Mythmaker
Write a myth to explain the fabled origin story of why something exists.
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $250
- 10 Runners-Up :
- $25
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jul 17, 2023
Submissions closed
Aug 04, 2023 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Aug 17, 2023
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $250
- 10 Runners-Up :
- $25
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jul 17, 2023
Submissions closed
Aug 04, 2023 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Aug 17, 2023
About this challenge
The Prompt
Write a myth to explain the fabled origin story of why something exists.
We challenge you to invent a myth that explains the fabled origins of a mysterious aspect of our real world. Use your creativity to unravel the enigmatic.
Some ideas to get you started:
- Why the sky is blue
- Why elephants have trunks
- Why teeth are located in the mouth
In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:
- Between 300-3,000 words.
- Submitted to the Fiction community. Choosing a community is a final step in the submission process.
This challenge was inspired by Gal Mux's contribution to Shape the Future of Vocal Challenges.
The Prizes
- Grand Prize: $500
- Second Place: $250
- 10 Runners-Up: $25
How to enter
For your story to be eligible, it should be between 300 and 3,000 words, and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until 11:59 PM ET on August 3rd will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.
The Mythmaker 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 the grand prize, second place, or runners-up prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and residing 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 to have a Stripe account created and connected in order to receive the prizes. For this reason, entrants located outside of any of these countries will not be eligible to win.
Open challenges
Challenges you can enter now for a chance to win.
Instructions Included
Tell a story in the form of instructions, guidelines, or a how-to manual for something fictional or mundane.
$200 Grand Prize6 days leftNothing But Voices
Write a complete short story using only dialogue. No descriptions, no dialogue tags, and no internal thoughts. Just voices on the page.
$200 Grand Prize13 days leftPublic Announcement
Write a poem that takes the form of a public announcement, notice, or warning.
$200 Grand Prize18 days leftMismatch
Write a story that blends two contrasting genres, such as horror and romance, science fiction and western, or fantasy and noir.
$200 Grand Prize20 days leftCraft Over Catharsis
Write a story that prioritizes structure, technique, or form over emotional release.
$200 Grand Prize27 days leftInstructions for a Feeling
Write a poem that gives instructions for how to experience, create, or avoid a feeling.
$200 Grand Prize32 days leftRituals of Affection
Write a story about a recurring ritual tied to love, romance, or connection. Something about it is unusual, unsettling, or unexplained.
$200 Grand Prize34 days left
Challenge resources
The Ritual of Winter Challenge Winners
Welcome to the Winners Announcement for The Ritual of Winter challenge. This prompt focused on winter rituals and the meaning that settles into them over time. The top pieces stay grounded in ordinary acts and repeated routines, letting winter shape the work through pace, attention, and restraint.
By Vocal Curation Teama day ago in Resources
FPS: The Last Flame Challenge Winners
Welcome to our first Winners Announcement of the year and to the final challenge in the Fall Poetry Series. The Last Flame invited writers to sit with endings, using fire as a central image to consider what remains when something burns out: ash, warmth, memory, silence, or the faint promise of what comes next. The strongest pieces treated endings as gradual rather than sudden, allowing them to flicker, dim, and linger.
By Vocal Curation Team3 days ago in Resources
FPS: Villanelle of Regret Challenge Winners
Some feelings don’t fade. They repeat. The Villanelle of Regret challenged poets to write into that return. To let regret, longing, and obsession build with each pass, rather than resolve. The strongest entries trusted repetition to carry the weight.
By Vocal Curation Team29 days ago in Resources
