
The Little Things
Submit a poem inspired by finding joy in something small.
Prizes
- First place:
- $1,000
- Second place:
- $500
- Third place:
- $250
All winners will also receive a framed Amber Vittoria print.
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jun 29, 2020
Submissions closed
Aug 01, 2020 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Aug 07, 2020
Prizes
- First place:
- $1,000
- Second place:
- $500
- Third place:
- $250
All winners will also receive a framed Amber Vittoria print.
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jun 29, 2020
Submissions closed
Aug 01, 2020 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Aug 07, 2020
About this challenge
In the midst of what’s been a hectic year, we want to celebrate the little things that make us smile. We’ve teamed up with artist Amber Vittoria for this Challenge. Her work is a constant reminder of happiness and celebrating life, so we’re sharing one of her prints, My New Friend, for you to get inspired. This piece in particular was inspired by the idea of finding joy in the smaller things in life—and now we’re asking you to use that inspiration to fuel your own creativity.
For this Challenge, we want you to submit a poem inspired by finding joy in something small, using Amber’s art as a source of inspiration to help get you started. Enter the Challenge for a chance to win prizes up to $1,000, and a framed print of Amber’s work to keep as a reminder that happiness can be found in tiny places.
How to enter
For your poem to be eligible, it must be between 100 and 5,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Poems published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until July 31, 2020, 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 Prize5 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 Prize12 days leftPublic Announcement
Write a poem that takes the form of a public announcement, notice, or warning.
$200 Grand Prize17 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 Prize19 days leftCraft Over Catharsis
Write a story that prioritizes structure, technique, or form over emotional release.
$200 Grand Prize26 days leftInstructions for a Feeling
Write a poem that gives instructions for how to experience, create, or avoid a feeling.
$200 Grand Prize31 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 Prize33 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 Team4 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 Team30 days ago in Resources






