Writing Challenges

Every so often we run a story writing challenge. They are announced via our email list, so do join that anyway. You can join in the left hand margin.

When a challenge is open for entries they may be submitted in the usual manner. See the left hand margin "Submitting a Story". Make sure it is labelled as an entry for the challenge.

The challenges so far

1. "Face at the Window, Chapter 2" challenge, Sole Entry – Closed
   See the original story on which the second chapter is based
2. Summer Vacation – Closed
3. Of Which Nightmares are Made – Closed
4. Chocolate Spread – Closed
5. Cold, Wet, and Muddy – Closed
6. Rainbow Boy – Closed
7. "May I Help You?" – Closed
8. Close the Lid – Closed
9. Black and White Boys – Closed
10. Write a Sequel – Closed
11. Crimson – Closed
12. In His Room – Closed
13. Just Hangin' – Closed
14. Locker – Closed
15. Fine Young Animals – Closed
16. Waiting – Closed
17. Empty Shoes – Closed
18. What? – Closed
19. Recovery – Closed
20. Non Consent – Closed
21. Light and Shade – Closed
22. The First Cuckold of Summer? – Closed
23. Scouting for Boys – Closed
24. By Any Other Name – Closed
25. Be My Boyfriend – Closed
26. Socks – Closed
27. Sofa Skater – Closed
28. Pick Me! – Closed
29. Home Alone – Closed
30. Not Here – Closed
31. The Only Way is Up! – Closed
32. Supreme Confidence – Closed
33. of Books and Covers – Closed
34. A Walk in the Country – Closed
35. A Grand Day Out – Closed
36. Going Out – Closed
37. The Note – Closed
38. Corvus Puer – Closed
39. Crashing Bore – Closed
40. Things Are Looking Up! – Closed
41. Colour Me Pastel – Closed
42. About Number Seven… – Closed
43. Whistler – Closed
44. Wet Day – Closed
45. Wrecked – Closed
46. Captains Obvious – Closed
47. Jamboree – Closed
48. Yin and Yang – Closed
49. I'm Better Than You and I Know It – Closed
50. Locker 104 – Closed
51. Waiting – Closed
52. How Do I Tell Him? – Polls close on 3 January 2025 at noon UTC

Results in detail

Starting with the "Of Which Nightmares are Made" event in early 2016 we have also asked readers to rate stories against each other. Scroll down to see the summary of the results. These appear here soon after the challenge voting period opens. Each heading links to the full results for the challenge. Each results page links to each story submitted.

The overall results are shown, latest challenge first.

How Do I Tell Him?

How Do I tell him?

Did you enjoy the tale? [16 votes total] The New Boy (15)  93% Do I Dare Say Anything (11)  68%

Waiting

Waiting

Did you enjoy the tale? [34 votes total] What're You Waiting For? (28)  82% Grandad Sees a Ghost (15)  44% Poles Apart (17)  50%

Locker 104

Locker 104

Did you enjoy the tale? [25 votes total] Appearances (20)  80% Locker Number 104 (14)  56% Summer Competition (15)  60%

I'm Better Than You and I Know It

I'm Better Than You and I Know It

Did you enjoy the tale? [24 votes total] All the World's a Stage - (King Dick III) (14)  58% The Sport of Kings (15)  62% A Prince and His Pauper (12)  50% Maybe You're not Better After all (8)  33% Ebrich Full (9)  37% The Play's The Thing (13)  54%

Yin and Yang

Yin and Yang

Did you enjoy the tale? [21 votes total] The Kiss (11)  52% An Email from Jakub Kowalski (13)  61% We'll Figure It Out (5)  23% Opposites Attract (8)  38% Who's Marcus? (13)  61% God I Hate Him, He's So Annoying (10)  47% The Fires That Burn (10)  47%

Jamboree

Jamboree

Did you enjoy the tale? [11 votes total] The New Boy (8)  72% Dogma WIth Shorts (6)  54% For I Have Sinned (3)  27%

Captains Obvious

Captains Obvious

Did you enjoy the tale? [14 votes total] I'm With Stupid (14)  100% Leave No Doubt (7)  50%

Wrecked

Wrecked

Did you enjoy the tale? [20 votes total] Benji (13)  65% Boarding with Friends (16)  80% Picking up the Pieces (15)  75% A Close Shave (15)  75%

Wet Day

Wet Day

Did you enjoy the tale? [23 votes total] Breathe Now (11)  47% With A Little Help From Zeus (13)  56% Jealous Much? (12)  52% Stormy Weather (19)  82%

Whistler

Whistler

Did you enjoy the tale? [14 votes total] Like Father, Like Son (12)  85% Merkin is Missing (11)  78%

About Number Seven…

About Number Seven...

Did you enjoy the tale? [20 votes total] My Best Friend is Gay (11)  55% Tackling (16)  80% Sieben X Sechs (8)  40%

Colour Me Pastel

Colour Me Pastel

Did you enjoy the tale? [20 votes total] The Boy on the Pedestal (18)  90% It Should Wash Off (15)  75%

Things Are Looking Up!

Things Are Looking Up!

The hope was that readers would understand that disability was another facet of normality. Please tick the stories that helped that understanding [17 votes total] Corridor Skittles (11)  64% Best Wheel Forward (11)  64% What I have to be thankful for… (12)  70%

Crashing Bore

Crashing Bore (note that one tale has this as its name, too)

Did this tale do the picture justice? [22 votes total] Rock, Paper, Scissors (8)  36% A Blushing Summer (13)  59% Crashing Bore (6)  27% Stairway to Heaven (10)  45% Spencer (8)  36% Love By Omission (13)  59% The Accident (11)  50%

Corvus Puer

Corvus Puer

Did this work for you? [16 votes total] Evermore (12)  75% Genus Corvidae (12)  75%

The Note

The Note

Did you like it? [18 votes total] The Twist (7)  38% The Note (6)  33% Not What I'd Hoped for - But Better (8)  44% Gaymer Boy (11)  61%

Going Out

Going Out

Did you like it? [19 votes total] A Spark in Marks (14)  73% Valentine (12)  63% The Unspoken Code (11)  57%

A Grand Day Out

A Grand Day Out

True to the challenge title? [24 votes total] Costume Design (13)  54% The Caped-Crusader Caper (18)  75% Say Cheese (12)  50%

A Walk in the Country

a Walk in the Country

Surprised? [16 votes total] Rough Country (8)  50% Perils of Youth (9)  56% La Tombola (4)  25% The Incident on Froggatt Edge (7)  43%

of Books and Covers

of Books and Covers

Which tales created a picture in your mind? [22 votes total] The Soft Touch (5)  22% The Pretenbders (9)  40% The Boy in the Striped Socks (10)  45% There but...... (15)  68% A Rainbow for Jack (15)  68% Statements (7)  31%

Supreme Confidence

Supreme Confidence

Please tick all that surprised you [23 votes total] Game Set and Match (15)  65% If They Took That Shot Again (11)  47% The Best Day of My Life (13)  56% Best Friends and More (7)  30% Zander? (17)  73%

The Only Way is Up!

The Only Way is Up!

Please tick all that are inthe spirit of the picture [20 votes total] Enough Rope (18)  90% Learning the Ropes (16)  80% Right Up to London (15)  75% The New Broom (11)  55%

Not Here

Not Here

Only two this time, did you like them? [20 votes total] Ike and Mike, Both Alike (7)  35% Every Picture�� (18)  90%

Home Alone

Home Alone

Did you want to be home alone? Tick all that moved you [23 votes total] Home Alone (13)  56% I'm Home Alone (15)  65% A Winning Losing Word (13)  56%

Pick Me!

Pick Me!

I picked them all! Tick all you picked! [27 votes total] Lockdown Blue (17)  62% The Komsomol (15)  55% Temptation (19)  70% The Strangest But Best Year of my Life (20)  74% Summer Camp (22)  81%

Sofa Skater

Sofa Skater

Skated away, or sat on the sofa? Tick all you enjoyed [27 votes total] Video Learning (14)  51% Jan en de Winkelwagen (14)  51% Goofyfoot (18)  66% Flamer Skater (17)  62% Love on the Half Pipe (17)  62%

Socks

Socks

Enjoy one, some, all? Tick all you enjoyed [33 votes total] Peter (8)  24% Rupie and Barabbas (14)  42% Socks, Friends, and Lovers (13)  39% The Stolen Dream (23)  69% Simon's Socks (13)  39%

Be My Boyfriend

A single entry, so the results of the in-story survey are presented here

I Want to Hold Your Hand

You may tick as many statements as you wish. Stories my also be discussed in detail on the Literary Merit forum [40 votes total] It grabbed my attention early on (37)  92% I had to know what happened (30)  75% I identified with at least one of the cast (13)  32% Gritty - it had an edge to it (15)  37% Realistic - it could have happened that way (30)  75% I found it hard to follow (0)  0% Good characterisation (33)  82% I feel better for having read it (18)  45% It was romantic (33)  82% It was erotic (23)  57% Too much explicit sex (0)  0% It had the right amount of sex, if there was any (27)  67% Not enough explicit sex (4)  10% I have read and enjoyed other work by this author (13)  32% I will seek this author's work out (26)  65%

By Any Other Name

By Any Other Name

Enjoy one, some, all? Tick all you enjoyed [18 votes total] Sunnybanks Revisited (14)  77% We Are In Love! (11)  61% In The Picture (12)  66% Spot the 'Phobe (12)  66%

Scouting for Boys

Scouting for Boys

Please tick all tales which left you wanting more [25 votes total] The Challenge That Is Tony - More Trouble with Shorts (8)  32% My Vacation in Slovakia (14)  56% Swallows and Swifts, Wrens and Sparrows (15)  60% And the Band Played On (8)  32% The Wayfarer Boy (7)  28%

The First Cuckold of Summer?

The First Cuckold of Summer?

Please tick all tales which left you wanting more [22 votes total] The Challenge That Is Tony - Sam (14)  63% The Party of the Third Part (20)  90% The Jock (10)  45%

Light and Shade

Light and Shade Challenge

Please tick all tales which left you wanting more [22 votes total] The Pick of the Bunch (13)  59% Handpicked (12)  54% Chiaroscuro (6)  27% By Any Other Name (15)  68%

Non Consent

Non Consent Challenge

Which stories made you think hard about building a relationship where sexual consent is withheld? [13 votes total] Betting Against the Odds (2)  15% Desire and Violence (3)  23% Blowing Me, Blowing You - Aha! (3)  23% No Way Jos� (2)  15% He Was (1)  7% Calla (8)  61% The Viking (6)  46%

Recovery

Recovery

Click each tale which made you think, or made you pause, or created a picture of someone's desolation in your head [17 votes total] The Lottery of Ears and Necks (4)  23% Making Love (6)  35% Ships Sink (7)  41% Crossing Jordan (6)  35% Round Here (3)  17% The Best Christmas (4)  23% Killing Me Slowly (2)  11% The Steven Roberts Stories - It Takes a Village (7)  41% The Messenger of All Things (6)  35% A Storm Named Zach (11)  64%

What?

What?

Click all the stories that you enjoyed [18 votes total] The Eye of the Storm (13)  72% At the Edge of Forever (5)  27% The Challenge that is Tony - Not Carrot Cake (8)  44% The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street (13)  72%

Empty Shoes

Empty Shoes

Click all the stories that you would love there to be another part to, even if you just know it can't happen [29 votes total] Sneaking Off (10)  34% Ryan and the Gringott (22)  75% Unseen Solutions (10)  34% Untouchable (17)  58% Empty Shoes (15)  51% The Challenge that is Tony - Missing You Already (10)  34%

Waiting

Waiting

Click all the stories that made you want to be either or both boys. Obviously read them all first! You get one multiple choice vote!! [30 votes total] Bubble and Squeak (12)  40% New Balls, Please! (11)  36% What a Difference a Day Makes (10)  33% Waiting for My Boyfriend (5)  16% Tennis, Anyone? (9)  30% My Only Friend (3)  10% Eye of the Heart (16)  53% The Challenge That Is Tony � Green (7)  23% Love in Paris (7)  23% A Boys Cameo (6)  20%

Fine Young Animals

Fine Young Animals

Which tales made you want to be there? Choose as many as you wish, it's feedback, not a contest. [21 votes total] Musketqueers - The Invitation (11)  52% The Challenge That Is Tony - This Little Piggy� (7)  33% The Charm of Being A Pig (16)  76%

Locker

Locker

Which tales made you think? Choose as many as you wish, it's feedback, not a contest. [29 votes total] The Kid Who Wasn't There (15)  51% The Challenge That Is Tony � Live long and Prosper! (6)  20% Fearless (13)  44% A World Between (11)  37% Mousetrap (14)  48% Musketqueers (9)  31% The Best and Worst Day of my Life (16)  55%

Just Hangin'

Just Hangin'

Which tales made you feel close to one of the participants? Choose as many as you wish. [36 votes total] Second Skin (21)  58% The Challenge That Is Tony � Hanging Out (11)  30% A Game of Fox and Hare (22)  61%

In His Room

Which story interpreted the picture best? You may tick a maximum of three stories for those you believe gave the best interpretation of the picture [32 votes total] Nathan and Me (5)  15% It's Only a Game (10)  31% My Ball! Thank You! (8)  25% A Touching Look (11)  34% The Best Game Ever (6)  18% Star Light, Star Bright (15)  46% What Once Was Ours (8)  25% Simon Says (3)  9% Who We Are (3)  9%

Which are your favourite three stories? You may tick a maximum of three stories which you enjoyed the most [33 votes total] It's Only a Game (12)  36% Nathan and Me (12)  36% My Ball! Thank You! (2)  6% What Once Was Ours (8)  24% Star Light, Star Bright (19)  57% Who We Are (1)  3% Simon Says (1)  3% A Touching Look (17)  51% The Best Game Ever (6)  18%

Crimson

Which story interpreted the picture best You may tick a maximum of three stories for those you believe gave the best interpretation of the picture. The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [23 votes total] My Crimson Year (18)  78% Trapped (6)  26% Harry and Me (8)  34% Cousins (the Beginning) (2)  8% Trevor and Lucas: Summer Vacation (7)  30% Silver Lining (3)  13%

Which are your favourite three stories? You may tick a maximum of three stories which you enjoyed the most The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [22 votes total] Harry and Me (11)  50% Cousins (the Beginning) (3)  13% Trapped (5)  22% Silver Lining (3)  13% Trevor and Lucas: Summer Vacation (11)  50% My Crimson Year (19)  86%

Write a Sequel

Mood of the Original Which sequel caught the mood of the original story best [17 votes total] F�te or Fate (0)  0% What Happens in Vegas (1)  5% The Second Time Around (15)  88% All the Colours of the Rainbow (1)  5%

Favourite Which sequel did you enjoy the most [15 votes total] F�te or Fate (2)  13% What Happens in Vegas (1)  6% The Second Time Around (11)  73% All the Colours of the Rainbow (1)  6%

Black and White Boys

Which two stories interpreted the picture best You may tick a maximum of two stories for those you believe gave the best interpretation of the picture. The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [20 votes total] Dura et Pulsans (12)  60% Homosexual (2)  10% Nick Park (14)  70%

Which are your favourite two stories? You may tick a maximum of two stories which you enjoyed the most The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [20 votes total] Dura et Pulsans (10)  50% Homosexual (9)  45% Nick Park (12)  60%

Close the Lid

Which three stories deployed the phrase best? You may tick a maximum of three stories which you think met this criterion best [32 votes total] Tomoko and the Goren (5)  15% Blood Call (20)  62% All Washed Up (12)  37% The Music Box (20)  62% Snow Day (11)  34%

Which are your favourite three stories? You may tick a maximum of three stories which you enjoyed the most [34 votes total] Tomoko and the Goren (8)  23% Blood Call (21)  61% All Washed Up (13)  38% The Music Box (18)  52% Snow Day (9)  26%

"May I Help You?"

Which three stories interpreted the picture best You may tick a maximum of three stories for those you believe gave the best interpretation of the picture. The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [62 votes total] Black Eyed David (32)  51% The Elephant in the Room (38)  61% I Do Like to Be Beside The Seaside - Getting There (28)  45% Fifty Yard Line (4)  6% Thrift Shop Nation (41)  66% The Boy at the Park (8)  12%

Which are your favourite three stories? You may tick a maximum of three stories which you enjoyed the most The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [65 votes total] Black Eyed David (31)  47% The Elephant in the Room (37)  56% I Do Like to Be Beside The Seaside - Getting There (30)  46% Fifty Yard Line (4)  6% Thrift Shop Nation (54)  83% The Boy at the Park (11)  16%

Rainbow Boy

Which story interpreted the picture best You may tick a maximum of three stories for those you believe gave the best interpretation of the picture. The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [28 votes total] ROYGBV (23)  82% Independence Day (8)  28% Glenn (2)  7% The Eagle Dares (18)  64%

Which are your favourite three stories? You may tick a maximum of three stories which you enjoyed the most The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [29 votes total] ROYGBV (23)  79% Independence Day (14)  48% Glenn (6)  20% The Eagle Dares (17)  58%

Cold, Wet, and Muddy

Which story interpreted the picture best You may tick a maximum of three stories for those you believe gave the best interpretation of the picture. The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [47 votes total] Aufgestellter Mausdrek (27)  57% Bath Oliver (15)  31% The Go-Between (6)  12% Soggy Soccer (11)  23% Josh (3)  6% Grant and Marty (5)  10% The Game of All Games (27)  57%

Which are your favourite three stories? You may tick a maximum of three stories which you enjoyed the most The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [44 votes total] Aufgestellter Mausdrek (24)  54% Bath Oliver (19)  43% The Go-Between (14)  31% Soggy Soccer (14)  31% Josh (8)  18% Grant and Marty (9)  20% The Game of All Games (27)  61%

Chocolate Spread

Which story interpreted the picture best You may tick a maximum of three stories for those you believe gave the best interpretation of the picture. The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [50 votes total] The Great and Special Test (36)  72% I'm Not Your Baby Ruth (12)  24% Leaving Home (8)  16% The Chocolate Fantasy (8)  16% Any Hole Will Do (8)  16%

Which are your favourite three stories? You may tick a maximum of three stories which you enjoyed the most The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [50 votes total] The Great and Special Test (38)  76% I'm Not Your Baby Ruth (20)  40% Leaving Home (17)  34% The Chocolate Fantasy (10)  20% Any Hole Will Do (19)  38%

Of Which Nightmares are Made

Which story interpreted the picture best You may tick a maximum of three stories for those you believe gave the best interpretation of the picture. The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [43 votes total] Jonah (8)  18% The Dare (24)  55% From the Stream to the Sea (10)  23% Revenge (11)  25% Of Which Nightmares Are Made (13)  30% Avery and Me (14)  32%

Which are your favourite three stories? You may tick a maximum of three stories which you enjoyed the most The stories are listed in the order they arrived with us [41 votes total] Jonah (17)  41% The Dare (26)  63% From the Stream to the Sea (14)  34% Revenge (12)  29% Of Which Nightmares Are Made (8)  19% Avery and Me (17)  41%