After over a year of absence, the Chiaroscuro Writing Contest finally returns, this time sleeker and more efficient. The competition will consist of a single round, and everyone (including previous participants) is allowed and encouraged to enter. The general rules are as follows:

1. Entries are due on Wednesday, August 19th. No late entries will be accepted, but you can enter at any time before the deadline.
2. Entries must be exclusively yours. No collaboration is allowed.
3. Your success in the contest is determined solely by the judging. The amount of diamonds or favorites on your submission will not count toward your chance of winning.
4. This round requires the submission of a short story of 500-5,000 words in prose. Please leave a word count somewhere on your submission.
5. Only the text of your story will be judged. Any visuals you use will not be judged, though they will be appreciated.
6. All submissions must be linked in a comment on this forum post before the deadline.

The challenge for this round is called “Augmented Reality.” One of the great joys of playing role-playing games is that they allow you to leave behind your stressors and worries and step into the shoes of a new life and world. With this freedom, you are able to have fun and do many things that you wouldn’t be able to do normally. But…what if you couldn’t?

For this challenge, tell the story about a person or group of people who play a role-playing game. However, they come to realize that their crazy actions in-game lead to unexpected consequences in real life.


The writers participating in this contest are as follows:


This contest will judged by me alone. The breakdown of judging criteria is as follows:

Originality – Make your stories new and interesting. I want to see you think outside the box, present plots in unexpected ways, write something I’ve not read before.

Quality – Write well and present clearly. Proofread your entries.

Cohesion – Organize your thoughts and finish your stories. Make sure that your story is a complete package as-is, without the need for “Part 2” or other accessories.

Let me know if you would like my in-depth feedback of your work and I will PM my thoughts to you. However, keep in mind that my writing is not perfect and I judge from my perspective as a reader and writer.


Depending on the number of entries, there will either be a trophy for first place and an honorable mention, or trophies for first, second, and third places with an honorable mention.

Good luck writers!