Past Life
Write about what your occupation would be if you were born in a different historical period.
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $250
- 10 Runners-Up:
- $50
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jun 05, 2023
Submissions closed
Jul 08, 2023 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Jul 28, 2023
Prizes
- Grand Prize:
- $500
- Second Place:
- $250
- 10 Runners-Up:
- $50
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jun 05, 2023
Submissions closed
Jul 08, 2023 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Jul 28, 2023
About this challenge
The Prompt
Write about what your occupation would be if you were born in a different historical period.
If you had the chance to be born in another era, what profession would you choose for yourself? In honor of the launch of the History Community, this challenge invites you to craft a compelling narrative or reflective piece, imagining your alternate occupation in history. Delve into the intricacies of your chosen time period, from ancient civilizations to modern revolutions, and envision how your skills, passions, and personality would shape your profession.
Whether you're drawn to the elegance of Victorian society, the intrigue of ancient Egypt, or the vibrant spirit of the Roaring Twenties, this challenge allows you to rewrite your personal history. Let your words paint vivid pictures of your alternate life, bringing together the allure of the factual past and the power of your imagination. Take part in this vibrant Community and connect with fellow history enthusiasts as you weave stories that bridge the gap between past and present.
In order for your submission to qualify, it must:
- Be between 600-5,000 words
- Be entered into the History community. Choosing a community is a final step in the submission process.
The Prizes
- Grand Prize: $500
- Second Place: $250
- 10 Runners-Up: $50
How to enter
For your story to be eligible, it should be between 600 and 5,000 words, and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until 11:59 PM ET on July 7th will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.
The Past Life 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.
Open challenges
Challenges you can enter now for a chance to win.
Dead Air
Write a horror story about a broadcast, recording, phone call, or transmission that should not exist.
$1,000 Grand Prize31 hours leftScroll No More
Imagine that every smartphone in the world suddenly stops working. Write about what happens next.
$1,000 Grand Prize8 days leftNo One Remembers It That Way
Write about a memory that you and someone else remember completely differently.
$1,000 Grand Prize15 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 Prize22 days leftNot on the Menu
Write about something memorable you ate that you'd never find on a restaurant menu.
$1,000 Grand Prize29 days left
Challenge resources
You Are Here Challenge Winners
For You Are Here , we asked writers to put readers somewhere they weren't supposed to be. What really stood out in the stories that placed was how often that line wasn't so clear. Sometimes you knew you were pushing your luck, sometimes you had every right to be there, and sometimes you didn't get much of a choice. Writing in second person made those situations feel a lot harder to watch from the sidelines.
By Vocal Curation Teama day ago in Resources
Negative Space Challenge Winners
For Negative Space , we asked writers to explore how much can be said through what's left out. Our favorite entries found clever ways to make those silences, gaps, and unanswered questions feel just as important as the words themselves.
By Vocal Curation Team8 days ago in Resources
Out of Season Challenge Winners
We’re trying something new with our challenge awards structure. Starting with Out of Season , each challenge will recognize one grand prize , four winners , and ten honorable mentions . That’s 15 stories to celebrate, with a little extra love for the top pick. For this challenge, the strongest stories made the timing matter. Something showing up early or returning when it shouldn’t changed what people did, what they assumed, or how they saw each other. There was humor in trying to carry on as usual, and sadness in realizing why the usual schedule no longer worked. Sometimes the wrong time of year turned out to be just when someone needed it.
By Vocal Curation Team15 days ago in Resources
