creative writing prompt contests

How to Submit Short Stories to Reedsy Prompts Contests (and What Happens When You Do)

Submit short stories to Reedsy Prompts for prizes, publishing opportunities, and valuable feedback. Here's how it works.

As a creative writer, one great way to practice your craft and maybe earn some money is to enter competitions. Reedsy offers one of the best around through its Prompts platform.

Get to know Reedsy Prompts and what to expect after you submit a short story to its online contest.

What Is Reedsy Prompts?

Reedsy Prompts is a website designed for one thing: hold weekly short story contests with prompts and prizes for writers.

After signing up, you get a notification every Friday with a new theme and five related prompts. You choose one that inspires you most and write a story between 1,000 and 3,000 words.

The submission fee is $5. The rewards include $250 for the winning story, $25 worth of Reedsy credit for a few shortlisted authors, and publication on the Prompts platform.

Read through the Reedsy Prompts' terms of use , especially its submission policies. Besides making sure your work is original and not violating anyone’s copyright, for example, you should learn how Reedsy can use your story and how you can repost it on other websites.

Let’s break down each step and additional tips. They’ll help you understand the whole process, what makes a good strategy for winning the contests, and how to make the most of Prompts as an online tool for writers.

1. Submit Your Story Through the Online Form

When it comes to writing your story, make sure it’s compelling, but also planned and written well. Reedsy editors do spruce up winning stories before showcasing them, but it’s those already in good shape that tend to win. So, don’t waste that fee on a story that isn’t ready.

If you’re happy with it, however, go to the current contest’s web page and click the Submit story button on the prompt of your choice.

A new page will open with an online submission form. Enter your story’s title and main body, either by writing it straight in or copy-pasting it from your favorite book-writing software . Then, select up to three categories to tag it with, and tick whether the submission has sensitive content.

When done, hit Submit to contest ($5) , but you can also use the Publish to profile (free) button to just add the story to your Reedsy Prompts portfolio for visibility and feedback. If you change your mind before the relevant contest expires, you’re welcome to submit it.

Once you pay the fee, the submission automatically goes through for approval. If successful, the judges will then evaluate your story.

At this point, you can either relax and wait for the outcome or submit another story to a different prompt. You can enter each week’s contest up to five times, but each story must be original, and you don’t get a fee discount for multiple entries.

2. Wait Two Weeks for the Prompt's Results

Each contest closes after a week. The judges then take another week to read through the submissions—sometimes in the hundreds.

In other words, be patient. Two weeks can fly by if you occupy yourself productively. See what else you can do on Prompts or how authors can benefit from Reedsy Discovery .

3. While Waiting, Manage Your Story and Profile

Your submission will appear on your profile along with any other stories you’ve posted on Reedsy Prompts. Click on the story to access the Edit submission and Delete buttons. Up to the contest's closing date, you're welcome to make changes to your entry.

If you scroll down, you’ll also find Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram share buttons. Even if you don’t win the contest, you can still grow a following.

When it comes to tweaking your profile in general, you can add a bio and photo, as well as follow and interact with other users. If you have a website or blog, add your profile URL or the Prompts widget so that visitors can quickly jump to your short story portfolio. Keep that in mind for book ad ideas for authors .

4. Receive Likes, Comments, and Karma Points

As soon as your submitted story is approved, it’ll go live on the platform. People can find it on the Stories page, read it, and leave likes and comments. You can even respond to the latter, starting a conversation.

As readers interact with your stories, you earn karma points. Approved and winning stories get you even more. Unfortunately, these karma points only signify your popularity and make you more prominent on the website—they don't lead to additional rewards.

5. Participate in the Critique Circle of Reedsy Prompts

Once you sign up and submit a story, you’re automatically included in the so-called critique circle. This means that every Wednesday, you’ll get an email asking you to comment on someone else’s entry. Likewise, another user will be assigned your work.

To opt out, go to the home page, hover over or click the arrow on your profile icon, and select Account settings . Under Emails , you’ll find a tick box beside Weekly critique circle emails . All you have to do is deactivate it and hit Save changes .

If Prompts really doesn’t work for you as a writing group, there are many other online communities for writers with perks that might interest you.

6. If You Win, Expect a Notification and Reward

At the end of the two weeks, the winner is alerted via email and on the website. The $250 is paid through PayPal, and Reedsy displays the story on Prompts, as well as its newsletter and magazine.

If you’re shortlisted, you may earn credit worth $25, which you can then spend on an editor, designer, marketer, or any other professional on Reedsy’s marketplace.

7. Your Story Is Edited Before Appearing on Prompted

Prompted is a literary magazine that Reedsy produces to share with the world its top Prompts winners. If you win and your story is included in an edition, it will be edited alongside the magazine’s other content.

8. If You Don’t Win, Check the Prompt’s Results

The two weeks have elapsed, and you didn’t get a celebratory email or notification from Prompts. This probably means you didn’t win, but don’t lose hope.

The contest never stops offering you opportunities to boost your creative writing income and skills. Your first stop at the end of a Prompts round should be its results page.

It will feature lots of details, including the total number of stories and contest entries. Eventually, the winner and shortlisted pieces will appear under the competition’s theme and description.

You can read each one for inspiration and to get a sense of what Reedsy judges are looking for when reviewing entries. This is a great way to learn how to win a Prompts contest. From there, work on self-editing techniques for better writing .

9. Join Online Events for Members

As part of the Reedsy Prompts community, you’ll get a range of offerings, from online courses for writers to magazine launches featuring readings and Q&As.

Besides keeping an eye out for email invites, visit the Prompts website often to catch announcements of online events.

10. Receive a Digital or Printed Copy of Prompted

By default, you can download a digital copy for free. Just go to Contests > Magazine on the website, enter your email address, and click Download .

The print edition costs $4.99—unless you win a free copy. Opportunities like this come up often at online events on Prompts.

Either way, get your hands on the magazine, especially if it contains a story of yours. It’s a fantastic tool for your marketing campaign as you can share the news and the magazine itself on your website or social media profiles.

Use Feedback on Reedsy Prompts Constructively and Improve Your Creative Writing

Cash prizes, impressive spotlights, and a supportive community. Now that you know how the contests work on Reedsy Prompts and what you can get out of them, take the plunge and see how you do.

It’s a competitive platform, but so are all creative writing competitions. Do what you can to perfect your storytelling by practicing with books and short stories, as well as utilizing feedback, no matter its source.

The comments you get on Prompts can provide plenty of insight. They can be just as helpful as full-blown reviews and manuscript assessments.

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Looking for a Writing Contest to Enter?

Hannah Yang

Writing contests can be a useful way to send your work out into the world. With a strong submission and a bit of luck, you can win publication, recognition, and even cash prizes.

This article will give you the inside scoop on the most high-quality writing contests to enter.

Are Writing Contests Worth Entering?

What are some writing contests that are free to enter, how can i increase my chances of winning, where can i find more writing contests.

Entering writing contests can be useful for several reasons:

• They give you a deadline and often even a prompt to write about , which many writers find motivating
• The results can help you get a sense of where you are on your writing journey and how you can improve your craft
• Winning a contest can be a fantastic boost to your journey as a writer

On the other hand, it’s important to keep in mind that it takes a lot of luck to win a contest, since there are usually only a few winners chosen from among hundreds of strong contestants.

If your goal is to get your writing published, you’ll likely fare better by submitting to magazines and anthologies than by entering contests.

Download our free eBook on how to publish your writing

If your goal is to make money, you should prioritize freelance writing jobs instead.

With that being said, there are many incredible writing contests out there that can absolutely be worth your while, as long as you enter with realistic expectations.

Many writing contests cost fees to enter, since they give out cash prizes and hire guest judges that they need to pay for their time.

Charging an entry fee doesn’t necessarily mean the contest is a scam. It does mean, however, that you need to be judicious about which contests to submit your work to.

Free writing contests are more accessible to all writers, and there’s nothing to lose from giving them a shot.

We’ve compiled a list of legitimate, high-quality writing contests that charge no entry fees.

Prose Weekly Challenge

Prose, a social network for readers and writers, offers weekly challenges meant to spark your creativity. This is a fun, low-stakes challenge, with a small cash prize to sweeten the deal.

Prize: Each week’s winner receives $100. Guidelines: Submit a short piece of writing (up to 500 words) related to the weekly prompt. Deadline: Weekly.

Prime Number Magazine 53-Word Story Contest

Press 53’s Prime Number Magazine hosts a monthly micro-fiction contest based on a theme.

All stories must be exactly 53 words long. There’s no cash prize, but this can be a fun and low-stakes contest to participate in if you’ve got some spare time and are looking for a writing prompt.

Prize: Publication, a free book from Press 53. Guidelines: Submit a 53-word story based on a monthly prompt. Open to writers around the world who write in English. Deadline: Monthly on the 15th of each month.

Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction

The Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction is an annual short story contest co-hosted by Comma Press and the University of Central Lancashire.

If you live in the UK and are interested in crime stories, this is a great contest to consider, with a £500 for the winner and publication for the runners-up.

Prize: £500 ($692) for first place, and publication for 10 shortlisted authors. Guidelines: Submit a short story (between 2,000 and 6,000 words). The theme for the 2022 Prize is "Crime Stories." Only residents of the UK age 18 or older are eligible. Deadline: October 29, 2021.

Commonwealth Short Fiction Prize

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is an annual short fiction contest administered by the Commonwealth Foundation.

If you’re a short story writer and a citizen of a Commonwealth country, this contest is a fantastic option, with a generous £5,000 cash prize for the winner.

Prize: £5,000 ($6,922) for the overall winner and £2,500 ($3,461) for regional winners. Guidelines: Entrants must be citizens of a Commonwealth country and age 18 or over. Submit a short story (between 2,000 and 5,000 words). As well as English, stories are accepted in the Bengali, Chinese, French, Greek, Kiswahili, Malay, Portuguese, Samoan, Tamil, and Turkish languages. Translated entries from any language into English are also eligible. Deadline: November 1, 2021.

ServiceScape Short Story Award

ServiceScape is a platform that matches freelance writers, editors, and graphic designers with clients. They offer a yearly Short Story Award with a $1,000 prize.

Prize: $1,000 for first place and publication on the ServiceScape blog. Guidelines: Accepts original, unpublished work (5,000 words or fewer) in any genre, fiction or non-fiction. Writers must be age 18 or older. Deadline: November 29, 2021.

The Roswell Award

The Roswell Award is an annual science fiction contest with a $500 prize, co-presented by Sci-Fest L.A. and the Light Bringer Project.

This is a great option if you like using your writing to unite the worlds of science and art.

Prize: $500 for first place, $250 for second place, and $100 for third place. Guidelines: Submit a science fiction story. Open to writers around the world age 16 or older. Writers are encouraged to explore scientific, social, technological, environmental, and philosophical themes in their writing and always, at the core, to master the art of great storytelling. Deadline: December 21, 2021.

L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Contest

The Writers of the Future Contest is the most enduring and influential contest in the history of science fiction and fantasy.

The contest is held once every three months, with a generous $1,000 prize.

Prize: $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place. Guidelines: Submissions must be short stories or novelettes (up to 17,000 words) in the genre of science fiction or fantasy. Open to new and amateur writers around the world. Deadline: Quarterly on December 31, March 31, June 30, and September 30.

Find Out More

Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award

The Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award is an annual contest, co-hosted by the National Space Society and Baen Books, for stories about manned space exploration.

If you’re interested in the role that science fiction plays in advancing real science, this is a great option that pays professional rates.

Prize: Professional paying rates (8 cents per word). The winner’s story will be published as the featured story on the Baen Books main website. The winner will also receive free entry into 2020 International Space Development Conference and a prize package with various Baen Books and National Space Society merchandise. Guidelines: Submit a short story (up to 8,000 words) that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration. The judges want to see moon bases, Mars colonies, orbital habitats, space elevators, asteroid mining, artificial intelligence, nano-technology, realistic spacecraft, heroics, sacrifice, and/or adventure. Open to writers around the world who write in English. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was February 1, 2021).

The Fountain Essay Contest

Fountain Magazine holds an annual contest for essays related to the personal challenges you’ve faced in your life.

Challenges can span from moving across the country and starting at a new high school or getting out of bed in the morning while undergoing depression. There are generous cash prizes for the winners.

Prize: $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, $300 for third place, and $150 each for two honorable mentions. Guidelines: Submit a personal essay (between 1,500 and 2,500 words) on the annual theme. All writers worldwide are eligible. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was March 1, 2021).

The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize

Every year, The Alpine Fellowship awards writing, visual arts, and theater prizes related to an annual theme.

This is an extremely competitive fellowship, with global recognition for the winner and a whopping £10,000 first place prize.

Prize: £10,000 ($13,840) for first place, £3,000 ($4,150) for second place, and £2,000 ($2,770) for third place. Guidelines: Submit a piece of writing related to the annual theme (2021’s was "Untamed: On Wilderness and Civilization"). Entries must be unpublished and a maximum of 2,500 words. Poetry, prose, or non-academic essays welcome. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was April 1, 2021).

Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest

The Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest is a contest for humor poems. This is a really fun contest if you like wordplay and witticisms, and you might even win $2,000.

Prize: $2,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $100 each to 10 honorable mentions. Guidelines: Writers of all ages can submit an original, humorous poem with 250 lines or less. The poem you submit should be in English. Inspired gibberish is also accepted. Deadline: April 1, 2022.

Parsec Short Story Contest

Parsec Ink holds an annual contest for science fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories from non-professional writers, with a small cash prize for the winners.

Prize: $200 for first place, $100 for second place, and $50 for third place. Guidelines: Submit a short story (up to 3,500 words) based on the annual theme. The 2022 theme has not yet been announced. (The 2021 theme was "Still Waters, Deep Thoughts"). Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was April 15, 2021).

Bacopa Literary Review Contest

Bacopa Literary Review is an international journal published by the Writers Alliance of Gainesville. They hold an annual contest that welcomes fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

Prize: $300 for first place and $100 for second place in each of four genres: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, and Prose Poetry. Guidelines: Submit a piece of writing in one of the four genres. You can find detailed guidelines for each genre on the website. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was May 31, 2021).

Stony Brook Southampton Short Fiction Prize

The Stony Brook Southampton Short Fiction Prize is a short story contest specifically for college students.

If you’re an undergraduate and want to try a writing contest, this is a fantastic option because you have a smaller set of competitors.

Prize: $1,000, a scholarship to the 2021 Southampton Writers’ Conference, and consideration for publication in TSR: The Southampton Review . Guidelines: Only full-time undergraduates in United States and Canadian universities and colleges are eligible. Submissions must be short fiction (7,500 words or less). Deadline: June 1, 2022.

Insecure Writer’s Support Group Annual Anthology Contest

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group holds an annual contest for short stories based on a theme.

There’s no cash prize, but all winning stories are published in their anthology, and you can receive royalties from sales.

Prize: Winning stories will be edited and published, and authors will receive royalties from the anthology. Guidelines: Submit a short story (between 5,000 and 6,000 words) related to the annual theme. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was September 1, 2021).

Hektoen Grand Prix Essay Contest

Hektoen International, an online journal dedicated to medical humanities, holds an annual contest for essays related to medicine, with a generous $5,000 cash prize.

Prize: $5,000 for the winner and $2,500 for the runner-up. Guidelines: Submit a short essay (up to 1,500 words) on any topic so long as it has a relation to medicine. The essay can include art, history, literature, education, and more. Writers must be age 18 or older. Deadline: TBD 2022 (the previous year’s deadline was September 15, 2021).

Owl Canyon Press Short Story Hackathon

Owl Canyon Press holds an annual “ hackathon ” for 20-paragraph stories, with a $1,000 prize.

The contest provides the first and last paragraph and the short story writer crafts the rest.

Prize: $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place. Publication in a short story anthology for 24 finalists. Guidelines: Writers are invited to create and submit a short story consisting of 20 paragraphs. The contest provides the 1st and 20th paragraphs, and the short story writer crafts the rest. There is no entry fee for submissions received during the first month of the contest. Deadline: TBD 2022 (last year’s deadline was September 30, 2020).

Transitions Abroad Expatriate and Work Abroad Writing Contest

The Transitions Abroad Writing Contest is an annual contest for essays related to your experience abroad. If you’ve ever lived and worked abroad, this is a great contest with a $500 cash prize.

Prize: $500 for first place, $150 for second place, $100 for third place, and $50 for all finalists. Guidelines: Submit a practical and inspiring essay or mini-guide (between 1,200 and 5,000 words) that provides in-depth descriptions of your experience moving, living, and working abroad (including any form of work such as teaching English, internships, volunteering, short-term jobs, etc.). The contest is open to writers from any location around the globe. Deadline: TBD 2022 (last year’s deadline was October 15, 2020).

Writing Battle Summer Flash Fiction

Writing Battle is a quarterly contest where writers are assigned prompts and have 2 days to write 1000 words. You are guaranteed feedback from you writing peers, plus you can win some money

Prize: $5,000 split between the four winners and publication.

Guidelines: Accepts original, unpublished work that matches the prompts and genre assigned. Writers must be aged 18 or older.

Deadline: August 7, 2022

Atlas Shrugged Novel Essay Contest

The Atlas Shrugged novel essay contest is open to all students globally. Atlas Shrugged is a heroic mystery novel written by Ayn Rand. Choose a prompt and write a 800-1,600 word essay in English. First prize: $10,000; 3 second prizes: $2,000; 5 third prizes: $1,000; 25 finalists: $100; 50 semi-finalists: $50.

Prize: First prize: $10,000, 3 second prizes: $2,000, 5 third prizes: $1,000, 25 finalists: $100, 50 semi-finalists: $50.

Guidelines: Choose a prompt and write an 800–1,600 word essay in English. All students globally can apply.

Deadline: Annually on November 6

Each of these contests has different requirements. What works for one probably will not work for another.

But what will increase your chance in every contest is good grammar and a solid structure. This is where ProWritingAid can help.

We may not be able to write your story for you, but we can help you submit your best work.

ProWritingAid’s 25 reports provide personalized, in-depth feedback on everything from grammar and spelling to pacing, word choice, passive voice, and more.

Sign up for a free account to see how ProWritingAid can help you.

There are many resources for writers that compile lists of writing contests. You should check these regularly, as different writing contests have different submission periods.

Some of my favorite resources include:

• Poets & Writers
• Winning Writers

With many writers’ sites, you can filter for free contests specifically, and you can also filter by the type of work you want to submit.

I usually check these sites once a season (fall, winter, spring, summer) to compile a list of the contests I want to submit to.

Do you have a favorite writing contest? Let us know in the comments.

FREE WEBINAR: How to Improve Your Chances of Winning the Debut Dagger , Nov 11, 2pm ET / 7pm UK

Have you been thinking about entering your story for the CWA Debut Dagger this year? The deadline isn’t until the end of February but we want to help you prepare.

We’ve invited Dea Parkin, Secretary of the Crime Writers’ Association, and Leigh Russell, Chair of the Debut Dagger judges, to come and share their insider information. Learn what the judges are looking for and how to give your story the best shot at winning.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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Young Writer Contests

Taradiddle is a youth writing program, created by the non-profit organization, Guardian Whiskers Inc, in Madison, Wisconsin. Taradiddle contests inspire youth ages 18 and younger to write with fun, animal-themed story prompts.

Experience the thrill of creative writing!

Write fun animal stories! Win prizes!

~ a writing contest for young authors ~, sign up below.

(Please scroll to the BOTTOM of the page!)

Taradiddle 2024 Youth Writing Contest Dates

Thursday, March 14 – Monday, March 18

Congratulations to the authors of the winning stories!

Here was the writing prompt: An unfamiliar sound startled Paquito, a Northern saw-whet owl, awake. He looked around. One moment he was sleeping in his favorite pine tree deep in the forest. Now, the forest was now gone, and the tree stood in a strange place! Paquito and his tree were surrounded by concrete and tall buildings. There were bright, colorful lights, music, and people looking up at the tree. Even the tree was lit by bright colorful lights!

the abecedarians (13 years and younger)

First Place: Amelie

Second Place: Olivia Benoit from Franklin, WI

Third Place: Jiaai Lu from Sunnyvale, CA

Honorable Mention: Natalya Bender from Knoxville, TN

Honorable Mention: Leah Tsujimoto from Wellington, CO

the doyens (14-18 years)

First Place: Emlyn Monti from Bristow, VA

Second Place: Shawn Hsieh from San Jose, CA

Third Place: Jessica Jiang from Pleasanton, CA

Honorable Mention: Sophia Zong from Pleasanton, CA

Thursday, September 19 – Monday, September 23

Weekly clues about the next animal protagonist will start arriving in your email inbox on Thursday, July 18!!

Taradiddle 2022 Contests

Read the stories of the 2022 Finalists by clicking on the button!

Taradiddle 2023 Contests

Read the stories of the 2023 Finalists by clicking on the button!

Meet the Taradiddle Judges!

Click on the button below to meet the Taradiddle Judges.

Guidelines:

• Entrants must be 18 years and younger.
• No cost to enter contests.
• Write original stories inspired by the Taradiddle animal-themed writing prompts.
• There are two age categories: Elementary Contests for ages 13 years and younger and High School Contests for ages 14-18 years. Enter under the age category you will be at the time of the contest to receive contest and prize information. If you are under the age of 13 years, your parent or guardian will need to sign you up with their email address. If you are 13 years and older, you can sign up with your email address. (Be sure to check your spam folder if you do not see emails from us!)
• The sooner you sign up, the more hints you will receive about the writing prompt for the next contest!
• Each contest starts on a Thursday and ends on the following Monday. When the contest starts, we will email you the writing prompt to get you started on your story. You will have by midnight (in your time zone) on the following Monday to submit your story inspired by the writing prompt. Submissions are made by emailing them to [email protected]. If email is not available, please mail your story to: Guardian Whiskers, 1004 East Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53703, postmarked by Monday. Be sure to indicate your age category.
• Only one submission is allowed per person.
• The Elementary Contests have a maximum word count of 500 words. The High School Contests have a maximum word count of 1,000 words.
• Judges will determine the top three finalists in each age category.
• Entrants retain the copyright of their submitted work. However, entrants grant Guardian Whiskers the right to reproduce any submission on its website or any other Guardian Whiskers publication regardless of medium or publication.
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Only original submissions will be accepted. We will not accept simultaneous submissions or work that has been published elsewhere.

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The top three finalists in each age category will be featured as published authors on Taradiddle.org.

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Last Updated: June 22, 2022

Guardian Whiskers Inc. and Taradiddle Young Writers Contests take your privacy seriously. We make every reasonable effort to keep your personal information private.

We also make every reasonable effort to comply with the  Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule  (“COPPA”). If we make substantive changes to this policy, we will make a reasonable effort to notify you via email, seek your consent to these changes, and give you the option to discontinue your use of the site. 

Our Privacy Policy delineates the information we collect, display, and share. 

What We Collect (Under-13 Writers)

The Taradiddle website collects the following information upon registration:

• Email address of parent or guardian
• How the parent/guardian would like the name of their child to appear publicly if their story places and is published on our website

What We Collect (13 and Older Writers)

• Email address 
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The Taradiddle website may collect IP addresses and use browser cookies. We use these only to help you interact with the site, not to gather any further personal information.

What We Display (Under-13 Users)

The Taradiddle website will publish om its website the stories of the finalists for each contest, any submitted drawings and illustrations completed by the writer, and the name of the writer in the way that the parent/guardian had consented to. If desired, a picture of the writer that the parent/guardian supplies and agrees to have publicly posted may be displayed together with the story.

What We Display (13 and Older Users)

The Taradiddle website will publish on its website the stories of the finalists for each contest, any submitted drawings and illustrations completed by the writer, and the name of the writer in the way that the writer had consented to. If desired, a picture of the writer that the writer supplies and agrees to have publicly posted may be displayed together with the story.

What We Don’t Share

Guardian Whiskers Inc. and Taradiddle will not share any of your personal information with third parties unless it is necessary for safety or legal purposes.

In the event that Guardian Whiskers Inc is involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, change of control, or any form of sale of some or all of our assets, your personal information may be transferred or disclosed in connection with such business transaction. If the transaction involves the transfer Personal Information to a third party, we will require the new owner to continue to honor the terms provided in this Privacy Policy, or we will provide you with notice and an opportunity to opt-out of the transfer by deleting Personal Information before the transfer occurs.

If you have questions about the Privacy Policy or any other concerns related to the Taradiddle website, please email us at  [email protected] .

Last Updated: June 20, 2022

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Your use of the Taradiddle website represents an understanding and acceptance of the following terms. If you do not agree with the following terms, you, your children, and/or your students should not use the website.

The following terms may be updated occasionally, at Guardian Whiskers Inc, creator of Taradiddle (“our”) discretion. Guardian Whiskers Inc via Taradiddle (“We”) will make reasonable effort to notify you of any substantive changes via email and obtain your consent. We suggest that you regularly review the terms to ensure your continued understanding and acceptance.

If you are under 18, you should review the following terms with a parent, guardian, or educator facilitating the Taradiddle Youth Writing Contests. If you are under 13, your parent or guardian must give you permission to participate.

Personal Information

• Parent or guardian email address (mandatory for under-13 users)
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The Taradiddle website also collects IP addresses and uses browser cookies. We use these only to help you interact with the site, not to gather any further personal information.

Guardian Whiskers Inc and Taradiddle Website will not share any of your information with third parties, unless it is necessary for safety or legal purposes.

We make every reasonable effort to comply with the  Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule  (“COPPA”), and we collect and display information differently for young writers under 13 years of age.

View full Privacy Policy.

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You may unsubscribe or update your email preferences at any time.

Taradiddle is a program of Guardian Whiskers Inc, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and offers no paid services.

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You will abide by our  Codes of Conduct, including grounds for content, discipline, and account deletion.

Submitted Stories

Contest entrants retain the copyright of their submitted work. Guardian Whiskers Inc and Taradiddle claim no copyright on stories created, hosted, or submitted to Taradiddle, and will not be held liable for any content therein. However, entrants grant Guardian Whiskers the right to reproduce any submission on its website or any other Guardian Whiskers publication regardless of medium or publication.

Guardian Whiskers asks for international rights. Should you re-publish your story at a later date, we ask that you acknowledge in print that Guardian Whiskers published it first.

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Guardian Whiskers Inc and Taradiddle have made reasonable effort to account for common terms of use above, but we know this won’t cover everything. We reserve the right to take any and all action on your Taradiddle involvement. 

If you have questions about these Terms & Conditions or any other concerns related to the Guardian Whiskers Inc or Taradiddle websites, please email  [email protected] .

We want everyone who uses Guardian Whisker’s Taradiddle website to have a safe, fun experience. Below are some things to keep in mind when using our site.

By agreeing to our  Terms & Conditions , you also agree to these guidelines. They apply specifically to stories, social media posts, and profile information.

If you have questions or aren’t sure about something, send us an email . We’re here to help!

No matter what, we expect everyone to treat each other (and themselves) with respect.

We do not allow racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, hate speech, harassment, personal attacks, or bullying.

Keep it clean.

Don’t include things in your stories that you wouldn’t want your parents or teachers to see, including bad language, adult content, or criminal topics.

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No discussion of illegal activity will be allowed, even jokingly.

This is a big, diverse community. We have different ideas and different lives. Don’t do things with the intent of upsetting or interrupting other people. Treat others how you would want to be treated!

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How to Report

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Photo writing prompt contest: may '24.

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Copyright 2020 ~ Center for Creative Writing

Contests and Awards

CATE (California Association of Teachers of English) sponsors two writing contests for students and teachers, and several awards and scholarships presented at our annual convention. CATE also helps promote two NCTE writing contests for students.

Student Creative Writing Contest

Each year CATE will host a writing contest, with a prompt publicized in California English and on CATEweb. Any teacher may submit up to three student entries, which must be original work from the current school year. Entries must be sent to and judged in the local council where the teacher’s school is located before they are eligible for statewide consideration. Counties and local contacts for submission are included in the flyer.

Awards will be given in six divisions: Grades 3-4; Grades 5-6; Grades 7-8; Grades 9-10; Grades 11-12; and College.

Statewide winners in each division will be published in California English .

2024 Writing Prompt

Deadline for submissions: April 1, 2024

Hidden Gems: Exploring Perspectives and Voice

In a poem, short story, or nonfiction piece, write about a moment when a person, an experience, or the world revealed something unexpected to you. What was the impact of that revelation?

Student Creative Writing Contest Winners

Statewide CATE Creative Writing Contest Winners – Full List

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Picture Prompts

125 Picture Prompts for Creative and Narrative Writing

What story can these images tell?

By The Learning Network

For eight years, we at The Learning Network have been publishing short, accessible, image-driven prompts that invite students to do a variety of kinds of writing via our Picture Prompts column.

Each week, at least one of those prompts asks students: Use your imagination to write the opening of a short story or poem inspired by this image — or, tell us about a memory from your own life that it makes you think of.

Now we’re rounding up years of these storytelling prompts all in one place. Below you’ll find 125 photos, illustrations and GIFs from across The New York Times that you can use for both creative and personal writing. We have organized them by genre, but many overlap and intersect, so know that you can use them in any way you like.

Choose an image, write a story, and then follow the link in the caption to the original prompt to post your response or read what other students had to say. Many are still open for comment for teenagers 13 and up. And each links to a free Times article too.

We can’t wait to read the tales you spin! Don’t forget that you can respond to all of our Picture Prompts, as they publish, here .

Images by Category

Everyday life, mystery & suspense, relationships, science fiction, travel & adventure, unusual & unexpected, cat in a chair, happy puppy, resourceful raccoon, cows and cellos, people and penguins, opossum among shoes, on the subway, sunset by the water, endless conversation, falling into a hole, lounging around, sneaker collection, the concert, meadow in starlight.

Related Picture Prompt | Related Article

Public Selfies

Night circus, tarot cards, castle on a hill, security line, batman on a couch, reaching through the wall, beware of zombies, haunted house, familial frights, witches on the water, blindfolded, phone booth in the wilderness, shadow in the sky, a letter in the mail, hidden doorway.

Point of No Return

Darkened library, under the table, playing dominoes, looking back, a wave goodbye, out at dusk, conversation, walking away, alone and together, a new friend, heated conversation, up in a tree, hole in the ceiling, under the desk, at their computers, marching band, band practice, in the hallway, in the lunchroom, the red planet, tech gadgets, trapped inside, astronaut and spider, computer screen, special key, tethered in space, on the court, in the waves, city skateboarding.

Fishing in a Stream

Over the falls.

Under the Sea

Sledding in the mountains, cracked mirror, wilderness wayfaring, car and cactus, walking through town, tropical confinement, travel travails, roller coasters, atop the hill, climbing a ladder, under the ice, other selves.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Picture Prompts here.

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Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

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Winning a writing contest can bring you recognition and help get your work noticed by agents and editors. Our  Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database  offers a year’s worth of listings from  Poets & Writers Magazine , and connects poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers with the most comprehensive selection of contests that provide publication and/or funding for writers.

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NFL Schedule Rumor: Will Netflix Be Hosting Christmas Day Games in 2024?

T he NFL has found plenty of creative ways to generate new streams of revenue from its broadcasting rights and has reportedly looked to do so again with this year’s Christmas Day games. A new rumor indicates the league might ultimately partner up with one of the giants of the streaming world to broadcast those contests.

Could Netflix Broadcast NFL’s 2024 Christmas Day Games?

WFAN’s Boomer Esiason, who previously starred in the league as a longtime quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals and other franchises, turned some heads Wednesday in discussing the league’s upcoming Christmas Day broadcast plans.

Esiason raised the topic during his daily weekday morning radio show and said he would not be surprised if Netflix is ultimately involved in streaming the games.

“I could be wrong, but I don’t think I am,” Esiason said. “Do not be surprised if the NFL and Netflix get in bed for a nice little Christmas Day football games. I would not be surprised.”

Esiason’s comments raised some heads around the NFL world given previous reporting has indicated that many other media partners were among those slated to bid on the league’s Christmas Day games.

Front Office Sports (FOS) initially reported back in April that the league was set to auction off TV rights for its two 2024 Christmas Day games with bidding open to all of its media partners, including CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN-ABC, and Amazon Prime Video. At that point, FOS reported that games were “more likely to appear on linear TV networks than streaming platforms,” per sources with direct knowledge of the league’s strategy.

If Esiason is to be believed, Netflix may now have inserted itself into the fray as well and could end up being the broadcast partner for the league’s 2024 Christmas Day games.

The price tag is expected to be steep for whichever media partner ultimately broadcasts the games. Amazon Prime Video previously paid the NFL $100 million for exclusive streaming rights to the league’s first Black Friday game this past season.

Andrew Brandt, a former Green Bay Packers executive turned consultant, estimates the Christmas Day games could end up selling for a 20% to 25% increase on the Black Friday price tag, according to FOS . Former ESPN executive John Kosner told FOS that he felt the Christmas Day games could sell for $75 million to $100 million apiece.

Either way, it’s expected to be another massive broadcasting payday for the NFL, one that seems to have made it too lucrative for the league to pass on having Christmas Day games this year despite the holiday falling on a Wednesday.

Time will tell which media company ultimately broadcasts the contests.

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WEEKLY WRITING PROMPTS

Join (probably?) the world's largest writing contest. Flex those creative muscles with weekly writing prompts.

Showing 2134 prompts

Action stations with tom bromley, write a story about a character driving and getting lost..

LIVE – Thriller and Suspense

Write a story about a tennis match between two rivals.

LIVE – Character

Write a story that begins with someone dancing in a bar.

Write a story around someone (literally) bumping into someone else..

LIVE – Funny

Write a story about a character running late for a job interview.

LIVE – Adventure

Write a story titled 'Persuasion'.

Write a story titled 'the wind in the willows'., write a story titled 'desperate remedies'., write a story titled 'paradise lost'., write a story titled 'a tale of two cities'., write a narrative about a group of scientists exploring the deepest parts of the ocean., imagine a world where exploration is forbidden, and write a story about a character who defies this rule to satisfy their innate curiosity., center your story around a character’s personal exploration, whether it's trying a new hobby, visiting an unfamiliar place, or learning something completely new., set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong., write a story in the form of diary entries, written by an explorer as they make their way through what they thought was an untouched location., write about a character who treats everything like a game and struggles to be serious when they most need to, or vice versa., write a story about someone who takes a joke way too far., write a story about someone participating in a seemingly innocent game that suddenly takes a turn., set your story in a playground: two characters are having a serious conversation while on the seesaw/in the jungle gym/on the swings., write a story that includes the phrase “it’s all fun and games…”, win $250 in our short story competition 🏆.

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Contest #249 LIVE

Enter our weekly contest.

This week's theme: Action Stations with Tom Bromley

Prize money

Contest entries, closes at 23:59 - may 10, 2024 est, recent contests ✍️.

#248 – From the Top

#247 – The Great Unknown

#246 – All Fun and Games

#245 – Heavenly Bodies

Recent winners 🏆

Madeline McCourt – read

Sarah Coury – read

Olivier Breuleux – read

Kerriann Murray – read

Leaderboard 🥇

#1 Zilla Babbitt

32366 points

#2 Deidra Whitt Lovegren

28726 points

#3 Abigail Airuedomwinya

22421 points

#4 Graham Kinross

14519 points

#5 Scout Tahoe

13198 points

#6 Chris Campbell

11258 points

#7 Thom With An H

10614 points

#8 Rayhan Hidayat

10213 points

#9 Michał Przywara

9914 points

#10 Deborah Mercer

9610 points

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Explore more writing prompt ideas:

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Spatial Variations of the Activity of 137 Cs and the Contents of Heavy Metals and Petroleum Products in the Polluted Soils of the City of Elektrostal

• DEGRADATION, REHABILITATION, AND CONSERVATION OF SOILS
• Open access
• Published: 15 June 2022
• Volume 55 , pages 840–848, ( 2022 )

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• D. N. Lipatov 1 ,
• V. A. Varachenkov 1 ,
• D. V. Manakhov 1 ,
• M. M. Karpukhin 1 &
• S. V. Mamikhin 1  

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The levels of specific activity of 137 Cs and the contents of mobile forms (1 M ammonium acetate extraction) of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, Pb) and petroleum products were studied in the upper soil horizon of urban landscapes of the city of Elektrostal under conditions of local radioactive and chemical contamination were studied. In the soils within a short radius (0–100 m) around the heavy engineering plant, the specific activity of 137 Cs and the contents of mobile forms of Pb, Cu, and Zn were increased. The lognormal distribution law of 137 Cs was found in the upper (0–10 cm) soil layer; five years after the radiation accident, the specific activity of 137 Cs varied from 6 to 4238 Bq/kg. The coefficients of variation increased with an increase in the degree of soil contamination in the following sequence: Co < Ni < petroleum products < Cr < 137 Cs < Zn < Pb < Cu ranging from 50 to 435%. Statistically significant direct correlation was found between the specific activity of 137 Cs and the contents of mobile forms of Pb, Cu, and Zn in the upper horizon of urban soils, and this fact indicated the spatial conjugacy of local spots of radioactive and polymetallic contamination in the studied area. It was shown that the specific activity of 137 Cs, as well as the content of heavy metals and petroleum products in the upper layer (0–10 cm) of the soils disturbed in the course of decontamination, earthwork and reclamation is reduced.

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INTRODUCTION

Contaminants migrate and accumulate in urban ecosystems under the impact of both natural and technogenic factors. The processes of technogenic migration of 137 Cs are most pronounced in radioactively contaminated territories. It was found in urboecological studies that the intensity of sedimentation of aerosol particles containing radionuclides and heavy metals is determined by the types of the surfaces of roofs, walls, roads, lawns, and parks and by their position within the urban wind field [ 12 , 26 ]. Traffic in the cities results in significant transport of dust and associated contaminants and radionuclides [ 15 , 24 ]. During decontamination measures in the areas of Chernobyl radioactive trace, not only the decrease in the level of contamination but also the possibility of secondary radioactive contamination because of the transportation of contaminated soil particles by wind or water, or anthropogenic transfer of transferring of ground were observed [ 5 , 6 ]. Rainstorm runoff and hydrological transport of dissolved and colloidal forms of 137 Cs can result in the accumulation of this radionuclide in meso- and microdepressions, where sedimentation takes place [ 10 , 16 ]. Different spatial distribution patterns of 137 Cs in soils of particular urban landscapes were found in the city of Ozersk near the nuclear fuel cycle works [ 17 ]. Natural character of 137 Cs migration in soils of Moscow forest-parks and a decrease in its specific activity in industrial areas have been revealed [ 10 ]. Determination of the mean level and parameters of spatial variations of 137 Cs in soils is one of primary tasks of radioecological monitoring of cities, including both unpolluted (background) and contaminated territories.

Emissions and discharges from numerous sources of contamination can cause the accumulation of a wide range of toxicants in urban soils: heavy metals (HMs), oil products (OPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other chemical substances. Soil contamination by several groups of toxicants is often observed in urban landscapes [ 20 , 23 ] because of the common contamination source or close pathways of the migration of different contaminants. A comprehensive analysis of contamination of urban soils by radionuclides and heavy metals has been performed in some studies [ 21 , 25 ]. The determination of possible spatial interrelationships between radioactive and chemical contaminations in urban soils is an important problem in urban ecology.

A radiation accident took place in the Elektrostal heavy engineering works (EHEW) in April 2013: a capacious source of 137 Cs entered the smelt furnace, and emission of radioactive aerosols from the aerating duct into the urban environment took place. The activity of molten source was estimated at about 1000–7000 Ci [ 14 ]. The area of contamination in the territory of the plant reached 7500 m 2 . However, radioactive aerosols affected a much larger area around the EHEW, including Krasnaya and Pervomaiskaya streets, and reached Lenin Prospect.

Geochemical evaluation of contamination of the upper soil horizon in the city of Elektrostal was carried out in 1989–1991. This survey indicated the anomalies of concentrations of wolfram, nickel, molybdenum, chromium, and other heavy metals related to accumulation of alloying constituent and impurities of non-ferrous metals in the emissions of steelmaking works [ 19 ].

The aim of our work was to determine the levels of specific activity of 137 Cs, concentrations of mobile forms of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, and Pb) and oil products in the upper soil horizons in different urban landscapes of the city of Elektrostal under the conditions of local radioactive and chemical contamination.

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D. N. Lipatov, V. A. Varachenkov, D. V. Manakhov, M. M. Karpukhin & S. V. Mamikhin

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Translated by T. Chicheva

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Lipatov, D.N., Varachenkov, V.A., Manakhov, D.V. et al. Spatial Variations of the Activity of 137 Cs and the Contents of Heavy Metals and Petroleum Products in the Polluted Soils of the City of Elektrostal. Eurasian Soil Sc. 55 , 840–848 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229322060072

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Received : 21 October 2021

Revised : 22 December 2021

Accepted : 30 December 2021

Published : 15 June 2022

Issue Date : June 2022

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229322060072

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