Misplaced

The Prompt

In this challenge, you are tasked with crafting a compelling and imaginative fictional story from the unique perspective of a misplaced item. The type of item and the identity of the owner is up to you.

Consider the journey and experiences of the misplaced item. How did it end up in its current location? What events led to its abandonment, and what emotions or thoughts might it harbor? Explore the world from the item's limited perspective, delving into the sights, sounds, and interactions it encounters along its unexpected path.

Feel free to incorporate elements of mystery, humor, or drama as the misplaced item navigates its surroundings. Perhaps it becomes a witness to significant events or plays an unintentional role in the lives of those who come across it. Use this challenge to explore the less noticed details of the world, offering readers a chance to see familiar surroundings through a fresh lens.

Remember to infuse personality into the object, giving it a voice and emotions that resonate with your audience. This challenge encourages you to think outside the conventional narrative structures and experiment with a distinct and unconventional point of view. We can't wait to find your Misplaced stories!

In order for your submission to qualify, it must:

The Prizes

• Grand Prize: $500
• Second Place: $200
• 15 Runners-Up: $50

For your piece to be eligible, it should follow the rules above and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until 11:59 PM ET on February 8, 2024 will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Misplaced 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 runners-up 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 countries will not be eligible to win.