Well... if I made a short story contest in this forum, how many would participate?

I had been thinking about making a short story contest in this forum.

Even though I have also thought about other events.

I'm thinking that the story contest could be one that is kind of Halloween or autumn-like.

Or at least that the contest will have some prompts to choose from.

Example given: (not the actual prompts for the contest though)

Prompt 1: a teenage girl's diary, a cherry blossom tree and a soccer ball

Prompt 2: a yellow dress, strawberry ice cream and a butterfly

Prompt 3: a pink rose, a teddybear and a coffee shop

and then you would choose one of these prompts, and write a story based on all the three things in that prompt.

Like if you chose prompt 3, you could perhaps write a story, where the main character goes on a date with someone at a coffee shop and then this person has a teddy bear and a rose with them, that they give their love interest as gifts. But there's a lot of stuff you can do with those three things.

I had been thinking that the word count could be 500-700 words.

I might change my mind though.

But well...

I haven't quite decided the prize. Perhaps akorns, even though I don't have that many.

I also haven't decided how the winner is decided and stuff, but perhaps it could have other users voting for their favourite stories. (even if those things can result in users voting for their friends)

But yeah, anyone interested?

Quote from thebadguy

Also people could just chat just chat gpt copy pasta using those prompts

Well... now I just asked an AI to write one based on prompt number 3 and...

The Pink Rose

Anna loved roses, especially pink ones. She had a small garden in her balcony where she grew different varieties of roses. She enjoyed taking care of them and admiring their beauty and fragrance.

One day, she decided to visit a new coffee shop that had opened near her apartment. She had heard good reviews about it and wanted to try their cappuccino. She put on her favorite dress, grabbed her purse and headed out.

As she walked towards the coffee shop, she noticed a small flower shop on the way. She decided to stop by and see if they had any pink roses. She entered the shop and was greeted by a friendly old man who was the owner.

“Hello, dear. What can I do for you?” he asked.

“I’m looking for some pink roses. Do you have any?” Anna replied.

“Of course, I have plenty of them. They are fresh and beautiful. Come, let me show you.” He led her to a corner where there was a large display of roses in different colors. He pointed to a bunch of pink ones and said, “These are the ones you want. They are called ‘Sweet Dreams’. They have a lovely scent and a delicate appearance.”

Anna smiled and picked one of them. She brought it close to her nose and inhaled its aroma. She felt a wave of happiness wash over her. She thanked the old man and paid for the rose.

She continued her walk to the coffee shop, holding the rose in her hand. She felt like she was in a fairy tale. She reached the coffee shop and entered it. It was cozy and inviting, with soft music playing in the background. She looked around and saw a few people sitting at different tables, chatting or reading.

She went to the counter and ordered a cappuccino. The barista smiled at her and said, “That’s a beautiful rose you have there. Is it for someone special?”

Anna blushed and said, “No, it’s just for me. I love roses.”

The barista nodded and said, “Well, you have good taste. Roses are my favorite too.”

He handed her the cappuccino and said, “Enjoy your drink.”

Anna thanked him and took the cappuccino. She looked for a place to sit and saw an empty table near the window. She walked towards it and saw something that made her heart skip a beat.

On the table, there was a teddy bear holding a pink rose in its paw.

Anna gasped and wondered who had left it there. She looked around and saw no one who seemed to be looking at her or the table. She approached the table cautiously and saw a note attached to the teddy bear.

It read:

"Dear Anna,

I hope you like this teddy bear and this rose. They are both for you.

I have been admiring you from afar for a long time. You are the most beautiful and charming person I have ever seen.

I wanted to talk to you, but I was too shy and nervous. I didn’t know how to approach you or what to say.

So I decided to leave this gift for you here, hoping that you would notice it and like it.

If you do, please come back to this coffee shop tomorrow at the same time. I will be waiting for you at this table.

If you don’t, please forgive me for my boldness and forget about me.

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Yours sincerely,

A secret admirer."

Anna read the note twice, feeling a mix of emotions. She was surprised, curious, flattered, confused, and intrigued.

Who was this secret admirer? How did he know her name? How long had he been watching her? What did he look like? What did he want from her?

She looked at the teddy bear and the rose again. They were both adorable and sweet. She felt a warm feeling in her chest.

She decided to keep them as a souvenir of this mysterious encounter.

She sat down at the table and sipped her cappuccino, thinking about what to do next.

Should she go back tomorrow and meet him? Or should she ignore him and move on?

She didn’t know what to do.

She decided to sleep on it and see how she felt in the morning.

She finished her drink, gathered her things, and left the coffee shop.

She walked home with a smile on her face, holding the teddy bear, the rose, and the note in her hand.

She wondered what tomorrow would bring.

But yeah, it wouldn't be surprising if someone actually used AI to write the stories for them.