FreeTheLGBT: Contests & Prompts

Valentine's Day Contest [Closed]

Valentine's Day is coming up and love is in the air. To celebrate this day of romance, we're hosting a contest all about love and support even when physically separated. Tell a story about how a character might react to getting an interesting Valentine's Day text.

PROMPT

"It's Valentine's Day, and you begin to go about your day, making yourself breakfast and taking care of any last minute Valentine's Day gifts. As you're packaging up the last bit of chocolate for a loved one, you receive an interesting text. What does the text say? Who sent it? What sorts of adventures will this Valentine's Day hold?"

Challenge

Write a short story between 500 and 1000 words that has LGBTQ+ characters, experiences or themes inspired by our prompt.

It can be any genre. If you want to make it a romance, make it a romance. If you fancy an apocalyptic sci-fi, go ahead. Or if you fancy something more along the lines of bleak and rainy noir set in the 1940s, be our guest.

It's up to you what you write, as long as it's based on our prompt.

Deadline

If you've decided you want to give this contest a go, the deadline is Wednesday, February 24th at 23:59 EST. That means your story will need to be published on Wattpad (we can't accept links to external sites or documents), and that you've filled the form by the deadline.

Prizes

Winners will be announced on the FreetheLGBT profile and awarded our exclusive winner sticker for their story cover as well as having their entry featured in our "Anthology" for all to see. They will be guaranteed bragging rights too!

Submission Guidelines

· Tag your story on Wattpad with the following tags: #FreetheLGBT and #WPContest

· Optional: Share your entry in the comment section below so other people can check it out.

· Optional: Nominate a friend to write their own by tagging them in the comments.

Story Guidelines

· Story must include a clear LGBTQ+ character(s) and or theme.

· Entries must be published on Wattpad and follow the submission guidelines outlined.

. It must be a new story written for this contest - stories published before the contest started won't count.

. It must be its own publication, not in an already existing short story collection.

· It can be fan fiction or original fiction, as long as it's based on or inspired by our prompt.

· One entry per writer.

· The story must be in English.

· We can't accept mature content for this contest. You can read the Wattpad Content Guidelines.

Judging Criteria

Your story will be judged based on the following things:

· Proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation (36% of score). Tip: Be mindful of proper spellings, capital letters, punctuation in dialogue, etc. If you're not sure, ask a friend for help, or visit the page.

· Interpretation of the prompt (12%). Tip: If your story doesn't contain your selected prompt or LGBTQ+ characters/themes, it will lose vital points in this area. We're also looking at how creatively you use the prompt given.

· Originality (12%). Tip: There are a lot of stories on Wattpad, so we're looking for ones that stand out, do things differently, and feel special. But that doesn't mean cliches are out!

· Engagement/reader enjoyment (12%). Tip: The way you tell the story can make or break it. We're looking at how well your words can draw us in and keep us reading.

· Overall quality (28%). Tip: This is how well all the previous components come together in your story. The best way to gauge quality is to have a friend or friendly Wattpadder read your story and give you feedback. Make sure to proofread and make edits to your story before the deadline!

FAQ

What are you looking for in the winners?

Compelling, engaging, original works. We also highly appreciate proper spelling and grammar.

How many chapters should I write?

You can write a short story in just one chapter, or decide to write multiple chapters if it's longer. Just be sure to keep the total story in 1000 words and have it completed by the deadline.

I like to add author's notes to my story/chapters. Do they add to the total word count?

No, the total word count is the sum of all the literary content. That means author's notes, forewords, casts, playlists, etc., are excluded from the word total. Glossaries will be included with the word count, as they are used to describe specific story elements.

Are you accepting all story categories?

We are accepting all categories of fiction, meaning all genres of original fiction and fanfiction. We can't accept poetry, non-fiction, random, or mature content at this time.

Is cussing allowed in the story?

Cussing is fine, just don't overdo it.

Am I allowed to collaborate with friends to write a story?

Of course! Please submit your story only once and include the usernames of all participating users on the form.

I don't identify as LGBTQ+, can I still enter?

Everyone is free to enter, no matter how they identify.

Where can I find the submission form?

You can find the submission form by CLICKING HERE.

Any other questions, please PM us (as we might miss it if asked in the comments).

Tag your entries with #FreeTheLGBT to share the love and be sure to paste your entry links in the comments below!

Good luck!

~ The FreetheLGBT Team~