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Your Story Competition

[description]Enter Writer’s Digest’s creative challenge for fun and prizes – the Your Story Competition. Use our short, open-ended prompts then submit your story.[/description]
[keywords]story competition, your story competition, prompt competition[/keywords]

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.
  • WD editors will select the top five entries and post them on our Writer’s Forum. Readers will vote on their favorite to determine the winner. (Remember, you must be a registered member of the Writer’s Digest forum to read and vote in this competition.)
  • 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.
  • For past winners, visit the Your Story forum. (You must be a forum member to read entries.)

Read the official rules | Your Story Frequently Asked Questions


Your Story 41: Submit Now!

Prompt: Write the opening sentence to a story (25 words or fewer) incorporating these three words: Cinderella, midnight and behave. Read more

Your Story 40 – Vote Now!

Prompt: Write the opening sentence to a story (25 words or fewer) based on the photo prompt to the left. Read more

Your Story 39 Winner: Homecoming

Prompt: You return to the house where you grew up, only to learn it has been condemned. Read more

Your Story 38 – Winners!

Prompt: Write the opening sentence to a story (25 words or fewer) based on the photo prompt to the left.Official Rules Thanks to everyone for your votes. Here are the results of … Read more

Your Story 37 Winner: Anonymous

Prompt: After being pulled over for speeding, your character finds something important while looking for her registration in the glove compartment. Once again, you’ve made the Your Story competition a success. Thanks … Read more

Your Story 36 Winners

Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story based on the photo prompt.
Read more

Your Story 35 Winners

Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story based on a photo Read more

Your Story 34 Winner: Momma’s Boy

Begin your story using the following line of dialogue: “You won’t believe what came in the mail today.” Read more

Your Story 22 Winner: He Plays Expert

Out of more than 400 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Cresta McGowan, as the winner of our Your Story #22 contest. Judging for the Your Story #23 competition will take place in late January. Read more

Your Story 21 Winner: Conquered Fear

Out of more than 600 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Jessica Kruger, as the winner of our Your Story #21 contest. Judging for the Your Story #22 competition will take place in late November. For more info visit Read more

Your Story 20 Winner: My First Job as a Teacher

Out of more than 550 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Rebekah Reaves, as the winner of our Your Story #20 contest. Judging for the Your Story #21 competition will take place in late October. For more info visit writersdigest.com/YourStory. Read more

Your Story 19 Winner: Ice Cream for Breakfast

Out of more than 900 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Tina Rivera, as the winner of our Your Story #19 contest. Judging for the Your Story #20 competition will take place in late September. For more info visit writersdigest.com/YourStory.
Read more

Your Story 18 Winner: Sugar-Free

Out of more than 500 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Katherine Hollien of Hanover, Mass., as the winner of our Your Story #18 contest. Judging for the Your Story #19 competition will take place in late July. For more info visit writersdigest.com/YourStory. Read more

Your Story 17 Winner: The Key

Out of more than 1,100 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Larry Peterson of Fox Island, Wash., as the winner of our Your Story #17 contest. Judging for the Your Story #18 competition will take place in late May. For more info visit writersdigest.com/YourStory. Read more

Your Story 16 Winner: The Truth

Out of more than 700 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Dayle James Arceneaux of Houma, La., as the winner of our Your Story #16 contest. Judging for the Your Story #17 competition will take place in late January. For more info visit writersdigest.com/YourStory. Read more

Your Story 15 Winner: $52 Inside

Out of more than 650 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Carol Jones of Fort Collins, Colo., as the winner of our Your Story #15 contest. Judging for the Your Story #16 competition will take place in late January. For more info visit writersdigest.com/YourStory. Read more

Your Story 14 Winner: Vincent D

Out of more than 1,000 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Mary Rudy of San Rafael, Calif., as the winner of our Your Story #14 contest. Judging for the Your Story #15 competition will take place in late November. For more info visit writersdigest.com/YourStory. Read more

Your Story 13 Winner: Survival Suburbia

Out of more than 400 entries, we chose this entry, submitted by Steve Martinez of Irvine, Calif., as the winner of our Your Story #13 contest. Judging for the Your Story #14 competition will take place in late October. For more info visit writersdigest.com/YourStory. Read more