Something Is Beginning, I Think
Write a story that opens at the edge of a beginning that feels uncertain, partial, or reluctant and avoid resolution.
Prizes
- 5 Winners:
- $200
- 15 Runners-up:
- $15
- 10 Honorable Mentions:
- $5
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jan 27, 2026
Submissions closed
Mar 21, 2026 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Apr 01, 2026
Prizes
- 5 Winners:
- $200
- 15 Runners-up:
- $15
- 10 Honorable Mentions:
- $5
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jan 27, 2026
Submissions closed
Mar 21, 2026 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Apr 01, 2026
About this challenge
The Prompt
Write a story that opens at the edge of a beginning that feels uncertain, partial, or reluctant and avoid resolution.
Beginnings are often framed as decisive moments. This challenge is interested in what comes before that certainty, when something has started to shift but has not yet taken shape.
Open your story at the edge of that movement. The beginning may feel tentative, delayed, or uneven. Characters might sense change without understanding it, or participate in it without fully committing. What matters is the atmosphere of arrival, not the arrival itself.
Avoid resolution. Let the story end in motion, facing forward without outcome.
In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:
- A fiction story.
- Between 600 and 3,000 words.
- Submitted to the Fiction community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
- Submitted before March 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
- Your work must be original and unpublished.
The Prizes
- 5 Winners: $200 each
- 15 Runners-up: $15 each
- 10 Honorable Mentions: $5 each
How to enter
For your story to be eligible, it must be between 600 and 3,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines.
Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until March 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.
The Something Is Beginning, I Think 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.
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