Write a story where hard work doesn’t pay off.

Posted in Angst on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 28 stories

“The Conference Room” by Kasey Cooper

Submitted to Contest #136

She waited quietly in the conference room, arms folded together on the table in front of her. Katrina had been preparing for this meeting for two days. She looked around at the plush, black leather chairs lining the oval-shaped table. Black and white paintings of neo-classical buildings lined the walls. Nothing was remarkable about the conference room. Yet, being there now made her feel like she was stepping into another world. Perhaps it was Katrina's nervousness about the meeting with her boss that had her feeling unsettled. ...

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“Continuation” by Dean Atlas

Submitted to Contest #136

This story has material that deals with domestic abuse and declining mental health.He pricked his finger as he pushed the needle through two pieces of denim. This is how he could tell he was going too fast. Such a delicate procedure required acute attention and speeding through it proved that he was distracted by other thoughts. It had to be perfect.He sewed on the second button eye and sat the doll sat on his mattress. It wore denim pants, a red t-shirt, and yarn made into curly brown hair. The hands and feet came out to round nubs made of ...

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“My Body’s Betrayal” by Nia Taylor

Submitted to Contest #136

Hands in the stadium clap in tempo. Here I’m the famous musician on stage and scores of fans are screaming my name. As I zoned in and try to focus second after second the rhythmic vibrations echo within me sending thrills through my body and riveting through my feet. I pounced on the track, picking up my pace, my two-legged motor kicked into power as I’m propelled through the air like a rock from a sling-shot with my body contorted into Cs and Vs until my feet hit and were planted to the ground. I felt now is my blossoming season and...

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“To Be Loved by Bo” by Tsvi Jolles

Submitted to Contest #136

If you had to sit in front of a machine that cuts perfect pieces of iron, how long could you do it? Consider how many times you could raise and lower the arm attached to the machine, to see how it pulls out circles and more circles and more circles ... more than a hundred per hour. Each hour. Take a look at the machine over there. If you cannot see, try again. Eventually, you will see Bo. Take a look at Bo from behind. He's facing the other way. This isn't difficult. Think of someone you know well, and now add a big iron-cutt...

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“That Ghostly Strength” by G Suzanne

Submitted to Contest #136

"One and two and melt towards the floor — not quite so melty there, think wax, not butter." A tall, silver-haired wisp of a woman walked slowly down the rows of barres, fixing each dancer in turn with her expert gaze. I focused on straightening my back as I bent into a forward fold, even though the comment hadn't been directed towards me. "Ballet is the marriage of softness and strength," Miss M went on, "and I don't want to see you forgetting about either. A bit too rigid there, Lucas." She molded his arm into a rounder shape. I adored Miss...

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“The Inventor” by Lee-Anne Lenore Archibald

Submitted to Contest #136

THIS STORY HAS SENSITIVE CONTENT, ABUSE AND SUBSTACE ABUSE. She had problems. She had real, identity thieft problems. No one, knew who she was. She lived in a world, where she would be considered, a hostage. A free hostage, if there was such a thing. Her identity thieves, were relentless, hacking her phone, answering her calls, from her business associates. They would knock her out, with a device, that would render her unconscious, and answer her door. Impersonating her, the woman, Lee-Anne, to anyone that came along. "Do you have something ...

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“Definition of Hard work ” by Leanne Drain

Submitted to Contest #136

I struggle; I fall every hurdle faced with the demining errors of my past. I see it now where I want to be, how I want to be accessible away from all the mishaps of life. There is a sign outside my house in two different directions. One route leads to my warrior, my hero, my beloved grandad, where he shines the brightest of the stars. The other road leads to failures I have faced in this little life as I come to a halt at a crossroads. I see my path; it is either the goodness or the badness. I take each path and approach them with caution. T...

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“The Well” by Lucas Gaier

Submitted to Contest #136

He desperately tried to wipe his eyes to see her clearly, but his tears blurred the image of the limp body he held in his arms. She was still warm. He tried to brush her hair from her face, but the blood knotted the strands together making it an impossible mess. He held her tightly in his arms as she slowly turned cold. He opened his eyes and stared into the darkness. He was exhausted from the dream, but he was used to it. How could he rest when her darkened eyes were all he could see every time he closed his own? Every night, for four lon...

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“Weight Cycling” by Andrea Moya

Submitted to Contest #136

TW: Disordered eating, fatphobiaMom is in the kitchen today. I’m slumped in the recliner, pretending to watch TV in the living room. I always feel compelled to watch her as she goes through her weekly ritual. It’s Wednesday so she did the grocery shopping and she’s laid out the food across every available surface. Her food and our food. She keeps them separate as if proximity to our full-calorie, full-fat, sugary, highly processed regular food will somehow contaminate her 100-calorie, non-fat, sugar-free, organic and natural diet food. I wat...

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“The Other Girl” by Kk Nelson

Submitted to Contest #136

Dear Journal,I did everything I could. I was everything he ever asked for. I stayed up 'til midnight, keeping watch for his arrival home. I told him I loved him in a thousand ways, excepting my words. I cherished his deepest secrets as if they were my own. His passions became mine, and my eyes only saw him. My mind only thought of him. He was the very breath in my lungs. The very essence of my being. His smile was my sunshine, his eyes were my stars. His voice was the equivalent of a lark's song, his tears the rain that wet the soil of my he...

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“Was he worth it?” by Casey H.

Submitted to Contest #136

[Trigger warning: birth experience / labor (I know this can be traumatic for some people, so please proceed with caution. Thank you.)] He arrived at 42 weeks exactly. Everything was normal. Expected. Anticipated. Water breaks. Pain. Drive an hour to the hospital. Every bounce in the car felt like hell. I can't describe the pain of it, because I can't remember it anymore. Wheelchair. Emergency room entrance. Hospital. Maternity ward. Bright, fluorescent lights dulled with the fading memory of that time.... I kept my eyes closed for so m...

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“The Infinite Wisdom of the Government” by Judith Teich

Submitted to Contest #136

In the winter of 2018, the job that Sarah had held for the previous 21 years, as a social science researcher in a small federal agency, was eliminated for no apparent reason and with no plan for what was to replace it. Sarah had joined the staff in 1997, and she was committed to the agency’s important mission of overseeing and improving the delivery of services for individuals who suffer from behavioral health disorders. Her years of experience as a clinical social worker in hospital settings had provided a solid foundation for her...

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“I tried, I failed” by G W

Submitted to Contest #136

There’s something. I know there’s something. This can’t be it. It can’t be it. I have dreams, you know. I wanted things from life. This is the dream? The great life I was promised, where the hell is it? I promise, I swear, I’ve looked. Where did you find yours? I can’t keep looking forever. I’m too tired, I just can’t do it. I wanted to be an astronaut. I thought the planet was pretty. I don’t even believe that anymore. They all die, astronauts. Maybe that’s why I wanted to be one. I’ve cried so many times, you need to believe me. I never st...

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Write a story where hard work doesn’t pay off.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 28 stories

“The Conference Room” by Kasey Cooper

“Continuation” by Dean Atlas

“My Body’s Betrayal” by Nia Taylor

“To Be Loved by Bo” by Tsvi Jolles

“That Ghostly Strength” by G Suzanne

“The Inventor” by Lee-Anne Lenore Archibald

“Definition of Hard work ” by Leanne Drain

“The Well” by Lucas Gaier

“Weight Cycling” by Andrea Moya

“The Other Girl” by Kk Nelson

“Was he worth it?” by Casey H.

“The Infinite Wisdom of the Government” by Judith Teich

“I tried, I failed” by G W

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or end your story with someone saying “You’ll never know unless you try.”

Write about somebody who knows they’re probably going to fail at something, but does it anyway.

Write about a character giving something one last shot.

Set your story on a baseball field.

Contest #136

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

207

Contest entries

100

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: