❝ DON'T GET LOST IN THE WOODS FOR THEY ARE HUNGRY ❞ Vesnyana died a long time ago. As a rusalka, she is now bound to haunt the waters that took her life-and drown hapless folks in their cold depths to sate her endless hunger. However, her greatest desire remains unfulfilled: to become human again. That is, until the summer solstice, which drives young lovers into the trees in search of the magical fern flower. But only one of them is truly determined to find it. Which is but a game for other youths in the village of Lasow, to Yara seems like the only way to free herself from her sorrows. Little does she know there are far greater ones to come: A new priest arrives, eager to fight the old beliefs and driven by his own dangerous desires. Prophecies and dark omens plaguing Yara and her friend Levik speak of fire on the horizon. And the shadows on the wall start speaking. When death comes riding into Lasow, Yara has to decide whom to trust-and what wishes might be dangerous enough they could cost all of their lives. _______ ONC 2026 ENTRY: PROMPTS 16, 104, 114

Weimar Republic, 1932 Democracy is already on its deathbed when young Frenchman Yves Crèvecœur arrives in Magdeburg as an exchange teacher. Soon, however, the gothic halls of the Luisengymnasium reveal two sacred truths: The classroom is a battlefield of politics. And: You can not be neutral when fascism threatens to devour what you love. ▪︎▪︎▪︎ ONC entry for prompts 80 and 57 "Monsters don't live under our beds. They live in the recesses of our minds." "Everyone loves the polite, charming student on campus. Except when you walk into the room. For some reason, you're the only one they treat with icy distance. You're determined to find out why."

A loyal hound will drink saltwater. In the Kingdom of Bevran, vagabonds are offered shelter within the walls of the castle. Orthrus, tired of running for his life, scavenging off of the dead, and never escaping the cold, couldn't think of anything better. But it seems the Queen of Bevran has secrets, plans for invading the Kingdom of Khis. Orthrus and his fellow vagabonds seek to understand how they fit into all of this, what purpose they serve in their Queen's grand schemes. What Orthrus can't figure out is why the Queen would keep her desires secret when Khis is their enemy, the reason Bevran has fallen into ruin. Any Bevrani would devout themselves to defeating their oppressor, no? When the truth comes out, Orthrus must decide on what he's willing to sacrifice in order to survive. ♙♙♙ For the Open Novella Contest 2026 | Cover designed by me with image from Pinterest {artist unknown} | Prompt 80 Current Word Count - 39,264

It is the fall of 1598 when Gábor Hunyadi, the first general of Emperor Rudolph II., arrives at Čachtice castle. Not long after, he is dead and his successor Vilmos Tóth finds himself confronted with the mystery surrounding the case he now has to solve. Although he soon finds a confidant in the widow Dorottya, his key witness of all people doesn't talk - and seems to suffer from acute amnesia. And then there is the deceased general's nephew who has apparently disappeared without a trace... ─── ⋆⋅♱⋅⋆ ─── My entry to the OpenNovellaContest 2026 ©2026

Alec Monroe has a gift, and Paul Barrington wants to profit by it. Neither understands the true cost of their arrangement. The Great War casts a long shadow in 1926 Philadelphia. Prohibition is in effect, but largely ignored in the city dubbed "wet as the Atlantic." Séances remain popular, despite the efforts of men like Houdini to reveal mediums as frauds. Class, social, and racial boundaries are razor sharp. Against this backdrop, Paul enlists Alec to help him defraud Henri Deschamps, a wealthy scholar of antiquities from France. Little does Paul know that Henri holds more power than money can buy, and Alec is the key to unlocking it. ONC Prompt 72: A real necromancer sits in on a fake séance. [Author's note/trigger warnings: This story uses period-appropriate language, including terms related to race and sexuality, and discussions of mental health, including suicide.] [All rights reserved. This story is 100% human-generated. No part of this story may be used for the purpose of training A.I.]

|ONC 2026 · NOVELLA #1| #SupportIndigenousVoices A gifted teen embarks on a journey to join two tribes during the Last Age, as they search for the mystical Bering Land Bridge. *** Fifteen-year-old Khochu, the only surviving child of Vika and Sasha, wants only one thing: to find a place where humans and animals can live in peace from the bitter Ice Age--a place he has dreamed about for years--and prove his sickly family's strength. However, his life changes when he's chosen to begin his rite of passage early and meets Nikita, a cannibal girl from a neighboring tribe, who is also struggling to find food in the icy world. As the two begin to bond and explore Khochu's unique gift of animal whispering, Khochu learns he is the key to everything: a door that forces the rival tribes together across the icy steppes. As they search for a new life, Khochu and his animal friends must use their gifts to protect the tribes from predators. Still, the connection between Khochu and Nikita begins to interfere with Khochu's test, which is not good for a boy trying to prove that the Bering Land Bridge isn't a myth. Is growing up really this difficult? *** *ONC 2026 Prompt used: Number 61 - "They say every door has its own key. Except for one, a key said to open them all." *Note: My writing style resembles screenwriting, so please judge it accordingly.* *Word Count: 20,000-25,000.*

It's 1896. Evelyn has been surviving, barely, in Hell's Kitchen when a letter arrives with an offer that feels too generous to refuse: a position at a remote estate deep in the Appalachians. With little to keep her, she accepts. The journey carries her beyond the last logging towns, into a stretch of forest where the road narrows and the world seems to fall away. No one travels that far without reason, and no one speaks of what lies past it. The house stands alone among the pines. Older than the railway. Older than the maps. And though no one warned her, Evelyn begins to understand... she was expected.

LONDON, 1848. Apprentice to the elusive portrait artist Henry Glass, Saskia van Asch spends her days in the studio sketching studies of vain aristocrats. Dreadfully boring, she might complain, but the monotony suits her just fine. And then the mysterious Lady Helen Blackwood commissions a portrait. Saskia takes an immediate dislike to the new sitter, with her evasiveness and quirky mannerisms, not to mention the odd hours she forces Saskia to keep. But the more time she spends with Lady Blackwood, mapping out all the details of her portrait and her life, the more her misgivings transform into a fascination that she finds hard to resist. But giving in to its pull might mean that she has everything to lose. Because Saskia is hiding a secret of her own. -- Main prompt: 117. You're a portrait artist for high-profile clients, but one night a pale, uneasy stranger arrives, asking for a painting. They haven't seen their own face in a century. Secondary prompt: 78. You begin to realise that nothing is quite what it seems.

Whether it's your first time or your seventh time, writing a novella in 12 weeks isn't easy. As a 2021 ONC Winner and two-time Honorable Mention (2023/2024), I totally understand. After years of participation and reflection, I have lots of advice to share on how I wrote a winning novella and look forward to writing every year. Inside this guide, you can find everything from insider tips to craft chats to contest commentary. So grab a cup, get your notebook, and settle in: it's time to start writing! Copyright © 2022 Elle Chaika

The Open Novella Contest is back for 2026! Join fellow storytellers and plant the seed of a tale that will blossom into a 20,000+ word novella within 12 weeks! Your epic quest begins February 1st, 2026, so mark your calendars with this date!