I joined the competition with a quiet heart, not out of confidence, but curiosity. The platform was filled with exceptional writers - voices sharp, imaginations fierce. Some crafted stories that breathed, others wove emotions into lines so seamless, I almost didn’t hit “submit.”

I wrote in poems. That alone felt like a gamble. Who tells a full story in verse when prose flows freer? But I told mine anyway. I shaped it with honesty and hope, line by line.

Days passed. I waited, thinking I might just be a name lost in the crowd.

Then the results came in - second place.

It wasn’t just a position. It was a reminder: what I feared was weakness, was actually my strength. I didn’t come to compete. I came to speak - and I was heard.

But make no mistake: I’m not done. I might’ve settled into second this time, but I’m not settling for less.

Next time, I’m coming for the crown.