I wish I remembered how I discovered NYC Midnight, but I don’t. What I do know is that the first time I participated in this contest, it was exactly what I needed at the time. My boyfriend (now my husband) and I had just started doing long-distance, and this was a great opportunity to write and keep myself distracted.
The concept is pretty simple: write a short story utilizing the assigned genre, character, and key word given to you. Each round decreases in the time you have to write the story and how long it must be. In 2018, when I did this for the first time, I had a week to write a 2,500 word horror story involving a very tall woman and the concept of advice. The top five stories move on to the next round, and then the next round, until they finally select a winning story.
I had never written horror before, let alone read any horror, but I was up for the challenge! I immediately visited the library to check out a Stephen King short story collection, took notes, and started brainstorming. My story, “Your Heart in My Heart,” placed sixth out of twenty-five, giving me honorable mention.
This was the first moment I felt like there was concrete proof that I was a good writer. I had good ideas, I could make it work. It didn’t matter to me that I didn’t move onto the next round. Receiving honorable mention was enough to know that I had some talent.
In 2019, I received a first round honorable mention for my short rom-com story, “Who Wants to Be a Stepmother?” (requiring the involvement of crowdfunding and a stepmother), and in 2020, I finally hit success. My fantasy story “Miracles” (which you can read on my website!) placed third. I was finally moving onto the next round, which dropped to 3 days and 2000 words.
And to my surprise, “The Long Awaited Confessions of Lucinda June” placed in the top five, moving me to the third out of fourth rounds. Two days to write a 1500 story. This one I really struggled with. How exactly does one make “embarrassment” horrifying? It felt like there had to be a way, but I don’t think I found it. At least, not in this version.
I signed up again for 2021, and for the first time, the challenge felt like a challenge. I was not excited to write it (action/adventure story with a medalist and I can’t remember the last component). I didn’t place, and that’s okay. It didn’t feel as fun as it had in the past, so I decided not to sign up again the next year.
Ultimately, the NYC Midnight Short Story Contest was a great experience for me. It pushed me as a writer, and I loved building my repertoire of short stories. If short stories aren’t your deal, they offer a variety of contests, including screenplays and microfiction. I also really appreciate that the judges provide detailed feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of the piece! This is something that you have to pay for. For the short story contest, they do offer a lower price if you share on social media, but I’ve noticed the price has gone up in the last few years. It’s always something to keep in mind! If you need something to get you out of your comfort zone, NYC Midnight could be a good avenue for you.
