Mythmaker Challenge Winners

Since the dawn of time, humans have created myths. Perhaps this was the original creative expression of our species, killing time around a fire, letting the imagination work. Or maybe it was how we could make sense of the world, so vast and unknown, putting what we saw into terms and stories we could understand, using what words and sounds and figures that were in our everyday lives.

Whatever the origin of the myth, or, the myth of the myth, we are thrilled to see myth making is still alive and well. Here are the winners of the Mythmaker Challenge. You can check out the full list of winners HERE.

$500 Grand Prize Winner

Lucerro Gutierrez for The First Mother

Of all the stories we received, The First Mother confronted one of the most popular questions of all time and did it with a brilliance and grace that made us truly believe we were reading a famous myth. This story is so well written, so deep and affecting, we felt excited to tell our own children this story.

What makes this myth so deep is its setup and awareness of human emotion. The story is simple- a protagonist, her partner and a villain. Protect the pearl, swallow the pearl, create life. The simplicity is the brilliance. But it is also a very human tale. The protagonist feels empty after a time, yearning for something more. So many people who have children understand this feeling, that at some point, life becomes empty and suddenly the need to fill it with offspring arises.

This story was masterful and we are honored to have it be published on Vocal. Congratulations, Lucerro Gutierrez!

$250 Second Place Winner

Lauren Everdell for How the Beetle Lost his Tongue

As classic of a myth as one can write. That's what this story is. A haughty beetle speaking too much, only to be trumped by a crone. We loved this myth because it was cheeky yet extremely well written. The story was extremely well structured and flowed beautifully. Everdell took their time with this myth but it was also a quick, fun read.

Our favorite part? We're reading about how beetles lost their tongues! What a creative take on the prompt. We're not dealing with the sun or the stars or humanity or death. Rather, this myth is about something small, something a child might think as they watch a beetle on a blade of grass but then feel too embarrassed to share with someone. That's what this story felt like- a perfectly executed thought that puffs away in the wind. This was really, really excellent writing. Congratulations, Lauren Everdell!

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