Adulting Children's Stories Challenge

Happy Saturday, folks! I know it’s been a while since I’ve done an unofficial challenge—work, work, deaths in the family, work—but I figured that it’s about time that I get back on that horse, and this morning, someone gave me the perfect idea for my next challenge (thank you, Jesse Lee).

As you might know if you follow my work, I love to take fairy tales, folk tales, and other children’s works and twist them into nearly unrecognizable shapes. Just take my story “Lips as Red as Blood”, which is a vampire short story based on “Snow White”. Well, now I want to pass the torch on to you, my readers and fellow writers!

I want you to take a children’s story—a fairy tale, folk tale, Disney story, any children’s story—and turn it into something that is NOT for children. This can be any genre that you want: horror, psychological, steamy romance, adult contemporary, anything that you would like. The point is just to make it into something that is clearly no longer for children. (I know, I know, with things like fairy tales that might seem like a challenge since they don’t exactly seem to be for children in the first place, but that’s part of the fun! Use your imagination and stretch those writing muscles!) I want to read your story and go, “Wow, I cannot believe that this story used to be for children.” The bigger the stretch, the better! Just remember that it still needs to connect to the original somehow, or else it won’t really be “based on” the original story.

I will be handing out cash prizes. First place will be getting a $5 tip from me. Second place will get a $3 tip. Finally, third place will receive a $1 tip.

Prizes will be awarded, first and foremost, on my personal enjoyment of the story and how well it transforms the original story while keeping it connected to its source material. I know, it doesn’t sound fair. After all, who am I? How am I qualified to judge a challenge like this? Well, I do hold a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Creative Writing, and I have worked as a Freelance Writer, Beta Reader, and Editor for several years, so I have some experience in judging other people’s writing. Hopefully, that is enough for everyone who wants to enter.

Now, on to the rules:

1.      No minimum or maximum word count. However, if I see that your work is 30 minutes or longer, I will only read one story entry from you.

2.      Maximum of three entries per person. Unless, of course, one of your entries takes 30 minutes or longer to read, then only one entry in that case.

3.      Enter it in whichever community it fits best. Just remember that each community has a different word count requirement, so be sure to check before you submit.

4.      Include the title of the children’s story in your subtitle, such as “Based on: Children’s Story”. That way, it is clear which story it is connected to.

5.      Link to this challenge in your entry. Spread the love!

6.      Drop the link to your entry (or entries) in the comments below. That way, I won’t miss anyone’s entries.

7.      Deadline is August 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Winners will be announced by September 12, 2026, or sooner, depending on how many entries I get and how busy work keeps me.

Here’s a story that I posted last night—“Neverland Lost”—in case you need more inspiration for your own entry.

Remember, just have fun with it! I’m doing this to spread the creativity, get people writing, and encourage others to look at stories that they grew up with using a different lens. I’m really looking forward to all the stories that you guys are going to come up with.