I Resign From… Challenge Winners

Some roles you take on. Others get handed to you. Quietly. Without a conversation.

This challenge was about saying you're done. With being the strong one. The fixer. The secret keeper. The one who never says no. We asked you to write a resignation letter to the parts of yourself that no longer serve you.

What came back was honest, sharp, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heavy. Writers let go of old expectations, called out broken systems, and reclaimed their voices in ways that felt earned. These aren’t pieces that ask for sympathy. They don’t explain or apologize. They just say the truth, plainly and clearly.

Here are the ones that said it best.

🏆 $500 Grand Prize Winner: Open Letter of Resignation by C.M. Dallas

C.M. Dallas' letter, our Grand Prize winner, is clear and unflinching. It doesn't beg for recognition—it demands it, with a steady voice and sharp lines that turn resignation into reclamation.

🥈 $200 Second Place: To the Part of Me That Was Ready to Let Go by Autumn S.

Autumn S.'s second-place piece is a sharp break from self-blame. It’s personal, gutsy, and told with a sense of calm earned through pain.

🎖️ Runners-up: $15 Each

A letter to the system that was never built for me by Cadma

Cadma's take is pointed and direct, calling out a broken system without flinching. The tone is steady, not showy and that’s exactly why it works.

You First by Nicky Frankly

Nicky Frankly's submission is compact and cutting. It leaves you with the sense that survival isn’t just the backdrop, it’s the fight.

To Whom It May Concern by Diana

Diana's piece lands quietly but with weight. The repetition works like a drumbeat, and the shift from grief to something more open sticks with you.

My Resignation by K.B. Silver

K.B. Silver's letter is firm and final. It doesn’t reach for poetic highs, it stays grounded in what matters: letting go of what was never theirs to hold.

No Link in Bio by River and Celia in Underland

River and Celia's take doesn’t bother softening the blow. It’s tired of being nice and it’s better for it.

The Un-designation of Uncle D by Lamar Wiggins

Lamar Wiggins' piece is funny and fed up in equal measure. He spins burnout into something you actually want to read aloud.

To: The One Who Always Knew How To Twist the Knife by Paul Stewart

Paul's letter hits like a door closing. It’s clean, tense, and doesn’t waste time justifying itself.

To Whom It Should Concern by Tales from a Madman

Tales from a Madman's submission feels like someone finally saying what they’ve rehearsed a hundred times. It doesn’t ask for permission, it just walks out.

Resigning From Generational Curses by Marilyn Glover

Marilyn Glover's writing leans into metaphor but doesn’t get lost in it. There’s clarity under the layers.

Resignation to the stars by Marie Kynd

Marie Kynd's piece is playful and tired at once. It turns burnout into something cosmic without losing its footing.

Fur & Fury: Why I Resigned from Kevin McTabbins Enterprises by JL Daly

JL Daly's take on a cat’s emotional manipulation is funny, weirdly real, and sharper than expected.

Swan Song by Poppy

Poppy's writing doesn’t flinch. It cuts straight to the dynamic she’s stepping away from and doesn’t look back.

Untitled Public Service Announcement by Jada Ferguson

Jada Ferguson's entry is chaotic in a good way. It reads like someone talking themselves down mid-breakdown and that’s why it lands.

Me, Myself, and Our Resignation by Josh Ripperger

Josh Ripperger's email to his brain is clever without trying too hard. It nails the tone of someone trying to quit their own patterns.

I've Been Your Clown by Chantal Christie Weiss

Chantal Christie Weiss' piece doesn’t dress things up. It’s tired, sharp, and finally unwilling to play the part anymore.

🏅 Honorable Mentions

As our challenges continue to grow, we are celebrating even more incredible writers with Honorable Mentions—a special spotlight for stories that stand out for their creativity, originality, or emotional impact. Writers who receive an Honorable Mention get a special badge that appears on their profile, showcasing their achievement and contributions to the Vocal community.

• Staticky Oracles & The Book of Lists by J. Otis Haas
• To Whom This May Concern by Randy Wayne Jellison-Knock
• Time for a change by Brid McLaughlin
• Mrs. Bateswell Bids Farewell by Lora Coleman
• A Letter of Resignation From Motherhood by Musings of Twenty Somethings
• Dear Cupid, I Hate You by Simon George
• I Resign from...Self-Doubt, My Shadow Editor by Michelle Liew
• T. S. A. H. H. L. by angela hepworth
• I Resign From Hiding by Raine Fielder
• The Found Daughter by Jyoti DiClemente

To explore more Challenges, please visit Vocal Challenges.