Write about somebody whose intentions are pure, but somehow always manages to do the wrong thing.

Posted in Character on Apr 7, 2023

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?

✍️ 45 stories

“Chicken Little's Revenge” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #193

Chicken Little’s Revenge As dusk quickly enveloped the abandoned farm, Sam Jones struggled to get his heavy package into the grain elevator. Making sure that the rotting grain covered the package completely, he securely locked the elevator’s lid in place. Then he climbed down from his perch and sped back to his farm. Apparently, no one...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Unintentional Mistakes of a Pure Heart” by Lachandra Dean

Submitted to Contest #193

Marie was a woman with a kind heart and pure intentions. She wanted to do good in the world and make a positive impact in people's lives. She volunteered at a local charity, donated to various causes, and always tried to help those in need. However, no matter how hard she tried, she always seemed to end up doing the wrong thing. It all started when she was a child. Marie would often try to help her parents with household chores, but somehow, she always managed to make a mess. She would accidentally spill water while trying to pour it into a ...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Please, Take a Bow” by Mike Rush

Submitted to Contest #193

Please, Take a Bow I notice that the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, is hosting the world Tai Kwan Do championships and about a billion penguins have shown up to spar in front of others, primarily to be seen kicking someone they have just met in the face. I take in the view, some forty bouts ongoing and about thirty-seven spectators surrounding each one of them, mashed together like metal shards on a magnet. On the outer fringe of the spectators, I see people, those in gis and not, greeting each other wi...

14 comments 14

Read story

“Allie's Hero” by Annabella Bones

Submitted to Contest #193

I always knew I was destined to be with Allie. Allie Hanover was the dream girl of Shelton High. She was the whole package. Rich cinnamon eyes and big curly hair as red as a summer evening sunset. She had the velvet voice of Judy Garland and legs like Betty Grable. She was both hard and soft, athletic and petite. From the gym floor to senior prom, she gave the boys a run for their money. All the girls hated her as much as they wanted to be her. Allie Hanover was a solid 10, and I was her biggest fan. I had known Allie since 3rd grade. We s...

1 comment 1

Read story

“A Sasquatch Vents” by Mehkyla Gibson

Submitted to Contest #193

Hello, my name is Monster. Everyone is scared of me, and I don't know why. My real name is Sasquatch, but everyone just calls me monster. I don’t like that! I’m really nice! I don’t look so different from my fans-I like to call them that. I’m just a bit taller and hairier. I look pretty cuddly if you ask me, my hair makes me look like I’m wearing a fuzzy fur coat. It helps me a lot too! I stay warm every night, I camouflage with my surroundings very well, and I can even make my own hair styles! Anyway, I wanted to vent about my feelings ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Great Pretender” by Joe Smallwood

Submitted to Contest #193

Contains a single reference to a sexual abuse allegation. (not central to the plot)Joshua came into my class at Our Lady of Fatima in late October. He had a late start with us because at his old school, St. Michaels, kids always called him names like “brownie” and “squirt.” I had already warned my kids that I would not tolerate name calling. But the damage was already done. On his first day in grade four, Joshua would pick fights with anyone who so much as looked at him. He might have been a loving son, a wonderful brother, a fearless w...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Fellowshipping” by April Mattson

Submitted to Contest #193

“A Film Crew in Kichener” A documentary crew is currently filming in areas around Kichener, revealed to be in connection to events occurring six years ago, involving four former students from Northwood High School: Andrea Abramson, Phoebe Doon, Shaye Brooks, and the victim, Mabel Briggs. City officials wouldn’t confirm but ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Adventure of Hunter and Imperial” by Andrew Foster

Submitted to Contest #193

It was night out by a village in Montana. There were reports of dangerous animals stealing the sheep from the Farmers of the nearby village. Some of the people from the village had already tried to go out there themselves and deal with their creature problem only to have their screams heard later that night and then a fall of silence. So Hunter was contracted to deal with the problem. Because of his earlier track record of dealing with dangerous creatures. Hunter is out one day tracking his prey through the woods; hi...

0 comments 0

Read story

“By the Grace of God” by Novah Hiraeth

Submitted to Contest #193

I'm blinded for a moment. An unobstructed ray of sunlight flashes over my eyes. I close them and wait for it to pass. My eyelids glow a shade of garnet. I make a conscious effort to relax my brow and allow the light to be bright without squinting. My eyelids go black again. A cloud most likely, braving a journey across the sky. I ponder for a moment where it's headed. Perhaps to the coastline, and then to cascade into salty, blue waters. Or maybe the desert, to save a starved, sweating soul at the mercy of the sun. I open my eyes. There she...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Heist” by Julian Tenorio

Submitted to Contest #193

32,000 dollars, that’s how much Mr. Torres, the economics and English teacher made a year. Approximately 2600 a month, when you took out taxes, healthcare, retirement, and fees it was down to $1600. He had studied psychology and minored in kinesiology in college, his mother badgered him to study engineering or maybe become a doctor, doctors made a ton of money and are recession proof, that was her go to line. She would deliver it snidely whenever he asked for gas money. But he wanted to study something that made him happy, anyways, was...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Bob's Bad Luck” by Nathan Anderson

Submitted to Contest #193

Bob was a very thoughtful fellow, although he was uncoordinated. He made a lot of oversights. Even though he would try things, they didn’t always work out. Bob was a caveman, a real Neanderthal, and he loved to create. He invented new things all the time. But he would make little mistakes along the way, usually resulting in a fight, accident, or calamity, making people very unenthusiastic about his work. When he tried the T-Rex taxi, the village banished him from their valley, into a cave on the mountain. One day Bob woke up in his cave. It...

0 comments 0

Read story

“I Always Mean Well But......” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #193

Someone was crooning ‘Why me Lord’ on my car radio. The windscreen wipers seemed to be going back and forwards in rhythm with the tune. I don’t even know what the words were to the song but it sounded sad and I felt sad. My tears were falling like the rain outside. “Why me?” I wailed along with the voice. I think I picked up somewhere in the words that he was talking to Jesus but I was talking to the universe. “Why am I so clumsy? I try to do things to help people and it always turns out a disaster…like today” and the thought of what ha...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Offering” by L. Odell

Submitted to Contest #193

As Pascal entered the backyard and hugged his younger sister, Marianne, all the witty lines he had planned to say slipped from his mind. "The food smells great," was all he could say. Marianne wore a light-red sundress, some open-toed sandals, and a slim gold necklace around her neck. And Heyward, Pascal's brother-in-law, stood dutifully at the grill, a greasy apron around his waist, a pair of silver tongs in his hand, as he monitored the sizzling meat. Marianne grabbed Pascal's hand and led him further into the backyard. She quickly introd...

0 comments 0

Read story

“How to Pave a Road” by K Lark

Submitted to Contest #193

They say the road I’m on is paved with good intentions. To that I say… At least, I tried. ~*~*~ I’m sorry, I missed your question. Where’d I go wrong? Was that it? Right. Well. You know when you meet someone who says they want to change the world. Always make sure you ask… “How?” ~*~*~ “Welcome to Howeling Pharmacies where your health is priceless! How may I help you today?” “Hi, I’m here to see Mr. Rogers.” Yep, you guessed it, that’s me. No, not the chipper front desk attendant, the one there for ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“An Idle Helping Hand” by Levi Michael

Submitted to Contest #193

Aldous Albitter had spent the last thirty-five years climbing the corporate ladder to the top. Today was the first Monday of his retirement. The first day he hadn’t woken before dawn to take the train into the city, and ravenously poured over ad-specs. He wasn't the type of guy to think about his own death, but if he had to, he would have pictured himself slumped over his drafting desk, dead from a heart attack at ninety-five. Now just shy of sixty-four, he had aged out of the industry and been politely escorted into retirement. He had gone ...

0 comments 0

Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story inspired by the concept of arigata-meiwaku — a favor that turns out to be a nuisance for its recipient.

Funny – 53 stories

Write a story where someone insists on giving your main character a ride to the airport, only for their car to break down.

Fluff – 26 stories

Write a fable inspired by a relatable life experience (explaining the moral before or after the story, if you’d like).

Kids – 16 stories

Write a story containing the words “it’s the thought that counts.”

Dialogue – 46 stories

Contest #193

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: A Bear's Favor

$250

Prize money

186

Contest entries

115

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 14, 2023 EST

Won by SCOTT GEORGE 🏆

Title: To Plant a Garden.

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 somebody whose intentions are pure, but somehow always manages to do the wrong thing.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 45 stories

“Chicken Little's Revenge” by Bob Faszczewski

“The Unintentional Mistakes of a Pure Heart” by Lachandra Dean

“Please, Take a Bow” by Mike Rush

“Allie's Hero” by Annabella Bones

“A Sasquatch Vents” by Mehkyla Gibson

“The Great Pretender” by Joe Smallwood

“Fellowshipping” by April Mattson

“The Adventure of Hunter and Imperial” by Andrew Foster

“By the Grace of God” by Novah Hiraeth

“The Heist” by Julian Tenorio

“Bob's Bad Luck” by Nathan Anderson

“I Always Mean Well But......” by Valerie Preston

“The Offering” by L. Odell

“How to Pave a Road” by K Lark

“An Idle Helping Hand” by Levi Michael

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story inspired by the concept of arigata-meiwaku — a favor that turns out to be a nuisance for its recipient.

Write a story where someone insists on giving your main character a ride to the airport, only for their car to break down.

Write a fable inspired by a relatable life experience (explaining the moral before or after the story, if you’d like).

Write a story containing the words “it’s the thought that counts.”

Contest #193

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

186

Contest entries

115

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: