Weekly Wattpad Contests

Contest #38 Results

I super duper apologise for the late results and contest! But also, to make up for it, I'm going to share with you my most embarrassing picture from graduation. It's titled 'Moment Before Regret'.

Honourable Mention: Opening New Doors by Living-The-Upgrade

Conceptually – intriguing. An unusual take for the prompt. It doesn't really hit the marks for the contest judgement criteria, but sometimes, as this story teaches us, it's necessary to break some of the rules.

Third Place: A Fight to the Death by BunkBedsAreCool

While a lot of the entries this week were highly dramatic and exceptionally written, this one stands out just a hint higher with some superb subtlety. The motifs of light, time and facing the villains are laid intricately in a way that makes it seem like a rite of passage – a journey every hero must undergo.

Furthermore, the conflict is wholly internal, and externalised only through representation with the villain in this story. Reading this story, it's like the main character has already decided to jump headfirst into a cold swimming pool, and is now just standing on the edge, looking around at the world and coming to terms with the fact that they might regret it.

This one is on the list because of that: the conflict isn't the important part of the story. The conflict is somewhere else, between the lines, and it's written so well into the story.

Second Place: Tick Tock Tick Tick Tock Tick by tanellia

This one was highly strange, and an interesting concept. A major criterion for the contest this week was conflict and consequences, and this timepiece reflects the link between those two. While we don't always necessarily say that 'conflict' or 'struggle' is a theme, or even the same thing, for this one we can.

The story underlays that there is a fundamental dysfunction in the lives of all the characters involved, and the use of the 'ticking time bomb' is a perfect call to action. Given as well that time is limited, the actions are rash, not well thought through, and have unexpected consequences.

This one is on the list for the use of great writing techniques and a fun concept.

First Place: A Hero's Journey by ThatAnimalFreak

As I mentioned earlier, there seems to be a rite of passage, a journey that every hero must undergo. This story is that, and so much more.

The Hero's Journey is a set of narrative pieces that characterise transformation of values and learning. But we need to be cognizant, reasonable, and analytical adults to truly appreciate it.

This story says, 'Hey, kids are kids and we don't care. Let's just have fun.' While reading the piece, I kept on thinking how this sounds like a child play-acting, and I was delighted that that was the case.

The conflict here is juvenile. While I said that consequence is linked to conflict, this story says that kids are innocent, and they can live without consequence for a little while longer. The nature of the conflict is childish – who gets to win the game – and overall, it's heartwarming.

I certainly recommend reading it, because it's fun and light.