Topic, Common Themes, and Winners of the Fall 2010 24-Hour Short Story Contest!



So, sit back, relax, and take a break from your busy day to indulge in the sights and smells of a brisk Fall evening…




take that story…

Here are our notes about common themes that emerged from the last

* The vast majority of stories were about a mother cooking up tempting treats designed to tempt/kidnap a neighborhood child.

* Many stories featured treats that would later be sold/displayed at a fair/festival.

* We received many Hansel and Gretel stories.

* Lots of moms in the stories were making oatmeal raisin cookies.

* Lots of dead fathers and many of them died in fires.

* Many stories included cabins getting burned.

* Most of the mothers in the stories were witches.

* We received a few stories about orphan trains.

* Several stories featured children who were homeschooled.


* Also despite the rule specifying otherwise, we always get several stories where the main character is a writer or a journalist of some sort.

* We always gets one or two stories about a writer who is suffering while participating in a short story contest.






* Well-known fairy tale or cartoon characters are featured in the story.


Links to the winning stories appear here:

The Winter, 2011 contest will be held in January.

