
Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist
Create and share the ultimate anti-Valentine's Day soundtrack.
Prizes
- First place:
- $1,000
- Second place:
- $500
- Third place:
- $250
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Feb 10, 2021
Submissions closed
Feb 17, 2021 5:59 AM CUT
Results
Feb 19, 2021
Prizes
- First place:
- $1,000
- Second place:
- $500
- Third place:
- $250
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Feb 10, 2021
Submissions closed
Feb 17, 2021 5:59 AM CUT
Results
Feb 19, 2021
About this challenge
It's almost time to boycott one of the most dreaded holidays of the year: Valentine's Day. Let's face it — the day is notorious for reminding those of us who are single of just how single we are, and places an unnecessary amount of pressure on both singles and couples alike. If you can't help but nod in agreement, something tells me that you'll love this Challenge to create an anti-Valentine's Day playlist.
Valentine's Day isn't for everyone – neither are love songs, actually – so we're asking you to show us your playlist of songs designed to poke holes in the Valentine's Day tradition. Enter the Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist Challenge by sharing your favorite pro-single and anti-mushy songs. Tracks like "Single Ladies" by Beyoncé and Charli XCX's "Breaking Up" remind us that we are single and loving it! Be sure to embed your playlist in your story and tell us more about your soundtrack, like why you chose certain songs or who your go-to, feel-good artists are for this occasion. What do you think of Valentine's Day? How do these songs help you challenge this holiday? Are you the heavy metal or R&B type? Whatever it is, we want to hear it!
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 February 16, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here. Learn how to embed rich media in your stories here.
The Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+ visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.
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 39 countries will not be eligible to win.
Open challenges
Challenges you can enter now for a chance to win.
You Are Here
Write a story entirely in second person that puts the reader somewhere they aren't supposed to be.
$1,000 Grand Prize3 days leftOctober
Write a poem that makes October feel like a place you can enter.
$1,000 Grand Prize10 days leftDead Air
Write a horror story about a broadcast, recording, phone call, or transmission that should not exist.
$1,000 Grand Prize17 days leftScroll No More
Imagine that every smartphone in the world suddenly stops working. Write about what happens next.
$1,000 Grand Prize24 days leftNo One Remembers It That Way
Write about a memory that you and someone else remember completely differently.
$1,000 Grand Prize31 days leftSteal From Yourself
Return to something you wrote years ago and use one idea, image, character, or line from it to create something entirely new.
$1,000 Grand Prize38 days leftNot on the Menu
Write about something memorable you ate that you'd never find on a restaurant menu.
$1,000 Grand Prize45 days left
Challenge resources
Already Here Challenge Winners
Useful tools can change your life before you think to question them. That’s really what made these Already Here entries interesting. Writers looked past the initial “how is this possible?” and paid attention to how quickly something remarkable becomes part of the routine. The strongest pieces didn’t ask us to choose between being impressed and being uneasy. They understood why people welcome these changes, then noticed what else shifts once we get used to them.
By Vocal Curation Team13 days ago in Resources
Last Call Challenge Winners
There were plenty of ringing phones and closing bars in Last Call , but the prompt took us to some unexpected places too. A fading birdsong, a goodbye that doesn't quite get finished, and people who don't suddenly become better versions of themselves just because time is running out. Some held on, some let go, and some missed their chance entirely. That's what made these stories stick.
By Vocal Curation Team20 days ago in Resources
Twenty-Four Hours Challenge Winners
The best Twenty-Four Hours entries weren’t really about fitting as much as possible into a day. They were about showing us a version of a place that felt personal, shaped by favorite stops, old memories, local quirks, and the little things you only notice only after knowing somewhere for a long time.
By Vocal Curation Team26 days ago in Resources






