What Am I? Create Your Own Cryptid Challenge

After years of being part of the Vocal community, I've finally decided to do something I've been putting off for far too long: host an unofficial writing challenge of my own.

It's not that I haven't had ideas. In fact, I've probably had dozens of challenge concepts floating around in my head over the years. The real issue has been convincing myself that I was ready to take the leap. Every time I considered creating a challenge, I'd remember the incredible ones hosted by other writers and start second-guessing myself.

If you've spent any amount of time on Vocal, you know exactly what I mean. This platform is filled with imaginative, talented people who constantly find new ways to inspire one another. I've participated in many of these challenges and read countless entries, and I'm always amazed by the creativity on display.

Still, there comes a point when overthinking has to take a back seat to action.

So here we are.

It's time for a challenge.

The Premise

I want you to create a brand-new creature and tell us its story.

Not an existing monster.

Not a creature borrowed from mythology.

Not a slightly modified version of a famous cryptid.

I want something entirely your own.

Maybe it's a mysterious being that lurks beneath city streets and only appears during power outages. Maybe it's a forgotten forest guardian that feeds on abandoned memories. Perhaps it's a bizarre hybrid born from a scientific experiment that should never have happened.

Your creature can be frightening, funny, tragic, adorable, unsettling, or completely absurd. There are no limits to where your imagination can take you.

Think of creatures like Bigfoot, Mothman, the Kraken, centaurs, minotaurs, and countless other legendary beings. What would happen if you added your own creation to that list?

That's what I want to find out.

Give Your Creature a History

Every memorable creature has a story behind it.

You don't necessarily need to write a full origin story, but readers should have some idea of where your creation came from.

Did it hatch from a glowing egg discovered in a meteor crater?

Did it crawl from the depths of an abandoned subway tunnel?

Was it created accidentally in a laboratory?

Is it a supernatural entity older than civilization itself?

Could it be a mutation, a curse, a miracle, or a cosmic mistake?

The possibilities are endless.

A mysterious origin often makes a creature more fascinating, so don't be afraid to leave a few unanswered questions. Sometimes the unknown is more powerful than a complete explanation.

Bring It to Life

Physical descriptions are important, but appearance alone won't make readers remember your creature.

Give it a personality.

What motivates it?

What does it love?

What drives it crazy?

What does it fear?

What makes it unique beyond its appearance?

Perhaps your creature is obsessed with collecting shiny objects. Maybe it becomes irrationally angry whenever someone whistles. It could secretly crave friendship despite looking terrifying. It might be vain, insecure, curious, lonely, or mischievous.

The more personality you give it, the more real it will feel.

Readers don't just remember monsters because of how they look. They remember them because of who they are.

Choose Your Perspective

One of the most exciting parts of this challenge is deciding how the story will be told.

You could write from the creature's point of view and let readers experience the world through its eyes.

You could tell the story through the observations of a scientist documenting a newly discovered species.

Perhaps a journalist is investigating sightings.

Maybe a neighbor is tired of living next door to it.

An ex-partner complaining about the creature's bad habits could be hilarious.

A child's encounter with the creature could be heartwarming or terrifying.

There are countless ways to approach the idea, so choose whatever perspective best serves your story.

Get Weird

This may be the most important part of the challenge.

Don't play it safe.

Take risks.

Be strange.

Be surprising.

Make readers stop and think, "I've never seen anything like that before."

You can create a creature that serves as an allegory for a social issue. You can write satire, horror, fantasy, comedy, or some combination of all four. The stranger and more original your idea is, the better.

Creativity thrives when you allow yourself to explore unexpected directions.

Challenge Rules

Please read the following rules carefully:

• Include a picture of your creature.

• AI-generated artwork is not allowed.

• Any human-created medium is acceptable, including drawings, paintings, sketches, collages, or digital artwork.

• Submit your entry to the Fiction, Poetry, or Horror community.

• Stories must be between 100 and 600 words.

• Only one entry per participant.

• Include a link to this challenge somewhere in your story.

• To enter, post a link to your story in the comments section.

Deadline

The challenge begins immediately and will remain open until July 4, 2026.

After that date, submissions will close and judging will begin.

Judging and Prizes

I won't be judging the entries alone. My family will help me review the submissions and select our favorites.

Feel free to be creative with your content. A few mild curse words won't scare us away. If your story contains more mature themes, simply use the appropriate content labels so we can review it separately.

Once submissions close, please give us a little time to read everything. We want to give every entry the attention it deserves.

To celebrate this challenge and my years on Vocal, we'll select five winners, and each winner will receive a $5 tip through Vocal's tipping system.

Please make sure your account is properly set up to receive tips.

Most importantly, have fun.

I hope this challenge inspires you to create something memorable, unexpected, and uniquely yours. I can't wait to discover the strange creatures hiding in your imagination.

Good luck, and happy writing!