SHORT STORY WRITERS CONTEST -- February 2024 -- INTERWOVEN -- INT2024 --Winners Announced

This is an Official ATS Short Story Writers Contest!

It is open to ALL members of ATS.

This area is a safe place for our 'mighty fine creative minds' to gather. If you'd like to participate, know that the Terms and Conditions of your membership are strongly enforced. Profanity, Political baiting, Personal attacks, are not allowed or welcomed at all. Want to talk about something else? Then go to the other forums here at ATS. We only discuss the stories in here written by YOU, the membership.

By submitting a Short Story in an Official ATS Contest, you agree to the following;

Your Entry Has to be Original Fiction & posted in it's own thread HERE in the Short Stories forum,. Then in this contest thread, create a post with a link to your story. If you need any help with Spelling or Grammar-checking, Word-Counting, and more please visit; Writer Tools; Spell Check and More

Your Story Should be written and edited with paragraphs. We have noticed that stories copy & pasted from 'mobile devices' might lose their formatting. Please review how it looks on the ATS Thread and add the proper editing (as you have only about 20 minutes to make edits/corrections). This is a contest, no one wants to read a solid block of words.

A.I. Technology can not be used in the stories creation. Only ATS members are allowed to participate in the Contest.

You may enter more than once, but you can only win one prize.

"The END" needs to be at the bottom of your story, it wont add to the word-count.

You will be awarded "Writer" Status if you win 1st or 2nd in the non-writer category, please add in your stories title 'non-writer'.

The contest will run from NOW to Friday, March 1, 2024. Any submissions after that date will be disqualified. A period of ONE WEEK after the closing of the contest will be provided for reading & voting.

Contest Winners get to choose the next Contest Theme. This contest theme is courtesy of our last winner Encia22 and is entitled: INTERWOVEN - INT2024 --
An esoteric theme, open to interpretation and dedicated to old friends. Dig deep, unravel the thoughts in your mind and weave a new fabric, the fibers of which are interwoven with your hopes, fears, passions and dreams.

RULES OF ENTRY (are simple)

* Entries must be original fiction. ATS members cannot be characters.
* The Contest is for Humans only: No AI submissions.
* Entries MUST include - INT2024 - in your Stories title. ( e.g. Remembrance - INT2024 - non-writer).
* This is a 'SHORT STORY' Contest. Stories that run past the OP are accepted but no points given for additional posts.
* You need to post a link to your story here in this contest thread so others know that you made up an entry.
* You must stay within the Terms and Conditions (please read)

WINNERS and SCORING

ATS "Writer" status, prizes as follows:
1st -- 5 Applause, and gets to choose the next contest theme (Repeat winners can choose to pass to another for the theme of a future contest).
2nd -- 3 Applause
3rd -- 1 Applause

non-writer will receive the following:
1st Place -- 3 Applause & Writer Status
2nd Place -- 2 Applause & Writer Status
3rd Place -- 1 Applause

How the Contestants get points to win all depends on you! You can give FLAGS to your favorite story and add STARS to your favorite stories opening post.

We then tally up the scores of 'Flags' (worth 2 points each). And 'Stars' in the opening post (worth 1 point each)

And that's it! Got a question? We're happy to try and answer anything about the
contests/rules etc. But ENJOY this new contest, GOOD LUCK, HAPPY READING and HAVE FUN!

Note: New OP contest format, thanks to JohnnyAnonymous. Artwork for this contest courtesy of Encia22


ANNOUNCEMENT HERE
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Love the theme and imagery (excellent, Encia22!!)! 🤍🤍🤍

Always have fun with these. This one was harder. Especially trying to do a dream.

Here's my free-flowing submission. A real stretch to write about myself.

Distorted INT-2024

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe
We have lost almost everything www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: zosimov

Thanks kindly, Zosimov, I truly appreciate your feedback. Let’s hope this particular contest brings out the best from our regular and new writers, doing justice to past writers who graced this little corner of ATS and these contests, and made us laugh, cry, scream and dream with their contributions.



Many thanks and appreciation to DTOM and Argentus for carrying us into a new contest…

“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
~ Sir Isaac Newton

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

This is going to be fun! Thanks for this wonderful contest!🔥🌹🔥

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

My try What, the, absolute, duck! INT2024

a reply to: JJproductions

You're welcome...but Encia deserves the topic thanks

a reply to: chr0naut

Great!!!
Thanks for the entry and best of luck!

I added Non-Writer to your title, so your story can be properly judged.....

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: chr0naut

Great!!!
Thanks for the entry and best of luck!

I added Non-Writer to your title, so your story can be properly judged.....

Thanks.

a reply to: Encia22

Thank you for this topic! I have a gift for you, with some snow. It matches the color!

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

I love the contest theme and artwork! So amazing Encia!

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Thanks DTOM, it's always a pleasure to help however I can, especially if it makes the contest more appealing.



a reply to: JJproductions

Oh, that's beautiful, JJ, thank you! White Ferraris are rare, but it does fit in with the wintery surroundings.



a reply to: Agleaya

I'm glad you like the theme and artwork, Agleaya! Let's say both came to mind many weeks ago, but somehow, they became particularly appropriate for this contest.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

The Kreb www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Feeling hungry? The Dark Woods offer refreshment ... for some.

Cheers

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

Here are the continued adventures of Lilibet... no frills, no gimmicks; just a straightforward[ish] narration.

Lilibet’s Labyrinth





If you enjoy fantastical tales and want to know how my protagonist arrived at this juncture, then you might enjoy her previous adventures...

The Land of Nod

To Nod and Beyond

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Here's mine!

Imaginary star system INT2024 writer

Thinking out of the box for once