It feels like only yesterday that we asked you all to conjure up a hero(ine) and their untold wealth. We were so taken aback by your responses that we couldn’t wait to serve up another writing challenge, and we’re eager to see just what you’re going to come up with!
Everyone loves a romantic candlelit dinner. The lighting, the music, the wine, everything comes together to create an enchanting atmosphere. But in those moments what matters most is not what’s on your plate, but the person who is staring intently back at you from across the pristine white tablecloth. It’s a dinner by definition, but the food is far from what’s important.
As perfect a moment as that can be, that’s not what we’re tasking you with writing. We actually drew inspiration from the last challenge’s winner, which featured a millionaire rolling up the sleeves of his expensive dress shirt and frying up a few grilled cheeses for himself and his date. It was an image that really stuck with us, and provided a great template for what we’re looking for this week.
In three to five paragraphs we would like you to compose a scene that involves one (or both members) of your couple cooking the meal they’re going to be enjoying together. What that looks like is entirely up to you!
Do they move together in the kitchen like a well-oiled machine?
Is this more a one-man operation with a bit of “help” from the other party?
Or have things taken an absolute turn for the worst…
What we don’t want to see are step-by-step recipes for some of your favourite dishes (though if you want to send those over separately, let me know!). While a few details in your characters’ cooking process are necessary, the true contenders for this challenge will allow the scene to build on the emotions between the two leads, as well as tell us more about their relationship. This could be steamy, fun-filled, or adorably awkward, but the focus has to be on the couple.
And, just to amp up the creativity for this particular challenge, the person cooking cannot be a chef by trade. An amateur home cook? Sure! A dishwasher with lofty aspirations? Why not? Whoever the beautiful person standing over the stove is, they can be anything but a chef.
Please send us what you’ve come up with by Sunday, November 10th, 2019, at the very latest! We’ll be looking over your submissions on Monday and letting you all know that afternoon who the winners are. Good luck, and looking forward to what you’ve cooked up!
UPDATE: With this writing challenge we didn’t have to choose between quantity and quality. We received almost two dozen submissions, and they were so good we had a tough time settling on the winners! After a lot of deliberation, we were finally able to settle on our Editors’ Choice Top 3…
Taffy Marie took 1st Place by not only making us feel like we were in that kitchen, but by blindsiding us with a hilariously unexpected twist.
In 2nd Place is Marianne, who proved that clean kitchens can be overrated. We loved the spice and sweetness in the couple’s banter.
3rd Place belongs to Wendy, for forever changing the way we’ll look at the simple task of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Thank you so much for taking our challenge, and for letting us know just how much you enjoy lasagnas and sexy firemen. We’re looking forward to our next one in December, and we hope that you are too!
