WRITE TRACK

Redraft to improve your craft

The first draft is only ever the beginning; redrafting is where the real craft test comes in. This free competition supports new writers’ confidence by addressing the basic concepts, building a strong foundation, and encouraging the (sometimes daunting) redraft process.

This competition is free to enter and open to fiction writers of all ages worldwide. Registration is not required; feedback is included. One entry per person per challenge. Submissions are limited to 15 entries per challenge.

The Basics

Writers are invited to participate in up to three monthly challenges per rotation. Each challenge includes a different key concept—usually covered by our free Back to Basics courses—and writers have one month to craft and submit their entry. All entries receive feedback in the following month, plus personalized tips to support the redraft process.

These three challenges culminate in our biannual Redraft Challenge, where we invite writers to submit one redrafted entry from any of the three prior challenges in that rotation. Writers must have submitted to at least one of the prior challenges to be eligible for the Redraft Challenge. All entries will receive additional feedback and we will announce our Judges’ Choice: the single submission that has most clearly engaged with the redraft process as a whole.

Then, much like redrafting, we start the whole process all over again with a new rotation!

Join us for chats!

Additional support is provided through Discord. We host a friendly drop-in in the #write-track channel twice monthly for questions and discussion. Judges also host a “Monthly Review” where we chat about the common strengths and goofs observed in the entries.

January Challenge:

Flawed Protagonist

Core Concept: character development

For this challenge, create a protagonist whose flaw makes or breaks a crucial moment.

up to 4,000 words

Deadline: January 31

Find submission info and links below the rules

Check out our free Back to Basics course on Flawed Characters for support. You can also drop by our Discord #write-track channel to chat with other entrants and clarify questions with the judges. Just remember to keep identifiable details of your entry private!

Check back soon

Once posts are published, you’ll see them here.

General Rules

All entries must be in English and original works of fiction.
One entry per person per challenge.
The competition runs on UTC time, beginning and ending at midnight.
Keep identifiable details of your entry private until the end of the competition rotation (six months).
The judges' decisions are final.
The judges will contact everyone who includes the full Title Information listed below.
The judges will only accept up to 15 pieces for each of the first three challenges.
Feedback will be available in your feedback folder in the month following your submission.

The Writer's Workout is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit run by volunteers.

We provide accessible, free creative writing education through competitions, workshops, and publication opportunities. Check our donations page to learn more about how The Writer's Workout strengthens the global writing community.

Donate

New WW Writers: folder links will be delivered to new entrants when the challenge closes.
Existing WW Writers: a new doc will be added to your existing folder when the challenge closes.

The Redraft Challenge is only open to writers who submitted to any of the first three challenges. Find the private submission link in your feedback doc.
Challenge winners will be honored with their bio and judges' favorite snippet on our blog. The Redraft Challenge winning entry will be published as received.

The following are not accepted:

Simultaneous submissions
Previously published works
AI-generated content
Fanfiction, erotica, religious, or political content
Pieces longer than the word count limit
Pieces submitted outside the competition month or after the limit is exceeded
Pieces submitted in .pdf or by email
Pieces without the full, correct Title Information (below) will be rejected unread.

Submissions

Up to 4,000 words

Keep formatting professional. You can find recommended settings on the submissions page.

Entries must include this Title Information in this order at the top of the document body, aligned left:

Name or Pseudonym, email

Entry Title

Write Track Challenge [#]

Word Count

You'll be asked to add your bio to your submission on Duosuma.

Accepted file types: .doc, .docx, .odt

Duosuma

Rights

Your submission grants The Writer's Workout (WW) exclusive electronic rights for up to 180 days, expiring with the Redraft Challenge winner announcement. WW reserves non-exclusive rights to digitally publish winning entries indefinitely. Winning pieces will be published as received.

The Writer's Workout is run by volunteers;

we thrive with your support!

Judges

Dan Lu

Dan is an undergraduate studying Comparative Literature and Media Studies. She primarily writes poetry, but is dipping her toes in short fiction and video game narratives. Their favourite genres to read and write are diaspora/postcolonial fiction and magical realism, especially when combined. She is hoping to survive the school year and maybe, just maybe, produce some decent work on top of that.

Michael Parker, Jr.
Michael is the typical workaholic who always has to be doing something! When he's not busy losing hair over work, you can find him catching up on his backlog of fantasy novels he's reading ever so slowly. When he's not reading, Michael writes stories in the dead of night like the owl he is. He is glad to be part of a community of writers supporting writers.

C.A. Raine

C.A. Raine (she/her) is an aspiring fiction writer living in the United Kingdom. When not immersed in her own imaginary worlds, she can be found wrestling with a variety of competition prompts or indulging in creating fanfic with her multitude of OTPs. She especially loves reading and writing in the Young Adult and New Adult genres.
Her archive of completed competition entries can be found here [caraine.co.uk].

Mckensi White

Mckensi is a recent graduate from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s in English. She is currently earning her Master’s in Creative Writing at Mississippi University for Women. She aspires to become a full-time writer, specializing in fiction and poetry. In her free time, she is slowly writing her first novel, reading thriller and horror novels, and spoiling her Toy Poodle, Ginger.