We have reached the finish line of yet another competition—the October Creative Nonfiction Contest! Where writers from all over the world congregated to treat us to their enthralling essays, memoirs, and commentaries on the subject of belonging or toy.
Most of us have had unpleasant experiences of being in a situation or with people where we felt we did not belong. This feeling of “otherness” can range from being part of a conversation we cannot relate to, to living in a community that wouldn’t accept us for the individuals we are. Participants explored the question of belonging in reference to family, childhood, religion, immigration, and even the fate of language in the postcolonial world.
Toy, on the other hand, acted mostly as a metaphor for writers. While our playthings are the first tool for learning about the world we live in, factory-produced toys can trigger a debate on the effects of capitalism, or a doll with a missing limb can be an avenue to revisit the early years of one’s life—just some ideas our applicants toyed with.
We are immensely thankful to all the participants for taking us on this breathtaking journey.
And now the winner that takes the crown is Sam Simon! Many congratulations to Sam for winning a cash prize of USD 50 for his entry titled  Did You Know?
We are publishing two more entries that stood out for our judges.
The Bride of Jesus by Michele Markarian
There are Fireflies in the Dark by Marzia Rahman