Opennovellacontest2025 Stories

"There's no denying it-either I'm hallucinating or Cole Winton is standing on my porch." Jamie is used to putting pen to paper. She's been doing it for years, and has a slew of novels to show for it. For the most part, she's left alone to write which is what she prefers. But this is the first time someone has knocked on her door, insisting they are one of her characters. This is the first time someone demands to know how she knows what she does, declaring it treason. Armed with only her pen, her notebook, and her cat, Inkwell, she finds out just how much of their own lives her characters have taken on outside of her novels. (ONC prompt 99) ONC 2025 Finalist (5th place)

Supervillain Ranvi De Witt is somehow not in prison yet, but her superhero nemesis is. When he asks her to consult on a murder-case that could free him, at first, she's thinking only of the money (well, at first, she laughs in his face, but after that, she's thinking only of the money). But when her dim-witted minion (and actual best friend) is brainwashed to act like a fairytale princess, she realises this murderer is targeting her as well as her nemesis. He's got a lot of power, even if he's literally butchering the fairytales he's forcing his victims to recreate. And he's supposed to be dead. 'Surrounded by Idiots' is a comic fantasy novella about morally grey areas and the power of stories: how some of them can cage you, while others can set you free. ONC prompts: 50. A supervillain has a midlife crisis and decides to become a superhero. But redemption might be harder than they imagined. 59. I am the pages of the past and the ink of the future. I course through the veins of many, though few truly notice me. I am what they search for in others, yet I cannot be bought. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end. Tell me your story, and perhaps I'll grant you the love others have failed to find.

** 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉. The young widow Rebecca must choose between her old love or the chance of a new beginning. ** "You're still here When I close my eyes I still see you I still feel you And we'll never be apart You're still here Still here in my heart" - Natasha Bedingfield - Rebecca and Aiden live a perfect love story - until a plane crash ends their happily ever after. Overwhelmed by grief and the loss of the love of her life, Rebecca reaches for her cell phone in a moment of despair and writes a message to Aiden's old number. To her great shock, she receives a reply with Aiden's typical vow of love: "Forever yours." Touched by the comforting messages, Rebecca soon clings to this mysterious connection to her deceased husband. It is only when she meets Ian, another mourner, at a grief therapy session that she slowly begins to open up to life again. But while Ian tries to help Rebecca escape her grief, his desperate attempts collide with the mysterious messages of a past that Rebecca simply can't - or won't - let go of. Will Rebecca find the courage to fall in love again, or will she remain trapped in her longing for Aiden and continue to cling to the messages from the afterlife? "𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑒 - 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠" 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑦 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑓, 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑐𝘩𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠. *** English Version of my WSC Story

LONGLISTED! ONC 2025 A sci-fi thriller with a thread of gay romance. Jiro wanted to be a pilot for as long as he could remember. Flying through the stars, what could be more thrilling? He worked hard for his dream, nothing was going to stop him, not even the debilitating illness which struck him down, just before his eighteenth birthday. He could push through and he did, eventually securing a job, piloting the shuttle from the terminal up to the space station. But then his illness returned and he lost the job. Swallowing the disappointment, he determined to try again. At least he had his twin brother Drew to support him while he recovered. Even if sometimes he thought Drew didn't understand him, he knew his brother loved him. Until...

When Darlene Hathaway is discharged from the hospital, the first thing she does is go to her dance studio. Sure, she might not be taking ballet classes anymore, but it's better than being alone. The first person she meets there is Hope McKaye, an up-and-coming comic book illustrator, the only student at her high school to graduate at sixteen...and Darlene's childhood best friend, whom she drifted away from in ninth grade. Hope's happy to see her again, and she's even willing to let her stay at her apartment for as long as she needs, despite Darlene's hesitance about letting her back into her life. But her entire life can't be made up of late night walks on the cold beach and following Hope around her various jobs. Darlene has to come to terms with why she's here--why she's freeloading off of someone who used to be so close to her instead of forging her own way in life---in order to move forward.

Selena wakes up in what feels like a dream-falling in love at first sight with a charming stranger at the bar. But the fantasy shatters when she starts her new job and finds out he's not just Adam, the man who stole her breath, but also her new boss. And worse-her target. As a special agent with no memory of her past, Selena, known only as Zulu of the Codes, has one mission: infiltrate Rockwood Industries and eliminate its young CEO if necessary. But with forbidden emotions clouding her judgment and the ghosts of her past closing in, she faces an impossible choice. One thing, however, has never changed-Code Zulu never fails. *** Entered into the ONC (Open Novella Contest) 2025 under the Prompt 27 *You're a spy assigned to infiltrate a mafia billionaire's life, but there's one big problem: you still suffer from amnesia from your last mission. How will you manage to complete your mission without blowing your cover?

The whole world including the Celestial universe has always been so calm, peaceful and harmonious. There was never a time of destruction that took place and that was all because of the Celestials. The Zodiac signs that always kept everything in check. Without them the whole world could turn dark, darker than any black hole. It was until Keilyn Nikisa; the soul guardian, Oracle, the Celestial cat, finds herself in deep trouble as all the Zodiac signs have disappeared from their usual posts. The Celestial goddess sends Keilyn on a huge mission, and that's to bring back the Zodiac signs before the Dark Lord himself takes over the whole universe. And the mission isn't easy as Keilyn thought it would be. It comes with great responsibility and a whole lot of chasing to do to catch 12 Zodiac signs. Will she be able to complete her mission? Will she be able to bring back the Zodiac signs? Read the story to find out.

ONC NOVELLA 2025 ROUND ONE QUALIFIER ROUND TWO QUALIFIER ****PROMPT:#126: "Because you're you, and I'm me, and we just don't fit" -Idea of You, Book by Robinne Lee***** Skylar O'Hara was a smart-mouthed and street-smart high school senior who believes that geeks and popular kids do not, and will never, mix well. And when it comes to Drake Andrews and Jorge Fernandez (the co-captains of the aquatics team and his godbrothers), he wants nothing to do with them whatsoever because they're representing everything that he despises about the jocks: their good looks, their ability to charm all the teachers, and how they manage to rule the school with little effort. Despite the nagging from his parents and teachers to be more like them, Skylar has one plan: survive senior year, graduate with high honors, and leave Dallas behind for good while becoming a well-respected fashion journalist. Funny how one accidental discovery of Drake and Jorge being the two most-beloved superheroes can throw off his plan completely. Oh, yeah, and they now want him to join their team as their sidekick, and their sudden interest in him Now, Skylar has a new plan that he has to follow: graduate high school, avoid being involved with anything superhero-related, and never fall in love with either Drake (Blue Crush) or Jorge (Green Tide) at all costs. But can he do all that with a vindictive cheerleader on his tail, deal with being an instant celebrity, and avoid any of the duo's advances? Or is he doomed to fall flat on his face on the runways that are called his senior year?

When international superstar, Laila, decides to ignore all warnings and fly to her next gig in a storm, she finds herself lost on a mysterious tropical island with no hope of rescue. With only her uncompromising pilot for company, both women must learn the secrets of the island in order to escape back to the modern world. Preferably without killing each other. As the mystery deepens, however, the two find common ground and learn that certain others may be trying to stop their escape. But why? A gag romance mystery for ONC, using Prompt 47: "A famous singer and their pilot crash land on a tropical island. With no-one else around, survival isn't their only challenge."

Ava was rude, then ended their friendship the night before the aliens came. Chloe Diaz and Ava Greenfield have been best friends since they were 4 and in preschool. Suddenly, she doesn't want to be friends, and now aliens want to enter a treaty with Earth, something Ava would love to talk about! What happened?

Shapeshifting cats, magic tea shop, and a hot neighbor who hates all of the above. ~~~ Tabitha is becoming a cliche of a single woman since she's always surrounded by cats. She volunteers at the shelter, fosters kittens, and has a soft spot for the neighborhood strays, even if it scares off her hot neighbor, who only likes dogs. Curious about a new tuxedo who's been visiting her porch, Tabitha follows her to a mysterious tea shop where her life takes an unexpected turn. The tuxedo is not a cat at all but a teenage witch whose careless magic turns Tabitha into a cat as well. If they don't figure out how to break the curse, they'll both be stuck in feline bodies forever. The problem is, they need the help of a human. Tabitha has helped cats her whole life. Will anyone help her? ~~~ Written for ONC 2025, using prompts 5, 7, and 15.

Elenore was supposed to be dead. Even now, years later, it's as though her body and mind remember this fact. With each passing winter she felt her debt grow heavier, the truth of her existence scorched into her mind. Her life was an exchange. A desperate plea from her mother, bound in blood to a mysterious deity that haunts the windswept moors. She would be born a healthy, living child... Yet at the age of twenty-four she would be swept up into its world as its bride. Her soul forever bound to it. Her heart filled with a treacherous longing. Each night it haunts her dreams and by day her eyes are plagued by visions of a world filled with dead things and a kingdom that crumbles under ground. ............ Iris would do anything for her daughter. Kill for her even, if she had to. She never intended for it-- for him-- to ruin it all. One stupid mistake, one moment of desperation had damned them all. She had only wanted to keep Elenore safe. To keep the last remaining piece of her husband alive within her. The price for this was heavy. Too heavy. And with Elenore's twenty fourth birthday quickly approaching, Iris wonders how far she may need to go to keep her daughter safe. Written for ONC 2025 Prompts: 1. You stumble on a mysterious door made entirely of brambles and thorns. As you step through, you're granted extraordinary powers. But with great power comes great responsibility-- it's now your duty to save the crumbling kingdom. 13. When you challenge a magical being, the rules are simple: you must finish what you started, no matter the cost.

K-pop idol Minjae and eccentric home chef Hana meet at a cooking competition, sparking a simmering rivalry that turns into a recipe for romance - and potential disaster for Minjae's career. ___ As the golden voice of the K-pop group Starlight, Minjae has the world at his feet - adoring fans, sold-out concerts, and a life most people only dream of. But behind the glamour, he craves something more: a chance to be himself; to show off his passion for cooking. But the pressure to conform to his family's wishes and continue as an idol means pushing that aside. When the chance to show his passion literally smacks him in the face, Minjae, under an alias, finds himself in uncharted territory, swapping the familiar stage lights for the stovetops of a prestigious culinary competition. When a quirky, fiercely talented Hana turns a friendly rivalry into an unexpected connection, Minjae finds himself drawn to her passion and ability to be true to herself - qualities he has long lost. Worse, as the heat of the competition ramps up, Minjae's schedule becomes difficult to keep up with, and he must decide whether his love for cooking is enough to shatter his status as an idol. Can Minjae handle this newfound connection while juggling both the cooking competition and his duties as an idol, or will he fall under the pressure of it all? ____ Prompts: 31 and 36 Watpad word count: 16,454 ONLY AVAILABLE ON WATTPAD

In 2081, Mia has survived two attempts on her life-and learned she's far cooler than her best friend, Nate. But surviving a mad scientist after the proprietary tech inside her body is nothing compared to becoming the most wanted fugitive, with a bounty on her head. The surface is still off-limits, humanity lives underground, and CodeTech controls their every move-without their knowledge or consent. Scientists are scrambling to recreate Dr. Amour's rumoured, lost technology-tech that promised to improve their quality of life-but the government would rather see it destroyed. Mia knows the truth: life in the bunkers is no life at all. Her mission is clear-destroy CodeTech and free humanity from absolute control, as Grandpa intended her to do. To do that, she must trust that snarky voice in her head that isn't hers, fight like her life depends on it, and elude the mad scientist still hunting her. But to reach CodeTech's heart-the Hive-she must infiltrate the very government hunting her, and navigate every danger standing in her way. Easy-peasy, right? *** This is the long-awaited sequel to my 2021 Watty winning Sci-Fi, THE GOD CODEX. The story will continue from where the last book ended. Prompt 79 (modified): Instead of robotic rulers, this story has humans, high on power, and the lengths they'll go to control the population. All rights reserved, Eva Acharya 2025.

THE DISSONANCE OF FORMS - That every alchemical change creates a resonance between what has been and what is to be. And in that space between, anything is possible. Vael has spent her life fighting for a place among the elite alchemists of the Society. Branded a thief and a criminal, it was a losing battle-until she stumbles upon a rare magical ingredient and brews a potion unlike anything the world had seen. But then the side effects start. Strange symptoms are spreading across the city. Someone is selling dangerous counterfeits of her potion. And if the Society of Magic traces it back to her, Vael can kiss her dreams-and possibly her freedom-goodbye. To fix things, Vael is stuck working with the one person more explosive than the potions she brews: a disgraced, trigger-happy sorcerer with a penchant for chaos. Their mission? Find the shady merchant behind the counterfeits before the Society finds them. But magic is unpredictable, and Vael needs to learn to master it if she's got any chance of fixing this mess. And as the web tightens around her, Vael realizes something far more dangerous is unfolding-something that could shatter the very fabric of magic itself.

|Round 2 Winner| |Round 3 Ambassador Pick| |Shortlist| Rhiannon "Banjo" Hart is a professional thief working her last ever job. The Hawk has promised a massive payout if she can steal data from Concorda International and Banjo needs the money to help her Mum get hospital treatment, but she is not sure The Hawk will stick to the adage of "honour amongst thieves". In her escape, she meets an android that adds complication after complication to her already complex life. Banjo needs to outrun the authorities, Concorda's security and The Hawk.

× ONC Round 2 Ambassador Pick × Dorothea thought she had her life under control. Sure, she's not super rich and successful, and she doesn't have a gorgeous, loving partner by her side, but she's a barista in a local coffee shop who swore off of relationships, so she doesn't expect anything better. That is, until one short encounter at work flips her world upside down. Sofia Amaro has been Thea's number one weak spot since their high school days, but whatever they had ended five years ago. She left the town, and Thea moved on-or so she thought. When Sofia suddenly returns because of a work project, and a friendly round of drinks turns into a lot more than either of them had in mind, Thea is conflicted. She's a different person now. But Sofia is too, and she's not the same girl who strung her on for over a year. So when she tells Thea she wants to be more than friends now, Thea has to decide whether she's willing to take the risk once again. Perhaps some mistakes need to be made twice. ~ ❤️‍🩹 ~ Entry written for Open Novella Contest 2025 Prompts: 120, 121, 18 Genre(s): NA Literary/General Fiction PUBLISHED: 2/20/2025 COMPLETED: TBA

Prompt 75. You've worn a mysterious ring since childhood, but one day it opens to reveal a tiny creature telling you it's been trapped inside all along and more secrets are on the way. Greta Shrub is about to turn fourteen years of age, but growing up in the home of her heartless Aunt, Mrs Vivora Grogan has not been easy. Enduring loneliness and cruelty, at the hands of her Aunt and her three spoilt cousins, Greta Shrub's stark and unfortunate childhood only acts to strengthen her resolve and her natural independence of spirit. These qualities of character prove especially essential when an unexpected and previously unknown visitor arrives at her door. But what does her sinister Uncle Ulric know about Greta's past and future? And what is his interest in the mysterious Garnet Ring that Greta has worn about her neck since childhood? And what is the Garnet Ring's relationship to the magical but mystifying occurrences that have become a feature of Greta's lonely life? Do these curious incidents have any connection to a high-school named Snapdragon's Academy, that Greta has heard whispers about? Could this society be the key to her escape from her ruthless relations who wish to use Greta's new supernatural powers in their unscrupulous schemes?

Dom is a worldly man who has managed to carve out a path for himself despite his humble origins: He has traveled throughout the Duchy, studied under the tutelage of monks at one of the finest monasteries, and has also served as a soldier in the Great Alliance War. This résumé should be impressive, were it not for the fact that he hung up his habit as soon as he had the chance, deserted the battlefield, and now wanders from town to town like a fugitive from justice. But, in any case, what are these but irrelevant details? On this occasion, the road has brought him to San Cipriano dei Monti, a small village over which rumors hang about a monster: a vampire of uncertain origin who has been threatening for months to drink the blood of innocent children. Of course, Dom doesn't believe in such nonsense. But when he learns that the local count is offering a substantial reward for capturing and killing the vampire, he does not hesitate to join the hunt. After all, how hard could it be to capture a beast that doesn't exist?

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝. When Rowan returns to his uncle's estate, he expects nothing more than a tense reunion-until his silver ring, a childhood gift, starts whispering. Inside is Aria, his long-lost friend who vanished the same day he received the ring. Trapped by an ancient enchantment, she has been hidden from the world-and from Rowan-all these years. Now, as the magic sealing her away unravels, dangerous forces begin to take notice. To free Aria, Rowan must uncover the truth behind her imprisonment and the secrets his uncle has kept buried. A cozy, whimsical mystery with a touch of enchantment. Entered into the Open Novella Contest 2025 | ✔ @OpenNovellaContest - Rules & Guidelines: https://www.wattpad.com/story/387452246 **Prompts** 105: Your childhood imaginary friend, who disappeared years ago, suddenly returns--only this time, they're real. 75: You've worn a mysterious ring since childhood, but one day it opens to reveal a tiny creature telling you it's been trapped inside all along and more secrets are on the way. ©2025 E. S. Elias All Rights Reserved. Book Created & Published to Wattpad: 02.01.2025 Book Marked as Completed: 00.00.2025 Cover: Me @DesignsbyEH I used Canva.com | Cover is temporary and subject to several changes. Word Count: 3,714 / 20,000 Goals: Round 1 ✔ | 2,000 words ✔ Round 2 _ | 8,000 words _ Round 3 _ | 20,000 words _ LONGLIST _ | SHORTLIST _ Honorable Mention _ | Round Winner? _ | Ambassadors' Pick? _ Rankings: