The 2025 750 Word Story Challenge Support Thread

[TheRedChamber]

This may be a silly question but has anyone ever tried publishing an 'anthology' of these 750 word pieces. I've just finished writing one dystopian Sci-Fi piece and am considering if I might churn out another three or four in the same world (each different with characters and each a complete story on its own). I don't really like clogging up Lit with a multitude of little bitty stories and I think it might actually score higher if people read them all at once. I'm not sure if it's in the spirit of the competition though.

 

[Rustyoznail]

This may be a silly question but has anyone ever tried publishing an 'anthology' of these 750 word pieces. I've just finished writing one dystopian Sci-Fi piece and am considering if I might churn out another three or four in the same world (each different with characters and each a complete story on its own). I don't really like clogging up Lit with a multitude of little bitty stories and I think it might actually score higher if people read them all at once. I'm not sure if it's in the spirit of the competition though.

Well, it is a challenge, not a competition. Sounds like you've set yourself a challenge.

 

[Duleigh]

This may be a silly question but has anyone ever tried publishing an 'anthology' of these 750 word pieces. I've just finished writing one dystopian Sci-Fi piece and am considering if I might churn out another three or four in the same world (each different with characters and each a complete story on its own). I don't really like clogging up Lit with a multitude of little bitty stories and I think it might actually score higher if people read them all at once. I'm not sure if it's in the spirit of the competition though.

Predicting the voting patterns and the acuity of the readers is a science we've all been pondering. While one reader says your work ranks with Tolkien and Tolstoy the next reader will give you a 3 because you used the word disambiguation when clarification would have fit the situation better. I like your idea, and I did that last year. My mistake was believing that my 750 word stories might lead readers to my bigger works. You can make a super brief introduction ahead of the text, that sometimes helps. Something like

"This comes from my world of XYZ. This is a writing exercise, the idea is to write a complete story in only 750 words. Below this line are exactly 750 words"

Regardless of how well you word your introduction, there will be a few that don't get it. Your regular readers will, and that's who you're aiming for. I just ask that you keep your intro as brief as possible.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Or... A challenge to write a 750 word intro to your 750 word story challenge.

 

[Erozetta]

This may be a silly question but has anyone ever tried publishing an 'anthology' of these 750 word pieces. I've just finished writing one dystopian Sci-Fi piece and am considering if I might churn out another three or four in the same world (each different with characters and each a complete story on its own). I don't really like clogging up Lit with a multitude of little bitty stories and I think it might actually score higher if people read them all at once. I'm not sure if it's in the spirit of the competition though.

I did that with horror but haven't released it anywhere. The first is an overall description of a house and how the locals avoid it. Each story after that is going deeper into the house, room by room. Each story is 750 words depicting a different human fear/horror. The first room mentioned is one in which a spider woman entices her victim in, webs them up, deposits her eggs, then waits for her children to be born from the corpse.

 

[Duleigh]

The first room mentioned is one in which a spider woman entices her victim in, webs them up, deposits her eggs, then waits for her children to be born from the corpse.

I met a woman in Minot that could star in that role

 

[Bazzle]

This may be a silly question but has anyone ever tried publishing an 'anthology' of these 750 word pieces. I've just finished writing one dystopian Sci-Fi piece and am considering if I might churn out another three or four in the same world (each different with characters and each a complete story on its own). I don't really like clogging up Lit with a multitude of little bitty stories and I think it might actually score higher if people read them all at once. I'm not sure if it's in the spirit of the competition though.

Put them up for the event...then republish them as an anthology in a few month time?

 

[Bn2f]

This may be a silly question but has anyone ever tried publishing an 'anthology' of these 750 word pieces. I've just finished writing one dystopian Sci-Fi piece and am considering if I might churn out another three or four in the same world (each different with characters and each a complete story on its own). I don't really like clogging up Lit with a multitude of little bitty stories and I think it might actually score higher if people read them all at once. I'm not sure if it's in the spirit of the competition though.

You can practically do anything, as others have indicated, as long as it’s 750 words. I wrote 2 trilogies a few years back, but also felt each could almost be a stand alone story. Go for it!

 

[TheRedChamber]

Im not sure if I explained myself well earlier. (I think Bazzle got it, but Im not sure others) What I was suggesting was lumping 3 or 4 stories together as one submission (of 2250 or 3000 words) The stories are linked by a setting but otherwise completely independent.

 

[liftmykilt]

Im not sure if I explained myself well earlier. (I think Bazzle got it, but Im not sure others) What I was suggesting was lumping 3 or 4 stories together as one submission (of 2250 or 3000 words) The stories are linked by a setting but otherwise completely independent.

I understood it as a story series consisting of several 750-word stories. It sounds like a great idea.

 

[Erozetta]

Im not sure if I explained myself well earlier. (I think Bazzle got it, but Im not sure others) What I was suggesting was lumping 3 or 4 stories together as one submission (of 2250 or 3000 words) The stories are linked by a setting but otherwise completely independent.

Mine started as individual 750s, but I've since gathered them up into an anthology and plan to release it on Amazon at some point.

 

[Duleigh]

Im not sure if I explained myself well earlier. (I think Bazzle got it, but Im not sure others) What I was suggesting was lumping 3 or 4 stories together as one submission (of 2250 or 3000 words) The stories are linked by a setting but otherwise completely independent.

Sort of like Tales of Middle Earth kind of thing? Elf sex followed by peeping tom Wizard wanking followed by Hobbit humping kind of thing? I can see where submitting them all as one would work. If you can draw up a divider between the stories and a notice that each story = 750 words. I think that fulfills the spirit of the exercise nicely. Add a note on this in the notes to Admin and let Laurel know what you're up to.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Im not sure if I explained myself well earlier. (I think Bazzle got it, but Im not sure others) What I was suggesting was lumping 3 or 4 stories together as one submission (of 2250 or 3000 words) The stories are linked by a setting but otherwise completely independent.

Thieves World comes to Lit...

 

[davion2308]

I don't know about you folks but I love this challenge. 750 words feels like a good amount to get me started again for the year. I haven't submitted anything in a long time so this is my chance to get a few of my half-finished, par-boiled stories up and out of my 50-odd stories floating around. This year I clear out as many as I can.

I also hit on a fun theme. All my titles involve 750 now that I'm writing for this. I have three ideas right now:

$7.50 - A woman at a pool resort doesn't want to pay $7.50 for a beer so she shows her tits to everyone. It's some light exhibitionism.
Hwy 750 - A woman goes through with a dare to get naked on an overpass over a highway. Her boyfriend records. More light exhibitionism.
7:50 AM - It's the golden hour at a hotel, light is streaming in the window, and yet again more exhibitionism as a woman exposes her body outside.

I have an obvious kink here. 750 isn't much to get actual sex in there so I'm going with pre-heating the oven, so to speak. And I'll include lots of "This is ONLY 750 so of course I don't develop anything more!"

I still foolishly care about my rating and score and comments. It's a hell of a challenge to tell a story in such a short amount of space.

 

[Duleigh]

I don't know about you folks but I love this challenge. 750 words feels like a good amount to get me started again for the year. I haven't submitted anything in a long time so this is my chance to get a few of my half-finished, par-boiled stories up and out of my 50-odd stories floating around. This year I clear out as many as I can.

I also hit on a fun theme. All my titles involve 750 now that I'm writing for this. I have three ideas right now:

$7.50 - A woman at a pool resort doesn't want to pay $7.50 for a beer so she shows her tits to everyone. It's some light exhibitionism.
Hwy 750 - A woman goes through with a dare to get naked on an overpass over a highway. Her boyfriend records. More light exhibitionism.
7:50 AM - It's the golden hour at a hotel, light is streaming in the window, and yet again more exhibitionism as a woman exposes her body outside.

I have an obvious kink here. 750 isn't much to get actual sex in there so I'm going with pre-heating the oven, so to speak. And I'll include lots of "This is ONLY 750 so of course I don't develop anything more!"

I still foolishly care about my rating and score and comments. It's a hell of a challenge to tell a story in such a short amount of space.

It's more than a challenge - it's a door way into bigger works. My very 3rd 750 word story is now a novel. Three others were used as an introduction to other works such as Captain Scarlett and Andi's Dream. This year I'm going to do like I did my first time out - first story in first person perspective, 2nd story in second story perspective, 3rd story in third person perspective and let's see if any readers picks up on that.

Its what you make of it, and one of our most prolific 750 artists has a special challenge to add to this challenge. Instead of burning herself out, she's got a plan to burn you all out

 

[EmilyMiller]

Hi,

Just a drive by…

I’m posting this with @Duleigh’s blessing.

For last year’s 750 Word Project, I set two picture prompt challenges, which led to the publishing of twenty-three (I think) micro-stories. The writers involved seemed to enjoy it, so I’m doing something similar again this year.

I agreed with @AH_Mod not to clutter up the forums with AI-generated images (and would ask you to do the same). So the image prompts are on my blog. I’ll post just the URL, so you know you aren’t being sent to some nefarious site (well it might be nefarious - just not in that way):

https://emilymillerlit.wordpress.com/2025/01/15/literotica-750-word-project-2025-picture-prompts/

There are four image prompts this year:

1. Lingerie saleswoman
2. Business meeting
3. Diving instructor
4. Yoga class

All the images are fully clothed and SFW.

Instructions on how to tag your story appear in the blog article. It’s not complicated.

The idea is to write whatever the image of choice suggests to you. There are no constraints, so long as your 750 word story is vaguely related to one of the images.

I hope some of you will have fun with this.

Emily

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Hi,

Just a drive by…

I’m posting this with @Duleigh’s blessing.

For last year’s 750 Word Project, I set two picture prompt challenges, which led to the publishing of twenty-three (I think) micro-stories. The writers involved seemed to enjoy it, so I’m doing something similar again this year.

I agreed with @AH_Mod not to clutter up the forums with AI-generated images (and would ask you to do the same). So the image prompts are on my blog. I’ll post just the URL, so you know you aren’t being sent to some nefarious site (well it might be nefarious - just not in that way):

https://emilymillerlit.wordpress.com/2025/01/15/literotica-750-word-project-2025-picture-prompts/

There are four image prompts this year:

1. Lingerie saleswoman
2. Business meeting
3. Diving instructor
4. Yoga class

All the images are fully clothed and SFW.

Instructions on how to tag your story appear in the blog article. It’s not complicated.

The idea is to write whatever the image of choice suggests to you. There are no constraints, so long as your 750 word story is vaguely related to one of the images.

I hope some of you will have fun with this.

Emily

Your blog, nefarious site, hmmmm. Sounds sketchy to me.

 

[Duleigh]

Your blog, nefarious site, hmmmm. Sounds sketchy to me.

It's a good idea that she came up with, and her images are awesome.

If anyone would like to participate in the 750 word event but don't have an idea, check out EM's sub-challenge. I'm sure the Yoga instructor will give you a few ideas

 

[liftmykilt]

I'm sure the Yoga instructor will give you a few ideas

As a yoga instructor (part time), I hardly needed any more ideas. Lol.

But yeah, that was a fun one. I'm mulling over some ideas for the business meeting too. I've never been much of one for tentacles, but diving instructor? Might be a good time to 'dive' in.

Two 750's down, no shortage of ideas.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Six, county them, they're ready to go and waiting for the first day.

 

[ElectricBlue]

This may be a silly question but has anyone ever tried publishing an 'anthology' of these 750 word pieces. I've just finished writing one dystopian Sci-Fi piece and am considering if I might churn out another three or four in the same world (each different with characters and each a complete story on its own). I don't really like clogging up Lit with a multitude of little bitty stories and I think it might actually score higher if people read them all at once. I'm not sure if it's in the spirit of the competition though.

I published four sequential 750 word chapters in the 2023 Anthology. The first one exhibits the usual 750 Word response (15k1, 4.33/265), the last three are all Red Hs,the last currently sitting on 5k3, 4.70/80. That's contrary to the pattern on most 750 word stories.

All in all, a successful experiment. If it was a single story, it would be 3k words (less than one Lit page) and I doubt it would have done as well.

Brooke Works at the Hardware Store

 

[Duleigh]

View attachment 2471110
Six, county them, they're ready to go and waiting for the first day.

Whoo Hoo!
Thanks Millie!
(Man - Feb 1 is going to be tough on readers with that avalanche... Pile on folks!)

 

[MillieDynamite]

I have a couple of more that may or may not be ready. It's a rough task getting enough story into 750 words! At some point, I plan to publish a 750-word collection, and I also want to expand some of them into nice longer stories, around 10,000 to 14,000 words.

Whoo Hoo!
Thanks Millie!
(Man - Feb 1 is going to be tough on readers with that avalanche... Pile on folks!)

 

[Duleigh]

I have a couple of more that may or may not be ready. It's a rough task getting enough story into 750 words! At some point, I plan to publish a 750-word collection, and I also want to expand some of them into nice longer stories, around 10,000 to 14,000 words.

I have this great Norwegian joke that I want to put into a 750 word story... it's going to be filled with lots of fluff to get past 350 words.

 

[MillieDynamite]

LOL, well, go for it, @Duleigh, you old dog you!

I have this great Norwegian joke that I want to put into a 750 word story... it's going to be filled with lots of fluff to get past 350 words.