What exactly are they asking for in this contest?

The secret: it can be the hook that draws us into a book, or it can be revealed only at the heart-wrenching climax. Whether it is keeping the hero and heroine apart—or together—the secret often comes to light at a key moment in the story, accompanied by that rush of emotional intensity that readers crave.


Has the hero just made a decision to keep something important to himself? Has the heroine been caught in a web of lies? Has a character made a deliberate decision to come clean at last? A scene dealing with a life-altering secret can be one that reveals insights into the characters and when written well, can even be the backbone of an entire story.


We challenge you to write a scene surrounding a significant secret that somehow affects the main characters and their story. Be as creative and original as you like—remember, there are all kinds of secrets, and not all of them are ever discovered!

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