#WriteCBC tip and task from Anna Davis
BY Anna Davis
5th Feb 2026
Welcome to our February 2026 #WriteCBC prompt challenge. If you haven’t taken part in a #WriteCBC competition before, get up to speed by reading our blog full of information about how to play and the prizes on offer.
Today’s #WriteCBC is a bittersweet one because – for now at least – it’s the last instalment of our long-running monthly tip and task writing competition on Bluesky. Never fear though – although the monthly #WriteCBC is retiring, we’ll continue to run quarterly writing competitions on Instagram, along with various other giveaways and prize features – so do come and find us over there. We also have an exciting new thing coming very soon that we’re looking forward to telling you about. Do subscribe to our weekly newsletter if you haven’t already done so to be among the first to hear about the shiny new development in the pipeline.
#WriteCBC started way back in May 2018 to celebrate the seventh anniversary of CBC. We ran seven days of tips and mini writing tasks on Twitter, and were totally gobsmacked by the huge response: hundreds of writers sharing some amazing gems and giving wonderful encouragement to each other. We hadn’t planned a life for it beyond those seven days, but it was instantly clear that there would be huge enthusiasm for an ongoing monthly competition, so that’s precisely what happened. These were the glory days of Twitter – and the #WriteCBC space was a very happy one. Every month a writer or agent would share a tip and task and then everyone would come piling in with their brilliant, hilarious, dark, surprising – and often pretty weird! – responses. The writers started to get to know each other too: I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much gif-sharing in one place, and soon there were also pictures of dogs, writing desks and so much more all being posted along with the monthly writing entries. Some of the ‘regulars’ formed a Twitter writing support group, and they even launched their own Zine. Quite a few of those early #WriteCBC-ers became published authors – notably Wiz Wharton (author of Ghost Girl Banana), Fiona Scarlett (author of Boys Don’t Cry) and Neema Shah (author of Kololo Hill).
#WriteCBC found safe harbour at Bluesky after you-know-who arrived at Twitter, and it’s been delightful to continue to connect with new writers and their fabulous competition entries over here. It’s with some sadness that we’ve decided to retire it – but we are very enthusiastic about the new stuff coming up, and we hope you’re going to like it too. This last tip and task takes goodbyes as its theme – but maybe for #WriteCBC it’s more of an au revoir. It’s resting for now, but as to the possibilities of a return – well, I’d never say never . . .
Anna's Writing Tip:
- From tears at the airport or grief at a funeral to the jubilation of ending a toxic relationship or the tentative first steps in shedding an addiction: Every goodbye is the start of a new story and I would like to hear yours.
Anna's Writing Task:
- I'd you to write a mini-scene or story which features a goodbye. It can be poignant, humorous, dark, exciting, strange or whatever you like. Your goodbye should be the end of something and also a beginning – make me want to read on!
Here are some of top tips for writing a story that transports your reader straight into the action:
- Make every word work hard. For #WriteCBC, you have less than 300 characters to get your readers invested. Strip away words that you don’t really need. You’ll find you can cover an amazing amount in just one tweet.
- Don’t rely on clichés. We’d love to see something fresh, new and intriguing. If you do use a well-worn trope it’s fascinating to do something with it that subverts our expectations. Give us something to hook us in immediately – something which makes the reader curious or establishes a mystery which must be solved.
- The action doesn’t need to be explosive. An unusual exchange between characters whispered in hushed tones can be as dramatic as a man bursting into a room with a gun.
- Take a moment to read over your draft before you post it. It’s also a good idea to read your mini-scene out loud to yourself to see how it sounds.
- Don’t be afraid to take some risks. #WriteCBC is a fun competition to help you stretch your writing muscles, so be bold and don't shy away from a nail-biting cliff hanger,
We can’t wait to read your Bluesky post-length scenes. Reply to us over on @cbcreative.bsky.social with your responses to Anna's task and you might win a free six-week online writing course place. Competition closes Fri 6 Feb, 10am (the winner will be announced on Bluesky and this blog at 11am).
Congratulations to this month’s winner, @faye-dg-author.bsky.social!
- I'd seen her bring her children to eat. I'd seen them grow up. Puff out their chests. Fight and play and love. I'd seen them in winter's icy grip and at summer's height. "Live well," I said to the children who weren't my own, limping from the house. For the next owner, I left birdseed by the door.
What a brilliant entry! We absolutely loved the reflective atmosphere you created here, where a goodbye unfolds through memories. The sense of nostalgia makes the scene feel thoughtful and intimate, whilst the final gesture offers a lovely insight into the narrator’s character. You really nailed Anna's #WriteCBC task! Well done, Faye – you’ve earned a free place on an online writing course (worth up to £230).
And well done to this month’s runners-up – each getting a £50 course discount – @moomin1.bsky.social and @sarahwriteaway.bsky.social. Congratulations, all!
To redeem your prizes, please email help@curtisbrowncreative.co.uk
Thank you to all the wonderful #WriteCBC-ers who have joined us over the years! Please follow us on Instagram @curtisbrowncreative to take part in regular free prompt-based writing competitions as well as book giveaways.
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