This article summarizes the results of the research project Analysis of a representative sample of the stories submitted to the National Short Story Competition Gabriel García Márquez (DiLeMa research group, Quindío University, 2008). This discussion focuses on the theoretical and methodological implications of the communicative pact involving writing a story in the context of a competition aimed at Colombian students. In this context, it describes the strengths of students in terms of compliance with the initial conditions of the slogan to later analyze the recurring weaknesses in the understanding of writing as a social discourse practice.