Is it too late to lock the gate??

I'm delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 Chapter One Prize, selected in a blind contest from a record 956 submissions from all over the world.

The following six entries really stood out.

I once worried that I'd never have what it takes to be a writer. These days I'm more worried that I did have it, and have misplaced it somewhere. But my work in progress just got an honorable mention in the Chapter One Prize, so I must still have a bit of juice left!

Thank you very much, you've been a wonderful audience

I'm told my local library has a mystery section but I can't find it anywhere

hgtv's new show "dream crypt renovation" is really great. my one complaint is they use the line "it's got good bones" too much

Also this one soon after

The Paradise Heights Miniature Railway Bust-Up by Kate Solly

Book mail! Cannot WAIT ❤️ 🚂 🕵🏼‍♀️

A is for Ant A is for Ant is a surrealist journey through a children's alphabet book. Director - Jack Davison Set Design & Costume Design - Shona Heath Cinematographer…

7 days after you watch this film a slater crawls out of your phone
vimeo.com/1168269573

The two cops in #Deadloch are giving "Marv and Harry" this season

Speaking of upcoming books... 😈 #iknowwhatyourehiding

The cover of a book by Jack Heath, entitled "1000 Minutes of Danger"

Not sure if I'm allowed to post this, but I have hardly any followers on Bluesky so I figure I'll get away with it

A screenshot of a Discord server entitled "Writing Memes". A user has posted a picture of an aut0psy room, then has immediately followed up with "WRONG THING"

Being in a writing Discord occasionally means seeing reeeeeaaaaally weird things people posted by accident

Happy international women's day.
#internationalwomensday #Drwho

I can't explain it but I love adopting sentences which have been tragically separated from their context

P3t3 H3gs3th has visited combat *zones*, but his only actual combat *experience* is that time he threw an axe at a marching band

Human Arm Hanging Limply Out Of Food Delivery Robot

Human Arm Hanging Limply Out Of Food Delivery Robot

(in case you haven't played the game, that is not even close to true)

Hahaha
AI search got me pretty good the other day

I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR ALL THESE INTERESTING RECOMMENDATIONS

The other day I was supposed to be working but I got distracted and next thing I knew I had designed and ordered this mug

ME TOO, OMG!!! ♾️

Hahaha, yup - torment nexus

Right. I feel like I remember a period when we all thought YouTube would democratize filmmaking? Instead it kind of did to TV what the iPod shuffle did to albums

I never heard of that! Thanks for the rec. Though I just now realised that everything I want from a TV show I could get way more easily from a book 🤔

Hot take: no show should EVER be more than two seasons long. After that it should belong to the fanfic writers, artists and cosplayers 🌈✨ 🤩

Ha, I can hear the vomit sound in my head

ARGH, how did you get that image so quickly 😂

"I have three Y chromosomes, six adam's apples, pecs on my abs and FISTS FOR NIPPLES!"

If I could change one thing about the world, I would hack YouTube and ensure that any teenage boys who searched for Andrew Tate were instead served with that episode of Gravity Falls where Dipper meets the Manators