WRITING CHALLENGES FOR WRITERS OF ALL AGES AND STAGES
From 30-word stories to novel-length manuscripts, all the resources and support to get you started, keep you going, and help you achieve your writing dreams...
WRITING CHALLENGES
UPCOMING WRITING EVENTS
1-10 October 2025
Off Topic Publishing
This monthly contest is inviting you to submit a piece of creative non-fiction, short story or poetry. Head over to their website to discover this month's theme and prompt and find the full guidelines.
Entry Fee: $5CAD
Word Limit: up to 1500 words
Deadline: Midnight, Pacific Time, Friday, 10 October
24-26 October 2025
Not Quite Write Prize
Once a quarter, the Not Quite Write Prize crew invite you to break the writing rules with their prompt (and anti-prompt) driven competition, with 60 hours to write up to 500 words. You can even choose to receive a critique of your entry on the accompanying Not Quite Write Podcast series and possibly get a mention in the comp analysis!
Entry Fee: $35 (Australian)
Word Limit: 500
Deadline: 26 October
Theme: Prompts (and anti-prompts!) are provided
Results Announced: 7 December 2025
31 October 2025
The Best of Times Short Story Comp
If you've got a great sense of humour and love writing, Chris Broadribb runs a great six-monthly short story competition each spring and autumn
Entry Fee: $10 (Australian)
Word Limit: 2,500
Deadline: 31 October
Theme: Humour
Results Announced: End of December
7-9 November 2025
FURIOUS FICTION
With no entry fee and a mere 55 hours on the first weekend of each month, use the writing prompts to create a 500-word-limit story. Short-listed writers have their stories published, long-listed writers get a mention, and everyone who takes part is a winner.
Entry Fee: Nil
Word Limit: 500
Duration: 55 hours
Results Announced: By 26 November 2025
10-16 November 2025
TWISTED TOURNAMENT
Join the Twisted Tournament and take part in 3 rounds of prompt-driven 500-word, 250-word and 100-word story submissions. Battle it out using the prompts provided, then become a judge yourself and assess how the other group did.
Entry Fee: US$20 (US$18 for early birds)
Word Limit: Round One: 500, Round Two: 250, Round Three: 100
Duration: Round One: 72 hours, Round Two: 48 hours, Round Three: 24 hours
Peer Judging: 17 November to 24 November 2025
Results Announced: 3 December 2025
1-30 November 2025
30 Days 30 Words
Busy but wanna write and make new friends in the writing community? Come join us on Blue Sky (and TwiXter) and write 30-word stories each day during the months that have 30 days in them. Ask Dani your questions or search for #30Words30Days
ONGOING WRITING CHALLENGES
Every day
100-WORD STORIES (DRABBLES)
A 100-word story sounds simple enough... but can be just enough of a brain twister to get you thinking while creating a tiny plot-driven creation as often as you want. Available on platforms like Medium, drablr and 100wordstory.org, review each publication's unique guidelines, try out their prompts and get submitting!
Every day
30 Words 365
Search for #30Words365 on X and test your limits and restraint in creating a catchy, succinct story in just 30 words!
Every day
VERY SHORT STORIES (VSS)
VSS365 and similar hashtags have built a social media community around a micro-story prompt. Search for #vss or #vss365 or vsspic on your social media platform. Since the end of 2024, the prompt has become increasingly active on Bluesky.
FUTURE WRITING CHALLENGES
First Friday of every month
FURIOUS FICTION
With no entry fee and a mere 55 hours on the first weekend of each month, use the writing prompts to create a 500-word-limit story. Short-listed writers have their stories published, long-listed writers get a mention, and everyone who takes part is a winner.
Quarterly (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct)
Not Quite Write Prize
Once a quarter, the Not Quite Write Prize crew invite you to break the writing rules with their prompt (and anti-prompt) driven competition, with 60 hours to write up to 500 words. You can even choose to receive a critique of your entry on the accompanying Not Quite Write Podcast series and possibly get a mention in the comp analysis!
6-monthly
The Best of Times Short Story Comp
If you've got a great sense of humour and love writing, Chris Broadribb runs a great six-monthly short story competition each spring and autumn
3 Times a Year
TWISTED TOURNAMENT
Join the Twisted Tournament and take part in 3 rounds of prompt-driven 500-word, 250-word and 100-word story submissions. Battle it out using the prompts provided, then become a judge yourself and assess how the other group did.
Entry Fee: US$20 (US$18 for early birds)
Word Limit: Round One: 500, Round Two: 250, Round Three: 100
Duration: Round One: 72 hours, Round Two: 48 hours, Round Three: 24 hours
Peer Judging: Over 8 days
Results Announced: Within a month
Each month that has 30 days in it!
30 Days 30 Words
Busy but wanna write and make new friends in the writing community? Come join us on TwiXter and write 30-word stories each day during the months that have 30 days in them. Ask WritingDani your questions or search for #30Words30Days
Every November
NANOWRIMO
Everyone wins when they write. Stretch yourself, pace yourself, and support yourself by dedicating November to your writing project.
TESTIMONIALS
A FEW WORDS FROM A WRITER
"Sure, I've written in private, journalling, scribbling, only two eyes ever reading my work...
...But the day I started regularly sharing my stories in public, my writing changed, my opportunities expanded, and my friendships grew.
When people noticed, they asked how they could do the same, so I created this for frustrated writers to get connected, get creative, and get writing (again🤪)!"
Rananda | The Ink Rat
Australia, Earth
(And fictional traveller through the Universe)
"I struggled with three things...
1. How to get writing ideas
2. How to develop a consistent writing routine
3. How to improve (without losing heart or hope along the way)
When I noticed small (and big!) writing challenges taking place online, I started to dabble, and even drabble*!"
* A story that is exactly 100 words, no more, no less
"As I found my writing voice by publishing online, other areas improved too.
- My ability (and capability) to run my business strengthened
- My sense of well-being improved
- My ability to play in the world re-emerged
Maybe most importantly of all, I remembered the fun of creativity, something I'd forgotten for many, many years."
WHO ARE WE?
ABOUT US
The Creative Splurge is for writers of all ages and stages who want to get started, keep going with, and ultimately realise our writing dreams. Writing challenges get our writing habits started, community keeps us together. Writing challenges range from 6-word stories to full-length novels, and from fiction to poetry to non-fiction.
We are a diverse and inclusive writing community dedicated to promoting creativity, fun and a sense of belonging.
Whether you're just getting started with your writing or a seasoned author, you're invited to use and contribute to The Creative Splurge.
CONTACT US OR JUST JOIN IN!
COME WRITE A FEW WORDS YOURSELF
rananda@thecreativesplurge.com
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