A WRITING CONTEST IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AND ELECTRIC LIT
Girls Write Now teamed up with Penguin Random House and Electric Lit for a writing contest highlighting the novels of writers aged 14-18. The winner, Rhea Dhar, will be published on Electric Lit and will receive a cash prize of $500!
The First Chapters contest is part of Penguin Random House’s and Electric Lit’s commitment to support Girls Write Now in amplifying diverse voices. In these opening chapters, teen authors conjure fantastical tales, bring love stories to life, and immerse us in never-before-seen worlds.
WINNER
Remnants
By Rhea Dhar
When I wake up, there’s a fuzzy little monster clinging to my ceiling, its stubby fangs dripping bloody saliva onto my pillow. A fat warm drop smacks my cheek, trickles down, and plunges off my chin. First thought: if I ignore it, surely it will go away eventually. But then, that would be a very pathetic and ironic last thought.
I sigh, roll over and grope around on the floor, shoving aside yesterday’s crumpled tunic and the overgrown vespermite carcass from the night’s hunt. My fingers loosely close around a cold metal hilt and I thrust the rapier upwards, vaguely in the monster’s direction. Through bleary eyes, I watch it squeal and scuttle. Its greasy tawny fur puffs out in tufty spikes. Great. Solismus counter attacks have historically been unsuccessful—their mouths are too small for most human limbs and their pupils are fixed on one spot their entire lives, confining their vision to a limited and useless field. But I also am operating on under four hours of sleep and wielding my worst weapon, so it’s completely possible I’ll be the first Remnant ever devoured by a household pest.
To read the full winning story, go to Electric Lit!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The Vile Crown
By Megan Ngo
Monsters don’t emerge from their lairs to haunt the streets at night.
They creep into our homes instead.
Passionless
By Gloria Liang
It was one in the morning when the emergency alarm shook Min from her rest.
Chronodale wasn’t known for being a peaceful faction. Every other week some terrible accident occurred. Just last month, Min’s factory had caught fire during one of her rare days off. But this was the sector alarm, only for emergencies like large explosions or mass death.
Ear wax/worm
By Madeline Berberian-Hutchinson
I accepted each of these gifts with a stifled smile, even if the gifts bore no resemblance to anything I had ever wanted or mentioned. Each gift was a reflection of the person they wanted me to be. I found that humility was attractive to them, but what they really sought after was cold-pressed shame.
Menagerie of Philosophy
By Tara Isabel Lago
“We’re all going to die,” Cat blurts out while in the middle of a yawn. The animals ignore him. Cat, the “honorary” member of the Assembly, is sleeping on the job as usual, while everyone else is hard at work mobilizing the animals, protecting the woods, stopping the humans.
Rin, Haru, and Umi
By Sophia Li
Rin wondered what it would feel like to float in the Hudson. He imagined drifting through the window, past the tall brick apartment complexes, pushing through the thin clouds and landing lightly in the water. Tracking the distance between Manhattan and New Jersey on the opposite shore or maybe even past that, closing his eyes and letting himself be carried by the freezing water, bit by bit, and then out of sight.
Regnants
By Erina Rejo
She glanced around, making sure no one was in sight. Pulling a screwdriver from the bag slung around her shoulder, she cautiously unscrewed the bolts of the vent she stood before. They gently fell into her hand as she placed the vent cover against the wall and cradled the screws in her palm. A tingly feeling ran through her fingers every time.
Monumental
By Olivia Kim
I wake to the soft noises of our caravan. The clip-clops come from each step of our horses as they walk through the grass. The drumming comes from the wheels of our wagon going over the uneven ground. Chester’s quiet murmurs echo from the front of the caravan to the back. The sounds of paper rustling and a pen moving come from right across from me. For a moment, I almost want to let the sounds lure me back to sleep.
Silver Eyes
By Sierra Williams
We met long before you ever knew my name, but unforgettably, I remember yours. It wasn’t until two years later that the puzzle pieces fell into place. Why did I remember you? Was it a dream? A glimpse of destiny? No. I couldn’t remember seeing your face or if it was a memory of some past-life imagination. Maybe this truly is a figment of my imagination…
Couple in Training
By Kaia Boyer
Deja doesn’t even know if Viv hesitates—because there’s not a second between Deja’s heart falling splat on the floor and Viv exclaiming the horrid nickname—“Frenchie!”