November/December 2013 Issue
November/December Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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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.
- WD editors will select the top entries and post them on our Writer’s Forum. Readers will vote on their favorite to determine the winner.
- 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 55: Submit Now!
Prompt: Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story based on the photo to the left. Read more
Your Story 54: CLOSED
Prompt: Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story based on the photo to the left. Your Story 54 is now CLOSED. Join us on the Your Story forum … Read more
Your Story 53 Winner: Sausage, Peppers, and Ice Cream
Prompt: A girl puts a quarter in a gumball machine and a human tooth comes out. Read more
Your Story 52: The Winners!
Prompt: Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story based on the photo to the left. Read more
Your Story 51 Winner: Stray Lust
Prompt: Begin your story with the following line of dialogue: “Heads, we get married; tails, we break up.” Read more
Your Story 50: The Winners!
Prompt: Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story based on the photo to the left. Read more
Your Story 49 Winner: Defining Home
Prompt: You’re stranded on a desert island with three items: a coconut, a mask and a dictionary. Read more
Your Story 48: The Winners!
Prompt: Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story based on the photo to the left. Read more
Writing challenge! Can you write an opening sentence to a story incorporating these 3 words? (Winners will be published in WD)
Looking for a little Friday procrastination in the form of a writing challenge? Close that Excel spreadsheet you’re working on, minimize your boss’ emails or postpone your daily chores (come on, nobody … Read more
Your Story 47 Winner: The Ticker
Prompt: A man who lives alone sees a set of footprints leading away from his house the morning after a heavy snowfall. Read more
Your Story 46: The Winners
Prompt: Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story incorporating these three words: fresh, hair and tangled. Read more
Your Story 45: Winners!
Prompt: Write the opening sentence (25 words or fewer) to a story based on the photo to the left. Read more
Your Story 44: Winners!
Prompt: A nosy man eavesdrops on his co-workers and immediately regrets it. Read more
Your Story 43: Winners!
Prompt: Write the opening sentence to a story (25 words or fewer) based on the photo prompt to the left. Read more
Your Story 42 Winner: The Safe Zone
Prompt: Begin your story with the following line of dialogue: “I’ve got to get out of these clothes—fast.” Read more
Last call! Can you write an opening sentence to this story? (Chance to get published in Writer’s Digest)
From hardboiled detectives to murderers, leprechauns, spies and even giraffe narrators, when it comes to the diverse and unique entries in our free Your Story contest, the gang’s all here. If … Read more
Your Story 41: Winners!
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 – Winners!
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