Write a story where the characters start to realize that they are, in fact, just characters.

Posted in Character on Jul 21, 2023

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✍️ 49 stories

“That All Important First Scene” by Ian Gonzales

🏆 Winner of Contest #208

“Okay, let’s go over the first scene.” “Right, but let’s do it on the go, ‘cause we’ve gotta move, and I mean now.” Logan Steele sets off at fast trot, hurrying down the hallway of the ubiquitous Government Agency Headquarters. His long legs carry his broad-shouldered, powerfully built body along at brisk pace. I hurry to keep up with him, panting for breath in only a few strides. “Think we could slow this down a bit?” I gasp, heading past doors with block print nameplates, framed posters of suited figures shaking hands, and signs reminding ...

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“Leaving the Almost Palindrome City: Notes from a Second-Rate Villain” by Robert Egan

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #208

What do you do when you realize you're not the hero of your own story? I, for one, have fallen in love, and as this city squeezes itself ever tighter to fit some preordained golden proportion, I take solace in the chaos my love has caused me. Picture a peacock clock stretching across a city block, all wrought in gold and fashioned after the automatons of old, a nest of gears and sprockets residing in a corner of Miami known as Coconut Grove, a place I've come to call the Almost Palindrome City. My love sits on her courtyard bench, waitin...

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“Something Actually Magic” by Anne Shillingsburg

Submitted to Contest #208

Clare Maple was born feet first and struggling, her tiny hand clenched fast about the cord as about a life line, seeming to fight to stay inside that warm closed dark. That was the first time her parents believed her lost, an experience which was to recur continually until finally it became an accustomed part of their daily being, as ordinary as eating or breathing, until at last she was gone, really and forever.From that first day when she did not howl like other babies but simply fought not to come into the world until she found she h...

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“Behind the Door ” by John K Adams

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #208

Duncan pulled his reins as his horse emerged from the copse of trees. The castle Camelot stood dreamlike atop a distant hill. Campfire smoke spread beneath the haze lingering from morning. Bucephalus, his steed, stamped restlessly after the long ride. It knew their destination. A covey of quail scurried across the path and into the underbrush. A hawk circled. He dismounted and let the stallion graze. It felt good to stretch. He drank from the stream. Soon Duncan would join others in Arthur’s great hall. Guinevere would return his smile and ...

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“Remote Control” by Chris Campbell

Submitted to Contest #208

DISCLAIMER: No drugs or alcohol were consumed while writing this story. “Hey, what’s-your-face! Do you ever wonder why some moments feel like a montage of dreams, and other moments we can’t remember yesterday?” “No, why?” “It just seems odd at times that I recollect things I’ve said but can’t recall when or where I said them.” “Not this again.” “Hear me out, okay? Do you recall anything unusual about your past?” “Like what?” “For instance, you were driving into the city, then suddenly you found yourself in a hospital having stitches s...

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“THE INEVITABLE ENDING” by Lily Finch

Submitted to Contest #208

“Me, I’m busting out of this joining tonight. This world and my life stay the same all the time, and I never seem to get anywhere for very long,” declared Jaden.“Yeah, I know what you mean. I’m always the bad guy, and everyone loves to hate me,” Wade stated. “Maybe we could boost a car together at Ol’ Man Haggart’s junkyard! Something that he would never miss that we could work on, on the down low,” Jaden thought. But he knew that would never happen. Their situation was dire. They were caught in an unforgiving loop. Wade, Jaden kn...

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“A DRAWN OUT AFFAIR” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #208

*** Content Warning: Sexual/Adult situations **** * *It was the shank of the evening. A majority of the neighborhood had called it a day. The moon, nearly full, cast a warm glow over the small, sleepy town. On a manicured lawn sat an old Victorian home with wrap-around porch. A tattered black ribbon adorned the front door. The artist who lived there had spent as little time as possible in the main house since the funeral. He preferred to be in the studio nestled in the woods behind the home.A single ...

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“Maths Land” by Chris Bullivant

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #208

Maths Land Tariq opened his eyes and looked at his alarm clock. The time was 7:15. He had fallen asleep at 22:05. He noticed things like that. Everyone in Maths Land noticed things like that. Breakfast consisted of half a grapefruit each for his mum, his dad and his sister. He hated grapefruit. Mum had bought them yesterday at a 20% discount. She had also had twelve apples in one bag and fourteen oranges in another and spent some minutes checking that they weighed the same. Tariq walked to school following streets which led in suspiciously p...

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“Existential Ink” by Wilbur Greene

Submitted to Contest #208

In the quiet town of Belmont, life tended to move at its own, unhurried pace. Main Street, lined with family-owned businesses, bore silent testimony to the passage of time. The town's calendar revolved around the school games, Sunday church services, and seasonal festivities. It was a life untouched by the capriciousness of the big cities, one that thrived on routine and familiarity. At the heart of this tranquil normality were four lifelong friends - Mark, an affable mechanic who ran the local garage, Lucy, the spirited school teacher, Pe...

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“The Cowardly Simon” by Jonathan Page

Submitted to Contest #208

The Sunday I first met the author I had my heart set on finding a Cowardly Lion. Sandy had her heart set on a Barbie “The Movie” Doll instead. On Sundays, after church, Sandy and I would run down to the Big Toy Store. But, this Sunday, Sandy kissed me on the lips. And this was where all the trouble started.I was cast in the role of the Cowardly Lion in Mrs. Anderson’s school play based on The Wizard of Oz. After that incident at rehearsal where I froze up and forgot my lines, all I wanted to do was be courageous and not m...

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“Twelve Good Pages” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #208

It would be one thing if we were stuck in a book. There’s a respectability to being characters in a book. I was discussing it with my husband last night, and we both agreed that a novel--or even a novella--would be just fine. Not that we know the difference between a novel and a novella, but I think a novella is sexier. Not that I’m opposed to being in something sexy as long as I’m not the one supplying the sex. I’m not a prude, mind you, but I’m not doing anything prurient just so Reese Witherspoon can read all about it and then tell her ...

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“Bite the hand” by Kevin Keegan

Submitted to Contest #208

Comer Investigations was a highly successful private eye operation run by Steve Comer and Abbie Brady. Though successful Steve and Abbie decided to stick to their backstreet location so as to keep their operations low key. Their HQ was located roughly half a mile away from the sixth business district. When the cops frequently ran out of ideas they turned to Steve and Abbie to solve the unsolvable cases for them and, in turn, Comer Investigations were paid handsomely. Steve Comer had a well lived in face, a bit like Tommy Lee Jones or that to...

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“Cuddlepig and the Electric Victory Song” by Chris Miller

Submitted to Contest #208

Cuddlepig had been a top rack toy since the latest movie in his franchise had hit the cinema. Admittedly, he was from the first movie, but the release of the sequel had seen him promoted from the ten token middle rack to the twenty token heights. Cuddlepig had been raised up to where he belonged. Cuddlepig was kind of a big deal. Unimoo had not been so lucky. Unimoo had also featured in the first movie, but a poorly attached eye and packaging that had become water damaged (when Weekday Marvin had not properly closed the shutters at the end o...

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“Over Easy” by Kenneth Goldman

Submitted to Contest #208

OVER EASY by &nb...

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“Rilestone and the Narrating Angel” by Steffen Lettau

Submitted to Contest #208

Rilestone Jian Silver had just woken up, shaking off the strange dreams of visions from his waking moments merged with images yet to be explored, but he has not gone to such places or times just yet. He blinked several times, tilting his head left and right as if a peculiar sound had caught his attention. He shook his head, stood up...and tilted his head again. His eyes, gifts from his father that could pierce the veils of illusions even by Fallen Angels, shifted in all directions as he searched for that peculiar sound. His ears, gifts f...

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Title: That All Important First Scene

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Write a story where the characters start to realize that they are, in fact, just characters.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 49 stories

“That All Important First Scene” by Ian Gonzales

“Leaving the Almost Palindrome City: Notes from a Second-Rate Villain” by Robert Egan

“Something Actually Magic” by Anne Shillingsburg

“Behind the Door ” by John K Adams

“Remote Control” by Chris Campbell

“THE INEVITABLE ENDING” by Lily Finch

“A DRAWN OUT AFFAIR” by Susan Catucci

“Maths Land” by Chris Bullivant

“Existential Ink” by Wilbur Greene

“The Cowardly Simon” by Jonathan Page

“Twelve Good Pages” by Story Time

“Bite the hand” by Kevin Keegan

“Cuddlepig and the Electric Victory Song” by Chris Miller

“Over Easy” by Kenneth Goldman

“Rilestone and the Narrating Angel” by Steffen Lettau

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about someone living vicariously through someone else.

Write a story about a character who finds a childhood toy that brings back memories.

Write a story about someone who is constantly being put into a box by others.

Set your story in a rosy-pink world where everything is rainbows and unicorns… until it isn’t.

Contest #208

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

238

Contest entries

85

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: