-my submission to an amazing contest opportunity-
Dear Freshman Fifteens,
I’m writing to enter my short story, called Honestly, to your Common Room Teen Mentoring Contest. Honestly is teen fiction about a girl, Juliet Daynon, being accused of a crime she didn’t commit. It is 1,715 words long.
Pitch (About 110 words)
I’ve always found lying easier than telling the truth. Stealing is easier than actually working for something. It comes naturally and gives me a rush I can’t resist. I don’t steal because I need the items or want attention. Once the thrill fades, I return the objects, hidden, where the victim will eventually find them. I always lie to avoid any suspicion.
I guess I knew that it would catch up with me someday.
I just wasn’t expecting to be caught by Mr. Swen, the principal at my new high school. He’s accusing me of stealing a teacher’s watch and lying about it.
The only problem? I never stole the watch. Honestly.
First Paragraph (100 words)
I’m new to this high school, so they don’t know yet. They don’t know I’m a liar and a thief. Other people lie and steal for noble reasons: to feed their families or to keep warm at night. I’m not starving or cold. I lie and steal because I like it. No. Love it. The rush of adrenaline as I hold a stolen object in my hands is priceless. The pride that surges up inside, when I know nobody caught me, makes it all worthwhile. I have no reason to lie and steal. I just do it because I can.
Bio (97 words)
I know it might sound cliché and unlikely for a fourteen year old, but I would be lost without books. I use reading and writing to explore new ideas, sort out my thoughts, and simply escape. I love creating unpredictable plots, diverse characters, and unique settings. It’s inspiring to know that my writing could influence a reader’s thoughts and feelings. It’s thrilling to reach those flawless moments when the words pour out and I can’t seem to type fast enough. Writing and rewriting, editing and reediting would be my perfect future, one that I’m working towards today.
-Anne Brees
This entry was a winner in the contest. To see the final, edited version, along with the rest of the Freshman Fifteen Winning Entries, follow this link - http://www.wattpad.com/98702148-common-room-a-short-story-anthology-honestly-by
