August is here! For this month, we have partnered with talesofthedeep to share a contest for all of you to prepare you for a certain pirate-themed event coming soon!

The challenge is to write a short story that is based on or inspired by one of the prompts below:

1. A pirate crew is cursed by a djinn after they plunder a sacred tomb in Egypt. They must find a way to break the curse before they are consumed by madness and misfortune.

2. A pirate is chosen by a prophecy to wield a powerful weapon that can control the elements. He must learn to master his new abilities and use them to fight against an evil empire that seeks to conquer the world.

Keep in mind that your story must be Asian Fantasy, meaning stories must feature Asian protagonists. It must also feature elements from talesofthedeep's themes and be categorized as Fantasy. You are welcome to incorporate romantic or horror subplots. If you have any questions about what Asian Fantasy is, check out our Profile Guide.

You can submit your entry through this FORM.

✦ The story must be a maximum of 3000 words long.

✦ Please submit using this FORM in order to have your entry counted.

✦ The story must be in English.

✦ Although you may submit multiple entries, you may only win with one entry.

✦ OPTIONAL: Tag your story with #DeadMenTellNoTales, #TalesoftheDeep, and/or #AsianFantasy

✦ The story can be part of an existing anthology or a separate book on Wattpad, but the story must be newly written.

✦ Your story must follow Wattpad's Content Guidelines.

✦ You're more than welcome to share your entries via the comments! Please note that sharing your stories in the comments is not a valid submission for judging, so please use the form!

✦ Have fun and let your imagination run wild!

The contest will begin on August 1, 2023 and run until August 31, 2023 11:59 PM PST. The deadline for entries is August 31, 2023 11:59 EST. Any entries submitted after this time will not be counted.

The winner(s) will receive:

✧ A shout-out from both profiles.

✧ A winning sticker to commemorate their victory.

✧ A feature on the applicable reading list for both profiles, if the story is a standalone.

✧ A feature in WattpadAsianFantasy's So You Want To Be Immortal? Anthology.

✧ An interview request, which will be featured in APIFantasy's So You Want To Be Immortal? Anthology.

Do I have to make a new book?

You can submit an existing or separate book, but please ensure that when submitting, the link must be your entry link, and we cannot add your existing book in our respective reading list.

Does it have to be 3000 words and do I need to write a single chapter only?

Because it's a short story contest, the word limit is that and not over. Adding more than one chapter is welcome but please keep in mind the story must meet our word limit.

Can I do a co-written story with someone?

Yes, you can! However, if you choose to publish on both your profiles, be aware that we can only add one story to our respective reading lists, not both.

Can I enter more than one entry?

Yes, but only one entry can win.

What about Mature? Are LGBTQ+ characters allowed?

Of course! We always welcome LGBTQ+ characters and stories. Mature is allowed so long as it meets Wattpad's Content Guidelines. Stories that do not meet this won't be accepted.

How will our entries be judged?

Stories are judged on various factors, such as writing quality, originality, and the relation to our prompt. Ensure you are proofreading your works before submitting!

How do I submit my story for this contest?

Just complete this FORM and that's it!

Please note this contest and its rules were created by the APIFantasy team and is in no way affiliated with Wattpad Ambassadors or Wattpad HQ staff. We reserve the right to refuse entries that do not meet the criteria outlined in the Rules & Guidelines chapter or are triggering to our team. We are not obligated to provide feedback to all users, and any that we do provide is at our discretion.

Extensions will not be granted to ensure everyone is given an equal amount of time to complete and submit their entries. The decision of the judges is final and any abusive language directed towards the profile and its team will not be tolerated and will likely result in disqualification of your entry. Please review the guidelines carefully prior to submitting and send us a message if you have any questions or concerns you would like to raise.