
Stray to Stay
Tell us how you rescued your beloved pets and share their adoption story.
Prizes
- First place:
- $2,500
- Second place:
- $1,000
- Third place:
- $500
Matching grand prize donation to benefit the ASPCA.
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Mar 24, 2021
Submissions closed
Apr 21, 2021 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Apr 27, 2021
Prizes
- First place:
- $2,500
- Second place:
- $1,000
- Third place:
- $500
Matching grand prize donation to benefit the ASPCA.
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Mar 24, 2021
Submissions closed
Apr 21, 2021 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Apr 27, 2021
About this challenge
You've heard it before, "adopt, don't shop!" We couldn't agree more, especially during these times, where shelters and rescue centers are at capacity and need our help in order to save more lives. There are many pets that could use our love and a second chance!
Enter the Stray to Stay Challenge by sharing your pet adoption story—tell us how you knew they were the one, what about their personality drew you to them the most, and why haven't you looked back since! Encourage others to give second chances, just like you did. Be sure to include photos or videos of your furry, scaled, or feathered best friend! If you haven't adopted a pet yet, this is your chance to tell us about the kind of companion you'd love to adopt in the near future!
How to enter
For your story to be eligible, it must be between 600 and 5,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until April 20, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.
To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or third place 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 35 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 Prize4 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 Prize11 days leftPublic Announcement
Write a poem that takes the form of a public announcement, notice, or warning.
$200 Grand Prize16 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 Prize18 days leftCraft Over Catharsis
Write a story that prioritizes structure, technique, or form over emotional release.
$200 Grand Prize25 days leftInstructions for a Feeling
Write a poem that gives instructions for how to experience, create, or avoid a feeling.
$200 Grand Prize30 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 Prize32 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 Team3 days 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 Team5 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 Teamabout a month ago in Resources






