FreeTheLGBT: Contests & Prompts

National Coming Out Day [CLOSED]

October 11th marks the National Coming Out Day which is used by LGBTQ+ people to celebrate coming out of the closet and to raise awareness of the LGBT rights and acceptance. There will always be people who accept us and people who will not. Regardless of that, it is important to not waste your time by living your life by other people's standards.

Your mission is to write a story based on how you come out. How does figuring out your sexuality, opening up to friends or family a part of your identity?

· Challenge

Write a short story between 500 and 1000 words about coming out of the closet, self discovery and or self acceptance as a lgbtq+ person. The story should be inspired by one of the quotes that will be provided.

Quotes:

1. "Your self-worth is determined by you. You don't have to depend on someone telling you who you are." - Beyoncé

2. "Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner." - Lao Tzu

3. "Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without." - Siddhartha Gautama

4. "Follow your inner moonlight; don't hide the madness." - Allen Ginsberg

5. "Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself." - Coco Chanel

6. "If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise." - Johann von Goethe

7. "It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not." Andre Gide

Example:

One day, you went home crying after your classmates bullied you for being queer. You stared in the mirror, feeling like you are not good enough. Your reflection began to frown. Then, it said - "Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner."

· Deadline

If you've decided you want to give this contest a go, the deadline is Saturday, October 31th, 2020 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 one of the quotes.

. Your story should be inspired by a quote that provided. The phrase should appear verbatim and highlighted within the text.

· One entry per writer.

· The story must be in English.

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