Leave the Light On

This Challenge is part of the Vocal+ Summer Writing Series. Learn more

The Prompt

Night has a different kind of gravity. Secrets feel heavier. Decisions feel sharper. This challenge invites you to set your entire story between sunset and sunrise. The setting could be quiet or chaotic, familiar or strange, but whatever happens, it should leave your character changed by dawn.

Maybe it’s a sleepless drive. A phone call that arrives too late. A choice that can’t be undone. Your story can be eerie, emotional, thrilling, or slow and intimate. What matters is the compressed timeframe and the tension it brings.

Let the dark reveal something the daylight couldn’t.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:

• A fiction story (any genre or tone).
• Between 600 and 3,000 words.
• Submitted to the Fiction community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before August 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.
• Your work must be original and unpublished.

The Prizes

• 5 Winners: $200 each
• 15 Runners-up: $15 each
• 10 Honorable Mentions: $5 each

For your story to be eligible, it must be between 600 and 3,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until August 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Leave the Light On Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://shopping-feedback.today/vocal-plus%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E.%3C/p%3E%3Cp class="css-1923z11-Text">To be eligible to win, you must be over the age of 13 and reside in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need a Stripe account created and connected to receive prizes. Entrants located outside of these countries will not be eligible to win.