Once Upon A Time: the Dark Fairy Tales Challenge

[caleb35]

Iron teeth immediately put me in mind of the tale of Prince Ivan and the Witch Baby, which gave me nightmares when I was a kid.

My story will be published tomorrow. Literotica changed the short description I'd submitted it under -- admittedly, I didn't have much of a short description, so don't suppose I blame them much for that. They also capitalized the title "with iron teeth," but oh well not worth raising a fuss about. I submitted it with the story tags and note to admin required for entering it in the challenge, so do let me know if some reason it doesn't show up or isn't eligible.

 

[intothebrothel]

Once upon a time, there was Pandemonium...

And once upon a time, there was a Fairy Tales writing exercise...

Now this summer, get ready for the Dark Fairy Tales 2025 challenge!

Close the door and huddle down in front of the fire, and tell us your tales of princesses, witches, ogres, bold farm lads, magical mirrors, giant beanstalks and pussy in boots. Will the princess escape from the giant's clutches, or will she decide that bigger is better? Is the witch a GILF with a magic broomstick? When the big bad wolf huffs and puffs, what will he blow? Will the goose lay golden eggs, or... Actually, no, I can't think of a way to make this one sexy. But I'm sure someone here can.

Stories submitted and published: 1-25 September 2025
Anthology posted: 30 September 2025
And they lived happily ever after...

Rules & Guidelines​

1. Stay more or less on theme: dark, erotic, disturbing, traditional or modern - above all, try to capture the spirit of the fairy tale.
2. You can write in any category and any length, as long as you keep in mind Rule #1
3. Please include "Dark Fairy Tales 2025" in the Notes to Admin field. Please use this exact wording so Laurel can identify the entries. If you don't put this phrase in the Notes to Admin field, your story will not be included in the event. We recommend you copy and paste it!
4. Please use "Dark Fairy Tales" and "Dark Fairy Tales 2025" as story tags.
5. Specifically for classic fairy tales: remember the 18+ rule! Essentially: if you're retelling a classic fairy tale, remember the characters' age. If they're considered mature in the commonly accepted version (the tale ends with the hero and heroine marrying, for instance), that's pretty much safe. If the tale hinges on the characters being children (being abandoned in the forest by their parents, etc.), don't age them up, just try and think of something else. Err on the side of "Let's not bother Laurel with this".

How do I know the story I submitted with the tag has been included in the challenge? Will I get a confirmation email?

 

[StillStunned]

How do I know the story I submitted with the tag has been included in the challenge? Will I get a confirmation email?

No confirmation email. If you used the tag, it will show up on the tag page after a day or so. If you're referring to "They Come At Night", it's already been added.

If you included "dark fairy tales 2025" in the Notes to the Admin, your story should* appear on the anthology list that will be published at the end of the month.

* I say "should" because sometimes it goes wrong. One of my stories never made it into a contest, for instance.

 

[intothebrothel]

No confirmation email. If you used the tag, it will show up on the tag page after a day or so. If you're referring to "They Come At Night", it's already been added.

If you included "dark fairy tales 2025" in the Notes to the Admin, your story should* appear on the anthology list that will be published at the end of the month.

* I say "should" because sometimes it goes wrong. One of my stories never made it into a contest, for instance.

Thanks very much. This is my first time submitting a story for an event like this. Cheers.

 

[mrs_mackenzie]

Ashie and the Storm Wyrm has been published today. I'm not sure it's as 'dark' as some others in the contest as it has a happy ending.

As always, I enjoyed writing for this one.

 

[Jorunn]

Mine will have a happy ending too. But hopefully the dark forest will cover for it.

 

[caleb35]

Ashie and the Storm Wyrm has been published today. I'm not sure it's as 'dark' as some others in the contest as it has a happy ending.

As always, I enjoyed writing for this one.

No worries -- my entry is probably too dark so they'll balance each other out

 

[EmilyMiller]

How do I know the story I submitted with the tag has been included in the challenge? Will I get a confirmation email?

They Come At Night is on this list:

https://tags.literotica.com/dark fairy tales 2025/?sort_by=views

 

[caleb35]

Question (and apologies in advance if the question is out of bounds at all) -- are there any restrictions on posting a story, that's been submitted to the challenge, to another website? I wasn't sure if there are no restrictions, if we're asked not to cross-post anywhere else for a limited set of time, or if the entire idea is verboten. Thanks.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Question (and apologies in advance if the question is out of bounds at all) -- are there any restrictions on posting a story, that's been submitted to the challenge, to another website? I wasn't sure if there are no restrictions, if we're asked not to cross-post anywhere else for a limited set of time, or if the entire idea is verboten. Thanks.

As far as I know (and others please chime in) there are no such restrictions here.

 

[StillStunned]

Question (and apologies in advance if the question is out of bounds at all) -- are there any restrictions on posting a story, that's been submitted to the challenge, to another website? I wasn't sure if there are no restrictions, if we're asked not to cross-post anywhere else for a limited set of time, or if the entire idea is verboten. Thanks.

Not that I've ever heard of. Lit has an overall rule that the site has a non-exclusive right to publish stories that you submit here, which means you're free to publish them elsewhere too.

 

[SaintValyssa]

It's done... It's over!

Frodo.gif

I just submitted my second entry. The Witch and the Dragon clocked in at 29,424 words.

Here's hoping it is approved in time.

Holy crap. I am never doing anything this long again.

 

[StillStunned]

It's done... It's over!

Frodo.gif

I just submitted my second entry. The Witch and the Dragon clocked in at 29,424 words.

Here's hoping it is approved in time.

Holy crap. I am never doing anything this long again.

That's great, congratulations!

I also want to say that I'm extremely proud of how many writers have stepped up to this challenge. There are 31 stories on the story tag page already!

I doubt I'll finish any more before the deadline. I'd hoped to spend most of the weekend writing, but in the end I wrote absolutely nothing.

 

[crookedletter]

I might just make it in under the wire. Story is done, but still needs another look/polish. Trying to balance rushing to get it in on time with trying to make it... you know, good.

 

[GaryDickins]

Unfortunately, my Twisted Fairy Tale story won't be ready for this week. I am twisting a lot in this one, with the title character really being the only recognizable one. It took me a long time to get the plot written, and for some reason, even after I settled on telling the first version in 21st Century English (as opposed to 14th - 17th Century English) I just couldn't get the explicit parts to sound right.

I was happy with the quality of my Summer Lovin' entry and the relatively high marks it's maintained as it nears 6000 reads. And I just didn't feel like the sizzle in my Fairy Tale was able to keep pace. So I am going to have to shelve it for a time and come back to it. I don't know if this Fairy Tale contest is an annual thing or not, but I'm switching gears to work on a Halloween story where I think I have a better handle on the steamy bits.

Question--is the Twisted Fairy Tale an annual thing, or was this just a one-off? I ask because that will help me to decide if I should work on it for next year's round, or if I should just come back to it whenever I get the inspiration to finish it off and publish it?

 

[SmilingLez]

Since poetry/prose weren't included in this challenge, I submitted mine independently; so add me to the number of people participating in this fun challenge.

https://www.literotica.com/p/the-lucky-plate-club

 

[Jorunn]

Since poetry/prose weren't included in this challenge, I submitted mine independently; so add me to the number of people participating in this fun challenge.

https://www.literotica.com/p/the-lucky-plate-club

Unique and interesting.

 

[StillStunned]

Question--is the Twisted Fairy Tale an annual thing, or was this just a one-off? I ask because that will help me to decide if I should work on it for next year's round, or if I should just come back to it whenever I get the inspiration to finish it off and publish it?

So far it's a one-off. I'm not a huge fan of themed challenges repeating year after year unless they're linked to an annual event.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

I am close to finishing a story for the first time in something like a year and it's all thanks to your challenge, @StillStunned . We'll see if I make it. I'm cutting it so close I'll be lucky if I have time to proofread, much less get the multiple beta reads I usually need to convince myself to publish.

 

[StillStunned]

I'm glad to be the inspiration that helps anyone finish!

Good luck getting there before the deadline. But I think Laurel is quite lenient with stories that are a little late. And there are another five days before the anthology is published.

 

[Jorunn]

I submitted mine on 19 September and it sits in pending status. I am OK with that after hearing some other long pending times. Originally a Summer Lovin story, I did not complete on time, I modified it for Dark Fairy Tales. I expect it to be approved in time for the anthology, but if not, I will pull it and add a ghost or two for Halloween!

 

[crookedletter]

I submitted mine on 19 September and it sits in pending status. I am OK with that after hearing some other long pending times. Originally a Summer Lovin story, I did not complete on time, I modified it for Dark Fairy Tales. I expect it to be approved in time for the anthology, but if not, I will pull it and add a ghost or two for Halloween!

This sounds like a new sort of challenge: one story, adapted and revised and resubmitted to fit every contest and challenge for the year. Could be fun.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

Submitted!

Sent Laurel a polite message too.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Jorunn]

Submitted!

Sent Laurel a polite message too.

Fingers crossed.

A couple authors on Crime and Punishment thread submitted pre-deadline and are still Pending. Worrisome for a challenge.

 

[StillStunned]

A couple authors on Crime and Punishment thread submitted pre-deadline and are still Pending. Worrisome for a challenge.

The anthology won't be published until 30 September, so there's time for stories to be approved.