 
Don't tell us your tales. Show them to us.
The purpose of this contest is to showcase stories that come to life by showing rather than telling.
It's easy to enter.  Pick one of the three prompts.
Write a story using that prompt.
Enter it in the contest.
Win big prizes!
Click on a button below for more details.
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Each round of the contest will have three prompts.
Contestants will pick one of the three and write a short story that uses that prompt.
The story should not exceed 3000 words in length.
Contestants enter via our entry form at the bottom of this page.
There are a few more technical rules below, but that's the basics.
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Choose ONE of the prompts for your story. This round's prompts are:
Genre Prompt: Mystery/Detective. There's a crime, and someone needs to solve it.
Words Prompt: Write a story using the words brouhaha, bamboozle, and ineffable.
Character prompt: The protagonist exhibits at least some obsessive-compulsive behaviors  .
Choose ONE of these prompts for your story. You're free to explore these prompts in whatever way you wish, but the prompt must be part of the story.
Suggestions.
For genre prompts, stay within the bounds of the genre. For the words prompt, use the words in a natural way, for example in narrative, description, thoughts, or in dialogue. It will help the judges if you boldface the words so that judges can find them. Grammatical variations of the basic word are permitted, for example "glimmering" uses the word "glimmer." For the character prompt, consider showing the reader how the prompt relates to the protagonist's character arc, i.e., their goals, obstacles, or stakes.
Mixing genres would be awesome! A science fiction story that's also a mystery, for example, or a romance that involves a detetective. Be creative.
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 First Place
Author receives 50,000 GPS and a merit badge
Story receives a blue awardicon
 Second Place
Author receives 25,000 GPS and a merit badge
Story receives a red awardicon
 Third Place
Author receives 12,500 GPS and a merit badge
Story receives a Green awardicon
The judges will select the merit badge, with most winners earning the short story badge. The best stories will earn the exclusive Max Excellence badge
![Merit Badge in Max Excellence
[Click For More Info]
Congratulations on your new merit badge! Thank you for supporting the Writing.Com community with your inspirations, participation and activities. We sincerely appreciate it! -SMs](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Max_Excellence-1795672_10.gif)
Judges may elect to award Honorable Mentions, which may include up to 5000 GPS, a merit badge, and an awardicon for the story.
If there are fewer than six entries in the contest, only first and second place awards will be granted.
If there are fewer than four entries in the contest, that round of the contest will be cancelled. Judges may opt to award Honorable Mention awards, including GPS and a merit badge.
Optional Motivation Competition
Contestants may elect to respond to all three prompts. We'll have an additional and separate motivation competition for the best story that responds to all three prompts. The author of the winning story in this category will earn 10,000 GPS and a motivation merit badge. If there is only one entry in this category, it will recive the award. The winner in this category is eligible for the other awards mentioned above. Contestants wanting to enter this competition should list all three prompts in the heading to their story.
The motivation competition requires a minimum of one entry that responds to all three prompts and does not depend on the total number of entries to the main contest. We will make the award for the motivation contest even if only one contestant responds to all three prompts and the above minima are not met for the main contest.
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Each round of the contest invites experienced authors on WDC to serve as judges. We hope to provide every contestent with a review from one of the contest judges, but can't guarantee this will happen. If provided, the review will give general impressions and may include suggested edits. We ask our judges to consider the stories holistically and to use their best judgment, but we don't give them specific guidelines.
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This gathers together the rules already given, provides more detail, and gives some advice. If you don't follow the advice given here, you'll make the work of the judges harder.
(You know that's not a good idea, right?)
Unless you've done something egregious  , we won't disqualify your entry. However, you might get a note from one of the contest sponsors asking you to fix something.  .
The contest form only permits one entry per contestant per contest.
Contest is limited to ten entries. An entry is not complete until the contestant completes the Entry Form. If necessary, the time stamp of the the entry, via the entry form, determines the tenth and final entry.
A message at the bottom of the contest page will announce when the contest is open for entries. The contest is generally open for entries the first day of the month in which it runs and for about three weeks thereafter, or until the tenth story is submitted. The contest closing date will appear at the bottom of the contest page. We anticipate offering this contest twice a year.
Entries may not exceed 3000 words.
Entries must respond to one of the three prompts.
Story format
Please double space between paragraphs for readability
If responding to the words prompt, please boldface the words in the story. For example, typing
this is {b}formatted}{/b}
boldfaces word "formatted" and results in text being formatted like so:
this is formatted
Title and author byline do not count against the word limits for the story
Please set entries to " accept reviews." The setting "Reviews only/No ratings" is both acceptable and preferred.
Short stories only. No essays. Prose only. No poetry.
Once judging starts, announced by a message at the bottom of the page, please do not edit your stories. Editing before and after judging is fine.
We'll read anything, but please be sure that your item is properly rated--see " Content Rating System (CRS)" . While we'll read it, we likely won't post stories to the contest involving non-consensual sex, including sex with minors, nor content that is demeaning to any group. If we feel we can't post your story, we'll let you know and give you a reason. However, any such decision is neither debatable nor subject to appeal. In particular:
 No non-consensual sex. (if your story has this, it counts as doing something egregious and we will disqualify your entry)
No sex involving minors. (also egregious)
No bestiality ( except that vampires, werewolves, and sentient aliens are fine--they can give consent)
on how to enter.
All decisions by the judges are final and not subject to appeal.
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We extend our thanks to all who have generously donated GPS to our contest.
Not counting marketing, each iteration of this contest costs over 100,000 Gift Points. We are grateful for any donations we receive. Our ability to continue offering this contest depends on the generous contributions of members like you.
 Benefactors:
Patrons:
iKïyå§amaRius de Romanus  
Champions:
Haunted Sox 
AnotherDreamer 
Elle
Morticia Wednesday Megan Rose 
Olivia – Base Camper 
Gaby 
amalthea
 Anyone donating 10,000 or more Gift Points becomes a Benefactor and is listed above.
 Anyone donating 20,000 Gift Points or more becomes a Patron and is listed above.
 Anyone donating 40,000 Gift Points or more becomes a Champion, is listed above, and receives a Merit Badge.
Donations may be sent to the [#2295635] " ShownNotTold Managers Group" , Max Griffin 🏳️🌈  , Carol, Bride of Writingstein  , or attached to a comment in the contest message board.
Thank you for whatever assistance you can provide.
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JUNE 2025
WINNERS
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| | Buckle Up! (13+) "Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations." —Zig Ziglar |
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| | Obsessed with Olivia (18+) Thus Olivia became transformed from Princess of Cleanliness to Goddess of the Bed Chamber |
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for using all three prompts
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| | Buckle Up! (13+) "Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations." —Zig Ziglar |
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JANUARY 2025
WINNERS
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JUNE 2024
WINNERS
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{TIE)
| | Pearlescent (E) Mrs. Codswell's pearl was just stolen. Who done it? |
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{TIE)
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for using all three prompts
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JANUARY 2024
WINNERS
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|  | The Curse Unravel (E) Would you be willing to take the risk of exposing your curse for someone you dearly love? |
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for using all three prompts
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AUGUST 2023
WINNERS
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| | Two Films (18+) I discover two films in my grandparents attic that recorded events during and after WW2. |
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for using all three prompts
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Please use the entry form at the bottom of this page.
After you submit your form, the contest manager will review your submission and post it to the entries section of the contest page. It might take a couple of days to do this. If there is a problem with your entry, the contest manager will contact you.  ▶︎
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The contest is currently CLOSED.
If there are any future rounds, we will announce them in the newsfeed
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