Below Freezing

The Prompt

It’s cold outside, and the company isn’t helping. Winter can’t take all the blame.

Write a story where more than the weather turns cold. You could turn a cozy getaway into a terrible idea, give an old grudge some fresh air, or let your nicest character run out of patience. A little snow can make almost anything look peaceful. Your characters don’t have to cooperate.

Keep it awkward, make it funny, or take it somewhere unsettling. You’re in charge of the temperature.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:

• A short story (any style or structure is welcome)
• 3,000 words or less.
• Submitted to the Fiction community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before January 8, 2027 at 11:59 PM EST.
• Your work must be original and unpublished.

The Prizes

• Grand Prize: $1000
• 4 Winners: $200 each
• 10 Honorable Mentions: $15 each

For your story to be eligible, it must be 3,000 words or less and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until January 8, 2027 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Below Freezing Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.

To be eligible to win, you must be over the age of 13 and reside 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 a Stripe account created and connected to receive prizes. Entrants located outside of these countries will not be eligible to win.