The Quarry

The Price to Witness

A literary contest where every entry gets real feedback

Write a story about a secret kept | Due April 31 at midnight, EST

Submit a Story

Vol. 1 / Issue 1 — The Price to Witness

Write a story about someone who saw everything and said nothing.


The Prompt

Write a story about someone who saw everything and said nothing.

This month's prompt lives inside the annual theme — The Price to Witness — which explores the value scale of Bystander → Participant. Stories can approach this from any angle: complicity, silence, the cost of looking away. We ask one question of every entry: did something shift?


The Rules

  • Maximum 1,500 words
  • Fiction only — any genre welcome
  • One story per entry — multiple entries permitted at $5 each
  • Previously unpublished work only
  • Submissions close midnight, June 30

The Prizes

PlacePrize
1st$200
2nd$100
3rd$50

All entries receive detailed feedback on craft, structure, and voice.