Opennovellacontest Stories

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!

Ever since Death got trapped in the mortal realm three years ago, nonstop famines, wars, and plagues have ravaged Earth. Shiori, a budding scientist with a love of snakes and a loathing for small talk, doesn't really care. She can deal with the constant pandemics, bombs, and spider/iguana/fruit fly/crocodile plagues, so long as it doesn't involve socializing with strangers -- the thing she hates most in the world. Too bad her new roommate is hot, suave, and super chatty. Even worse, he seems to have decided Shiori is the only one with the power to send Death back to the underworld -- and he'll stop at nothing to make it happen! **First place in The Punk Rock Awards 2022, Paranormal*** **Grand Winner of The Punk Rock Awards 2022**

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 empire of Aquila has taken over half of the isle of Prydain, and the young siren Veriel finds himself born in the pool of the conqueror's newly-constructed villa. After the other sirens die, leaving him alone and voiceless, Veri's sole comfort comes from the dream of a human girl who sings to him. Then one day, Veriel surfaces to see that his dream, the sunshine of his heart, is real, standing within his reach. And she's engaged to another. But he's tired living as a prisoner, and he can't let this rare bit of warmth escape without fighting for it. Veriel may not have a voice or song, but that won't stop him from trying to win her heart.

Whether you're a seasoned storyteller or a first-time writer, our ONC Writing Tips are here to guide you on your journey. Prepare for the ONC with expert advice and inspiration - your legendary story starts here!

When a grandmother is declared the Chosen One, she abandons her rocking chair to challenge the Dark Lord who plots to destroy the world. -- Formerly a single mother, now a devoted grandma, Granny Thayer has never left her hometown before, let alone slayed a demon. But she'd better learn fast; she's just been selected as the Chosen One, the only hero who can defeat the nefarious Dark Lord of Devnia and avert a zombie apocalypse. Accompanied by a devastatingly handsome prince, a failed bard, and a werewolf with a dangerous secret, Granny Thayer embarks on a quest full of intrigue and love triangles to save her grandson. This is a collaboration for ONC 2022/2023, written by SophieKestrel and Spelunkadunk. Prompt: "It's always what/who you least expected that blows your mind away."

Four strangers are trapped in an elevator and forced to reveal details about their most malicious deeds within the hour to prevent a fall to their death. But as secrets are exposed, tension escalates, leading to a reality no one is prepared for. ***** Tasha Pierce receives an anonymous invitation she believes is from her ex-boyfriend hoping to see her in the high-rise building where he resides. But upon ascending in the elevator with three strangers, one of them hits the emergency stop and demands they share details of their most malicious deed within the hour to prevent falling several stories to their death. As secrets are revealed and the hour closes in, who the people are and why they are trapped in a precarious elevator together soon becomes the least of her worries. ***** ONC Prompt 56: You are on a typical awkward elevator ride with a group of other people, and suddenly someone says, "So, I bet you are wondering why I've gathered you here," before hitting the emergency button. ***** | ONC 2023 Round 1 Ambassadors Pick | Copyright©2023 by L.L. Sanders

A cunning Pirate's long-lost treasure. A three hundred-year-old curse. A wicked taste of rum. ------ When dangerous paranormal activity threatens her life, teen psychic, Lizzy Summers, decides to quit her job with Boston's Chills N' Thrills Ghost Tour franchise. She starts a new life in the Bay Area with her boyfriend, Dylan Grant, working for an eccentric bar owner. After moving into her dream apartment in Boston's eclectic Fort Point neighborhood, Lizzie soon discovers a young man who lived in the waterfront premises has been murdered. The renovated loft is not only haunted; it holds a deadly secret. Not everything's as it seems as the mayor starts buying up surrounding real estate and bodies begin piling up. Lizzie and her friends must solve the murder and the mystery of Blackbeard's treasure, using an antique bell from her grandmother's attic, before they become the next victims. --- ONC2023 Prompt 30: You purchase a new home and during renovations discover a human skeleton buried within your walls. Prompt 75: You have a family heirloom, it's been passed way long before anyone can remember. You inherited this object and discover its secret. This secret will twist your life and change it forever. [Rated PG13 for language, intimacy.]

As per tradition, a journal for this ONC.

Three women. Three tangled lives orbiting Mars aboard the Phobos Transit Space Station. Val loses her station operation engineer job under false pretenses, Exo-biologist Cassy is blackballed for doing the right thing, and ex-marine Kate suffers a broken heart. Fortunately, Mavis, the owner of the Starlight Tavern and rescuer of lost souls, is there to help, recruiting the women into her Quilters Guild. But when hostile forces invade the station, the stakes become far greater, and the Guild finds themselves embroiled in a multi-world conspiracy. And they are not about to just stand by and let it happen. Redemption comes stitch by stitch. *** Open Novella Contest Round Two Ambassador Pick *** *** Open Novella Contest Winner - Third Place ***

When Elliot and his kid sister go hiking together, he's expecting typical problems like blisters and rain. He's not expecting the deluge of fantastical problems that await him on the second day of his hike. And he's not happy about it.

Jessi Albright needs a vacation. With few clients for her life makeover business, it's hard to justify getting away, even for a weekend. But when she finally gets away to a much-needed retreat in Saltport, her vacation is undermined by a misplaced credit card. Desperate for some cash, she makes an emergency stop at the local ATM. It was supposed to be a short detour, five minutes max. She got far more than she swiped her bank card for. Prince Tewen, a merman, kidnaps her and the $70 million dollars the ATM mysteriously gave her. The only way out is for Jessi to transform the prince into a human in twenty-four hours and get him into a gala in thirty-six. Even if such a makeover is feasible, it's certain to cost a fortune, a $70 million dollar fortune. From yachts to New York to sea urchin extract, this part-comedy part-absurd tail is sure to make you question your life choices as much as Jessi. #ONC2023 74. You have an ATM that gives you the exact amount of money you need to survive for the day. How you spend it is your choice. Today you are given $70,000,000. ONC 2023 Shortlister Open Door Awards 2024 - Best Blurb The NaNo Watt 2024 - Novella Grand Winner ONC Milestone Road Map: Chapter One: 2,321 words (2k) Chapter Four: 9,184 (8k) Chapter Nine: 20,241 (20k) Word Count: 25,310

Tristram Wald likes to spend his days daydreaming about all of the magical things that he wishes would transpire in his lowly, humble and mundane existence. As an orphan, he was taken in by his Uncle Giacomo and forced to endure hardship and cruelty, and is eventually put to work in his Uncle's celebrated shoemakers shop. But now Tristram Wald is eighteen years and he has big ideas of his own Tristram wants his own success and fortune. A chance encounter with the beautiful Princess Oriana Aureum cements the idea of escape from his humble beginnings in Tristram's mind. Desperate for riches, so that he will be eligible to marry the princess, Tristram allows himself to be coerced by a mysterious Goblin named Grimalkin who claims he can weave straw into gold. But Tristram will soon find out that putting his trust in a renowned trickster can have sinister consequences. The Gold Weaver of Goblin Wood is a dark fairy-tale, horror.

Violet's life is chaos. When she's not dealing with the chaos at home, she's dealing with the chaos of being bullied at Gotham Academy. More importantly, she wants to disappear so nobody - particularly her crush Dick Grayson - wouldn't notice her. When she is finally able to, she finds her life turned completely upside down. Disclaimer - I don't own The Incredibles, Teen Titans or Young Justice. This story is written for Open Novella 2020. The prompt I choose was number ten, or "the new kid is bullied relentlessly until they discover they actually have a quite unique and unexpected talent". Story is also a spin off of my Beyond the Night fanfic series.

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."

Every year since the second Open Novella I've kept a writing journal and this is the one for this year.

Arturo Banderas is a cadejo on the run. Framed for crimes he didn't commit, he has to escape his home for the human world, but in order to hide, he'll need to learn their culture, not just their physical form. Doctora Lidia Gutierrez wants to be the first person to understand the culture of the mysterious cadejos. No one has ever found them in the daylight, and those who survived their encounters at night weren't sober enough to explain anything. At least, none who were willing to talk to Lidia. When Arturo discovers Lidia's research he proposes a trade. If she'll teach him how to blend in, he'll tell her everything he knows about the cadejos. And it works just fine until a monster in the forest pushes them closer together. Working together is the only choice they have, but every moment spent together makes it harder to imagine a time when they'll be forced apart. And they will be, unless there's a way to stop the past from catching up with them. ~ * ~ * ~ This is one of the novellas I'm writing for ONC 2023. You can find the rest on my profile! For this story, I've selected prompt #52. "There is someone you dream about every night, but you never imagine meeting them in real life."

ONC ROUND 2 QUALIFIER ADDED TO WATTPAD CHICKLIT'S READING LIST. It's rather ironic that Angel is a con artist, considering her name. Then again, she always insists that she is a con scientist, not artist, because of the precise science that goes into her every calculated move. A determined con artist. An impossible task to con the country's richest man. Luckily for Angel, she has a unique ability no one else has, and maybe, just maybe, she can win the richest man over with it. Credits to @AlmostSamy for the amazing cover! ***READ THIS FIRST*** Not your usual billionaire story, this one focuses more on coping with sadness and learning to love yourself. (Open Novella Contest 2020)

Running from an arranged marriage, Elaria wants nothing more than a life of her choosing. On the night of her escape she finds she's not the only one making a run for it. -- The two countries of Coastalis and Mossvale have an agreement since their founding to arrange marriage and keep the friendship held for ten thousand years intact. However, when Elaria is faced with this head on, she realizes her life has been lead into complacency, and she's had enough. Ready to finally live her life on her own terms, Elaria ties her sheets into a rope and scales down the wall of her own palace to escape. But she's not the only one. Erik, who has his own struggles, is desperate to return to Mossvale to reunite with the love he left behind. Together they forge an unlikely pairing as they traverse both love and fate. However, fate has much more in store than either of them expect. -- An ONC Novella Prompt #88 Your father is forcing you to marry someone you have never met. The night before your wedding, you tie your sheets together and make your escape through the window. Halfway down you make eye contact with someone doing the exact same thing a few windows over.

Lucia Jennings never believed in reincarnation; until she choked on spicy noodles and woke up as Lin Xi, the tragic heiress from the drama "Whispers of the Heiress". The problem? She hated the show and never finished it. Armed with her corporate experience and an unhealthy number of short drama binge sessions, Lin Xi refuses to follow the script. Everything is going perfectly-until the supposed "real heiress," Bai Lian, waltzes in with a paternity test, claiming Lin Xi's life as her own. Lin Xi worked too hard to let some imposter take everything away. If Bai Lian wants a fight, then she just walked into the wrong drama. ~ Brace yourselves; it's a fast ride. ~~~~~~~ This short story is based on Prompt #48 of the ONC 2025. 48: A fake paternity test threatens to tear apart the family you've built, as an imposter seeks to claim your rightful place as heir. ~~~~ Cover by maskedinthelight (myself)