Update
Search: onc2023
7,809 stories
Inside Man | ONC2023
SHORTLISTED. Paul Finn wakes to discover that not only is he feeling horribly sick but, more worryingly, the naked stranger in his bed isn't moving. If only he could remember what happened...My story for the ONC 2023, a thriller scifi adventure, with a touch of romance. (SciFi /Adventure / LGBT)
Once Upon a Life - ONC2023
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ONC2023 CHALLENGE!One dark and stormy night a family went missing, they left taking absolutely nothing with them. When their disappearance was reported, nobody, including the police could figure out what happened. The mystery has gone unsolved for almost 10 years, then a call comes in from an unknown source that changes everything. The job now is to figure out who the caller is, if the family is still alive, and how you will expose what happened.
Were in Love (GxG) ||ONC2023
(Complete) In a world with a secret supernatural society, Juniper Berry is in love with the love witch Canta Lei, which is no different to anyone else Canta interacts with. Is her love the simple influence of Canta's magic? Or is it something deeper? When Canta's life is at stake, is love enough to save her?Yes, every pun is intended.
Get A Life | ONC2023 Shortlist
While her best friend Cassidy snacks on brie and boys in France, Darcy Li-Quinn must face her last year of high school and the unpredictable wrath of her sister, Danica, alone. Darcy's plan for dealing with Danica and her heinous friends is simple-be invisible. But first, she's promised Cassidy she'll do 'one brave thing'.Mustering the courage to say 'hi' to the cute boy on the bus, Darcy expects rejection or indifference. She doesn't anticipate a grumpy ghost with unfinished business who needs her help. Suddenly, a quiet year of flying under the radar looks increasingly unlikely.***Rationally, Hunter Viera knows that his brother's death wasn't his fault. But that doesn't stop his guilt about Archer invading his every thought or lessen the grief sitting heavy in his chest.Changing schools offers a fresh start, and Hunter's plan is simple-be invisible. But he hasn't counted on Darcy, or her ludicrous claim that Archer speaks to her from beyond the grave.Suddenly, a quiet year of sitting on the sidelines looks increasingly unlikely.***This is a story about hearts and hope and public transport.This is Darcy and Hunter's story (and a little bit Archer's too).***'Get A Life' is my entry for Open Novella Contest 2023 and is inspired by the following prompts.20. You finally build enough courage to talk to that cute someone you see every day on the bus. Their face turns dark as they respond "You shouldn't be able to see me."9. There's an urban legend that's been circulating for years about a taxi cab that doesn't take you where you want to go, but where you need to go. One night, you stepped into this cab.
THE OUTSIDE WORLD | ✔ #ONC2023 Shortlister
Entered into the Open Novella Contest 2023 | Shortlister! @OpenNovellaContest - Rules & Guidelines: https://www.wattpad.com/story/331351500©2023 E. S. Elias All Rights Reserved.Published to Wattpad 02.01.2023Completed: 04.17.2023Cover: Me Round 1 ✔ | 2,000 words ✔Round 2 ✔ | 8,000 words ✔Round 3 ✔ | 20,000 words ✔LONGLIST ✔ | SHORTLIST ✔City of Ember meets The Giver. For over a century, the world has been at war. There are very few who still remember what life was like above ground. I was born in the bunker, and I am very certain I will die here without ever setting eyes on the outside world. And that day might be soon. Rumors are circulating that the food supply is running low. The Government had hoped there would be enough for everyone to survive the war for 150 years. War news is broadcast through a secure radio signal. There is only one reporter the Bunker can count on to say the truth, until today. Clarissa Delgado has accused the Government of lying to us.
The Valley || ONC2023
[Grand Winner ONC India 2023]Bhairavi, a staunch devotee of Shree Ram, is a tourist visiting Kashmir with her daughter. One night she is going through the pictures she has clicked during the day and stumbles across one that shocks her to the core. It's the picture of a girl Bhairavi knows has been dead for almost a year. Scared yet wanting to uncover the truth, she decides to look into the matter and discovers something she couldn't have imagined in her wildest nightmares.Written for ONC India. Prompt No. 26Rating: Suitable for all agesStart date: 16th February 2023Date completed: 30th March 2023Original story written for Wattpad by @GandalfofspaceAnli © 2023
Blank Slate | ONC2023
|| ONC2023 SHORTLISTER x 2 FEATURED || "𝙰 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚊 𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚗𝚎."Denizen is Blank Slate, the number one villain in the region-except he doesn't remember it. With only a cryptic note telling him his eight rules, he sets out to discover just exactly who he is and what he did to become the number one villain.When his first lead takes him straight into the heroes' hands, Denizen struggles to keep his villain alias secret and play the confused and innocent citizen, all the while digging deeper for answers. But as he gets closer to the truth-and the heroes get hotter on his tail-two questions become painfully loud: Am I good? And should I let the heroes catch me?[][][01000101001101100-01101100][][]An ONC 2023 Novella|| Round 2 Winner 25/04/2023|| ONC's Ambassadors' Pick 25/04/2023|| ONC 2023 Longlister 19/05/2023|| ONC 2023 Shortlister 31/05/2023|| Featured by Mystery on Curiouser & Curiouser 25/08/2023|| Featured by ScienceFiction on Parallel Worlds 31/10/2023***Exclusively on W A T T P A D. If you are reading this elsewhere, your device is liable to malware.***
Mission: NYX || ONC2023 Shortlister
[DUO spin-off, prequel to Codename: DEMON] In the city of Portia, the government has a small branch called the Special Connections Division. On the outside, they serve as a way for for the government to keep an eye out for non-government funded organizations. On the inside, however, their job is different: they operate as a black ops, weeding out criminal organizations and gathering enemy information from the shadows During the night, Lucinda Saffirus works for the SCD as an assassin who uses her blood as a weapon. But during the day, she's a private detective working to solve the major crimes, especially murders, in the city. Juggling new jobs isn't new to her, but raising her eight year old son as a single mother changes a lot of things. Life isn't already easy, but a new threat makes things more difficult--one of the top members of the city's most powerful criminal organization has figured out her identity, and she's given one rule: play their game. And she has no choice but to accept. Otherwise, her family, friends, both jobs, and especially herself will be at risk.
Who The Fire Favours (ONC2023) gxg
#SHORTLISTED 2023When Ixis became the second in command to the Throneholder of Opalis she expected rules, patrols and structure for her Fire Trait to shine. Not being caught in the middle of a looming war and a botched assassination she should've succeeded at. In an attempt to drown her sorrows and flee from the looming expectations of helping to lead a war against the demons that threaten their world, Ixis is injured through mysterious circumstances. Forced to return home, the last thing she expects to find is the assassin she couldn't kill pleading for her help.........Rider wasn't much of an assassin.Burdened by her past, her curse, and the trauma of what the Throneholder of Opalis did to her, she fully expected the reunion with her old flame to go exactly the way she planned. But when Rider has no choice but to flee her quest for answers, the last person she expected to help her was Ixis: Lady Aria's new Regent. Once they were allies. Now they are enemies. But despite their differing loyalties, they are forced to learn a little more about the circumstances and choices that slowly change everything they thought they knew about each other. Especially when Ixis' Fire Trait begins to heal and for the first time in years, Rider's curse decides to let her.When their begrudging respect unravels into more than just a friendship, they both must choose whether duty or revenge is more important than the love that grows between them. But the demons wait for no one.
CHAOS: a story about gods and afternoon recess (#ONC2023)
An ONC shortlister!The long-forgotten god of chaos awakes when a small child drops a piece of candy onto his altar, unwittingly becoming the high priest of chaos. The god is beholden to his priest and his priest's people--AKA: his kindergarten classmates. The children are all-too-delighted to serve the whims of mayhem until the chaos becomes too much, even for them. They forbid the god from using his power. But when disaster strikes and the whole school is in danger, a bit of bedlam might be the only thing that can save the children, the town, and the god's budding romance with a schoolteacher. Based on the Open Novella Contest 2023 prompt: #73 - You are a long-forgotten god. A small kid leaves candy at your shrine and you awaken. Now, you must do everything to protect your High Priest/Priestess, the kid, and their entire kindergarten class, your worshippers.#ONC2023 #OpenNovellaContest
Beneath the Glow | #ONC2023
✨On Hiatus✨ ONC 2023 Shortlister {HUNGER GAMES meets EMBER with a dab of 5TH WAVE vibes}From the moment Star drew her first breath, the unending conflict between humankind and extraterrestrial forces had been an inescapable reality. For as long as she could remember, she had called the subterranean depths home, honing her skills in the art of survival within the clutches of the dark.As the relentless war wages on above the earth's surface, Star finds herself ensconced within the underworld labyrinth of three distinct factions, each vying for power and influence. Amidst the ceaseless destruction that threatens to consume everything she has ever known, Star is confronted with a daunting choice: to participate in this Decades games, a ruthless and unforgiving competition that promises absolute dominion for the victor.With resources dwindling and time running out, Star finds herself faced with a harrowing choice. Will she take up the challenge and risk everything to participate in the legendary games? For the victors, the ultimate prize awaits: the power to rule over all.✨Round One Qualifier in 2023 Open Novella Contest✨✨Round Two Qualifier in 2023 Open Novella Contest✨✨Round Three Longlist in 2023 Open Novella Contest✨✨Round Four Shortlist in 2023 Open Novella Contest✨#ONC2023 | Prompt 67 | Prompt 6‼️ Content/Trigger Warning: Contains gore, violence, some strong language.All rights belong to the author and no reproductions are allowed without the permission of @Renaissance111. Please respect the author's copyright. 😊❤️2023 C.S. Marie
The King's Three Sons ONC2023
12 An evil sorcerer offers you an immense amount of power-but it comes with a price. ~~~When a King has three sons and only one kingdom to inherit, he raises his heirs to serve different purposes. Fjell-og-dal had a wise and business-friendly Crown Prince (Pawel) who could rule justly in times of peace, and a decisive warrior in the 2nd prince (Olbretch). What would such a king do with a 3rd son? Anselm was a fool, a prince stuffed full of fairy tales, useless in days of peace or war. Or was he? Neither were the cause of devastation in their kingdom-something malignant was changing their world. Perhaps the king had known he needed a 3rd path, where someone was trained to understand the strange ways of fairytales, in order to save them all. The problem is that Anselm isn't a fool, and he doesn't trust what his father made of him because a man trained for foolishness isn't needed once the folly has been averted. Every step his father laid out for him was a brilliant lunacy-a lie wrapped in truth.He brought his brothers along as a precaution-to save them or to save himself? The 3rd prince had no clue.What awaited the brothers at the end of their journey was immense power with a terrible price-but only 1 had to pay. Would they make a good decision in a series of consequences that they could not run from?
The Royal Assassin (ONC2023)
Jade Snow by day, Sapphire Bullseye by night.Sandshore. A place of beauty and disaster. She is one of the top assassins in the underworld. Sent out to kill and steal. Nothing is too challenging for this woman but what happens when she is sent on a mission to Frostbourne to assassinate the Prince. Secrets will be revealed. Fights will break out and those they loved will die in the crossfire.Cover by @-DeeIsDead--
The Event | ONC2023
The Elders claim we'll meet our mates at this event. But I don't believe them. I have no interest in seducing one of their pretty omegas, enter an unbreakable vow, and be bound to one single person for the rest of my life. It's just a silly party. Nothing meaningful. I'll just have fun for the night and let the elders complain about the young generation tomorrow...
The Thing Within #ONC2023
For eons, the people of Crisium spun tales of a subterranean continent called Frigoria, located deep beneath the perilous Ice-Cap Mountains central to the continent. Over centuries, many have explored the icy region, only to turn up empty-handed. As time passed, many reduced the tale to nothing but a figment of a rambling madman's imagination. Little did they know that Frigoria actually existed! It was in Frigoria, that an archeologist working on a dig found a thick pane of glass and discovered a massive bio-dome, hidden for too long. Only one organism was inside, and it was meant to be forgotten. However, the creature escaped through a crack on the other side of the dome, into Crisium. As the townspeople of Catherina Island are overcome with a deadly sickness, it's up to Aria Octavia, the only one not afflicted, to find the cause and cure.
ONC Prompts Through the Years
Are you wondering what prompts we've used in past ONCs?You can find them in this book as we gathered all the prompts used in the past installments. You may use these prompts as inspiration for any story you want to write - no credits necessary!Have fun!
![Golden Apples of the Sun 🏳️🌈 (wlw) || ONC2023 [ON HIATUS]](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/333489793.jpg "Golden Apples of the Sun 🏳️🌈 (wlw) || ONC2023 [ON HIATUS]")
Golden Apples of the Sun 🏳️🌈 (wlw) || ONC2023 [ON HIATUS]
Submerged kingdoms, haunted temples, booby-trapped caves. Lara Croft has seen it all in her quest for ancient artefacts, which she sells to the highest bidder. But nothing prepares Lara for her latest, greatest discovery: a golden apple capable of bringing its bearer anything they desire. The only problem? The golden apple has also transported Diana, the beautiful warrior queen of the Amazons, straight from Ancient Greece's Olympian Realm and into Lara's world. Lara is determined to use the golden apple to get her gorgeous--and literally divine--guest safely home, but the apple is ripe with discord, tempting Lara with the chance to bury her demons and bring back all that she has lost. Darker forces in Lara's world also desire the golden apple: she and Diana are hunted by a corrupt tech company bent on using the apple as a weapon for world domination, and Lara's discovery awakens a vengeful supernatural entity determined to control the apple's power. Unable to fight her growing feelings for her demi-goddess companion, Lara finds herself torn between getting Diana home and wishing that she could stay forever. As a net closes around her, Lara must risk losing everything to realise that love is the greatest treasure of all.~~°~~°~~°Welcome to my ONC entry! I'm not sure if I can stick to the deadlines for long, but I'll try! I used the following two prompts:71. After discovering a precious but dangerous artefact you become an instant celebrity. But things begin to happen that make you wish you had never discovered it. 75. You inherit a family heirloom passed down for longer than anyone can remember. You discover its secret. This secret will twist your life and change it forever.----Cover art adapted from artwork by the amazing Stjepan Sejic. If you like sapphic comics, check out his series "Sunstone" and the incredible comic artwork as Nebezial on Deviantart and ArtStation, @stjepansejic on Twitter, and #nebezial on Insta and Tumblr
Three Screams - ONC2023
Novella for ONC 2023Alice was a normal, not insane girl. Her father, the unknown Le Noir trapped her in a place where she's not quite sure is she's real or not.Alastair Chekov. Son of the bratva, trapped in an asylum with Alice. She's crazy, and he's got issues. What more could he want, right?Anisa, one of the Screams. She's gentle, with a dark side.Asha. The second Scream, and the ghost of someone from Alice's past.This is inspired by ONC prompt "Three women. Three different lives. One storyline."~~Thanks for reading! If you enjoy stories like this don't hesitate to follow!~~
The Cupid System ONC2023
Born in a society where an AI ran the daily lives of every human being including deciding their spouse, Ava never questioned her role. However, the day the handsome stranger who had haunted her dreams manifested into the real world, she knew she would never be content with the life that had been planned for her by the Unity.To be with the one she truly dears, Ava must join up with the resistance to fight to free humanity from the Unity's control.
Fate vs Luck | ONC2023
When you discover a coin that could help you choose the right path in life, what do you do? Do you use it or do you just use your gut feeling and decide on your own?For 19 years, Sakura never really liked anyone. She was too busy studying and making her parents proud. But when she suddenly starts liking two boys that are nothing like each other, she feels like she could use some help. Be it in the form of a person she can share her thoughts with or in the form of a coin.-----------------------------------------Based on prompt 5: Flip the coin and make a life choice with it. Two choices, one coin, and no turning back. Do you dare?
The Layover | #ONC2023 ((ON HOLD))
What was supposed to be a simple business trip out of the country turned into a whirlwind of a romantic getaway Lexi had only dreamed about. And now that she and her online best friend Kylian had not only met but unexpectedly spent the night together, what would it do to their once internet-only friendship? Not to mention the unexpected repercussions it may have on their real-life relationships... ---------Entered into the Open Novella Contest 2023ONC Prompts #6, #52 & #69©2023 M.DaltoPublished to Wattpad 02.01.2023Draft Ongoing- Last Updated 02.13.2023
Eternal Wanderlust(#ONC2023)
Las Vegas. Now I know why it is named the city of sins. While on a business trip, I drunk-married my boss. Drowning in tequila and the lust for the hots for my boss seemed like the best idea on my week off. There was no undoing except that my boss didn't do soulmates, fate, and marriage. Especially an impromptu one. Very well I didn't do it either. I had a list to tick it all. Many more cities to still visit. Although I never got to know why one would name their hotel REVERIE but joining as their art curator was such a daydream. And no fool would risk it all. Love or lust. Doesn't top the race.Nothing much changed until his ex thought it was the right time to claim a fine man back. Making things difficult in extravagance was her memo. The only hitch in my perfectly webbed play to not acknowledge this marriage was when she tipped it off to the enemy. With those damn wedding photos. Which I thought didn't exist until now. That is when our undone becomes the only lie that can save the Reverie in Venice.[MONDAY & THURSDAY Updates!]#ONC2023 Prompt Number 39:On a blind date with a complete mismatch, you're increasingly uncomfortable but too polite to leave. Then an attractive stranger comes over and gives you an out.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer #ONC2023
When a boy comes to Nolan's dead town claiming to be the Pastor's grandson, the townspeople are eager and curious, hoping the boy will stay. Everybody are infatuated, following the boy like watching over a young puppy. Nolan, on the other hand, doesn't fall for the Pastor's grandson's charm. Even after the boy expresses a bizarre interest on him, Nolan keeps an arm-length distance between them.And when it seems they've finally reached a tentative equilibrium, the Pastor's grandson tries to murder Nolan in the woods. Not with his hands or with a weapon. No. With vines, grass and tree branches.⸻"Welcome home, boy, where it all began."⸻Prompt #50, 53, 56