Write about a technophobe who’s been given a device to solve a problem they’ve struggled with for years, but isn't sure how they feel about it.

Posted in Character on Oct 26, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 95 stories

“QUEST FOR IMMORTALITY” by Olabanji Aliu

Submitted to Contest #82

Baale chewed over the fleetingness of life throughout that night. He didn't wait for the first cockcrow before he made way to Ogbon's house.“Ogbon has all the answers,” he would mutter to himself whenever he was faced with some kind of weird difficulties. Now that someone like Ogbon exists, he would finally be freed from what had disturbed him for a long time.Awele, his first wife died a year ago and he found himself already forgetting her even though it wasn't what he wanted. The only way he could remembered his Mother was through a piece o...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Ghost of Edward Abbey” by Vanessa Waltz

Submitted to Contest #82

You walk the mile-long walk to your mailbox, six inches of new snow soaking through last year’s boots, purchased in the fluorescent glow of a consumerist shrine to the great outdoors. On that rare trip to town, you’d watched latte-sipping millennials drive their SUVs around the loading dock for $10,000 worth of shiny plastic camping gear. You chuckle, wincing at the memory. Abbey would laugh too, or at least shoot another few holes in his wheezing Frigidaire.“Uncle,” Julia had gasped over the landline. “Whaddya think of all this? Are they go...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Just Beyond Her Reach” by E B

Submitted to Contest #82

It was early onset Alzheimer’s, the doctor had said. The woman had said that wasn’t possible. The doctor had chuckled, which she thought was inappropriate, and told her it most certainly was. She had thought it was all inappropriate. I’m only fifty, the woman had said. It’s not possible. The doctor had sighed, sat next to her. Do you have any children or family who can help you? And that’s as much as the woman remembers, truthfully. The rest is just beyond her grasp, frustratingly unobtainable, tantalizing, glittering. She...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Requisite Companion” by Ayah Gabr

Submitted to Contest #82

Days turned to weeks, to months, and successively to years, yet the barrier between the world and I is nourishing, unlike my aging self. There is always that feeling of being attacked, invading me whenever I come in contact with people. A series of looping ropes, choking and arresting my thoughts and my functional self, is always on replay when a conversation is in the process of being initiated; only God knows for how long it has been petrified there with no sign of progress. Every day the severity and seriousness reach a higher peak than t...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Necessary New Normal” by AJ Harrison

Submitted to Contest #82

The chill of the evening air whipped around the length of Teresa’s knee-length skirt. The damp fabric clung to her plump thighs with the weight of the soapy laundry water. The sunset cast a splendid array of orange and yellow hues across the almost cloudless sky. Teresa yanked the last piece of clothing; a heavy set cotton sweater from the plastic basin that was filled to the brim with rinsing water wringing it dry before clipping it next to a pink silk pajama pants to the clothesline that was now hanging low under the weight of numerous fre...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Disturbing the Dust” by Rob M

Submitted to Contest #82

It was ten o’clock, and the morning mists were reluctant to release their hold on the Scottish borders. Gradually, the breeze was revealing a landscape of conifers, some bare, some clinging to their green needles. A road cut through the dense plantation, linking a small, sleepy village to the solid, square outline of a castle. The building’s element-battered exterior revealed that it had been rebuilt and remodelled countless times, its façade subject to both the necessities of war and the fickleness of fashion. In the gloom, one sign of occu...

4 comments 4

Read story

“The Living Earth” by Dominic Lapi

Submitted to Contest #82

A tentative step, then another. A reverent silence enveloped the valley as Mygan began her ascent to the stone. The grand chancellor had just finished announcing Mygan’s presence to the eager crowd, a gathering of the four tribes at the base of the valley. Mygan was painfully aware of the soft sounds her bare feet made as she padded up the moss-covered stairs. She felt the weight of 10,000 years upon her shoulders. The Great Festival had lasted one month, and today was the final day. Mygan neared the...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Running Totals” by Tanja Cilia

Submitted to Contest #82

“I want you to have this!” she said. I undid the bow and opened the shoebox. I eased out the gift inside. It was something full of bells and whistles; a thingamabob between a Fidget Box that is given to those inclined to stim, and Ziggy, the Supercomputer of Quantum Leap. “Will it bite?” She laughed. “What does this do? And this? And this?” “That is for you to find out…” She smiled, and took her leave, not even staying for coffee or ice-cream. I was one big mess. I had a list of ailments and conditions as long as...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Technology wins” by Elda Du Toit

Submitted to Contest #82

It is May 1999 and John is lost. Again. It is the fifth time this week that he gets lost on his way to a client. As a financial advisor who meets clients at their homes or in coffee shops, John travels a lot and sees at least three clients a day. But he is not good at reading maps. Or following directions. John is not one of those men who are too proud to ask for help, it is just that he cannot necessarily use the help he gets. When he asks for directions, he tries his best to listen carefully. “Turn left at the fuel station, then right a...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Vanilla, knuckles and wood” by DREW LANE

Submitted to Contest #82

The ocean looked different. The waves rolled the same. The sky was as dense. The foam still like scum. And yet, the air tasted fade - as if its salt had evaporated.Colin threw a stick of wood at Henry to get rid of him and dive his sharp eyes deeper into the tide. While Henry barked away, Colin felt the wind against his fleece jacket. It was one of those March mornings that soaked into your bones. One of those March mornings that tasted like rust. Rust from the ocean.Rust that he wished could bend his mind.*His thick hands brushed the pan in...

3 comments 3

Read story

“What Say You, Little Bird?” by Max Arlo

Submitted to Contest #82

He stared at the gleaming metal, trying not to think about the wires running through it and where they connected to. “Ok, Kris, take it slowly at first. Just ease your weight onto them and see how it feels.” Moving at glacial pace, he ever so gently eased his way until he stood on his new legs. Straightening his spine for the first time in what felt like centuries, he suddenly towered above the physical therapist. Much to his surprise and slightly to his chagrin, he hardly wobbled at all. “Excellent! It seems like you’ll be a natura...

0 comments 0

Read story

“THE TURING POINT BY DANIEL BARNHART” by Daniel Barnhart

Submitted to Contest #82

n the beginning there was light. That's how I start off the telling of peace and prosperity for my time. It was a time of discovery and innovation. All the best and brightest minds gathered in Silicon Valley to attempt to solve the problem of humanity. I believe that we gave up on ourselves with the invention of the computer. The computer promised a brave New World. The computer could be programmable. Just like humanity developed language over time, so too did the computer. Originally, this language was used to teach the computer to play che...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Planes ” by Starlight Tucker

Submitted to Contest #82

I had a dream that I was standing in an empty part of the city, unsure of where I was and why I was there. The sky looked like the early morning with pink and orange clouds. There were skyscrapers all around. As I looked above, a large plane emerged and hovered uncomfortably close to one of the buildings. I've had this dream before, but in different forms- planes falling out of the sky, crashing into the city, into homes or buildings. But in this dream, the plane hesitated, hovering uncomfortably close to the building and slightly lean...

0 comments 0

Read story

“On second thought...” by Chrisna Abbott

Submitted to Contest #82

"Infernal, dratted... doomed box of Pandora!" He glares at the black screen, a dim version of himself scowling back. But scowling won't deliver her "royal highness's" requested changes to her "royal mansion". That blasted woman! Drat Patrick for consenting and promising - again. And drat this computer. Drat it all! He turns, pushing both hands through his blonde hair, making them stand up like tufts of grass in all directions. He grabs the telephone. All but crushes the keys. "Patrick, this box of doom has lost its mind! Gone and pack...

7 comments 7

Read story

“Music Has Some Soul” by William Bushey

Submitted to Contest #82

Music Has Some Soul “Chez you seen that new artist that got generated again?” Tossed up Quincy, my computer-generated friend. “Yeah, another soulless computer program by ol’ Amazon playing on everyone's analytics, shame.” I put back at him mentally while walking away to my car. Crazy to think that about a month ago I was almost on top of the charts in the UK. Now, I can’t compete. The shoes on my feet slowly started to fall apart a bit. Laces were not hard to replace, however, who cares? I sure don’t, I guarantee all t...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Your character has just realized the app they’ve been developing has become self-aware. How do they react?

Science Fiction – 74 stories

Write a historical fiction story about someone working at a company that helped revolutionize early computers.

Historical Fiction – 17 stories

Write a near-future thriller where a piece of everyday technology has turned against your character — and only your character.

Thriller and Suspense – 130 stories

Write about an android just trying to blend in with their human companions.

Science Fiction – 221 stories

Contest #82

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: How App-ropriate

$50

Prize money

537

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 26, 2021 EST

Won by Cyndy Reads 🏆

Title: ALN23061912RK

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Write about a technophobe who’s been given a device to solve a problem they’ve struggled with for years, but isn't sure how they feel about it.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 95 stories

“QUEST FOR IMMORTALITY” by Olabanji Aliu

“The Ghost of Edward Abbey” by Vanessa Waltz

“Just Beyond Her Reach” by E B

“The Requisite Companion” by Ayah Gabr

“Necessary New Normal” by AJ Harrison

“Disturbing the Dust” by Rob M

“The Living Earth” by Dominic Lapi

“Running Totals” by Tanja Cilia

“Technology wins” by Elda Du Toit

“Vanilla, knuckles and wood” by DREW LANE

“What Say You, Little Bird?” by Max Arlo

“THE TURING POINT BY DANIEL BARNHART” by Daniel Barnhart

“Planes ” by Starlight Tucker

“On second thought...” by Chrisna Abbott

“Music Has Some Soul” by William Bushey

🌟 Similar prompts

Your character has just realized the app they’ve been developing has become self-aware. How do they react?

Write a historical fiction story about someone working at a company that helped revolutionize early computers.

Write a near-future thriller where a piece of everyday technology has turned against your character — and only your character.

Write about an android just trying to blend in with their human companions.

Contest #82

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

537

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: