“Oser écrire” marathon: a creative challenge with no internet, no distractions

On March 29, something unusual is happening across Morocco—but it’s not digital, it’s the exact opposite.

A literary marathon called “Oser écrire” is being organized simultaneously in three cities: Casablanca, Marrakech, and Agadir, inside the French Institutes. And the concept is simple, but demanding: write, think, imagine… with zero external help.

The event starts at 9:00 AM on March 29, 2026, and brings together participants from two categories: teenagers aged 14 to 17, and adults.

But this is not a casual writing workshop.

Participants are given a theme on the spot, and then they have a limited amount of time to produce a complete short story—between 3 to 5 pages—with no access to the internet, no phones, and no external resources.

That restriction is actually the core of the challenge.

No Google.
No AI.
No distractions.

Just the writer and the page.

The format is intense. For adults, the writing session can last several hours in a single day, pushing participants to structure a narrative, develop characters, and finish a coherent story under pressure.

For younger participants, the format is slightly shorter, but the objective remains the same: creativity under constraint.

Once the writing is done, the process becomes more formal.

All texts are evaluated anonymously by a professional jury composed of writers, teachers, and literary experts.

The evaluation is based on clear criteria:

• originality

• storytelling quality

• emotional impact

• and respect of the theme

And there is a real outcome.

The best works are not only rewarded, but also recognized. A prize ceremony is scheduled for April 2026, where selected participants will be officially awarded, and in some cases, their texts may even be published.

What makes this event different is its positioning.

This is not about professional writers.
It’s about people who want to test themselves.

To prove that they can create something meaningful… without tools, without shortcuts.

And that’s where the real tension is.

Because in a world where everything is assisted, optimized, and connected…

This challenge asks a simple question:

What can you create… when it’s just you and your imagination?