of 25 words or fewer, to a story based on the photo to the left.   Thanks to everyone who entered and/or voted in WD’s Your Story 67! Here are the results. The winners, in ranking order, are as follows: 1. Thin, punctured...

Your Story 66: A Mother’s Confession

By: | | Comments 53

Prompt: Write a short story of 750 words or fewer based on the following prompt: Mommy, I don’t like this. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success! Thanks to everyone who participated in competition #66 (either by entering, reading or voting). Out of nearly 300 entries, readers helped us...