Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

Menu

✕

CONNECT

Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites

BLOG

Success Stories

APPS

TOOLS

Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships

ABOUT

About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#116: Permission vs Forgiveness

As the old saying goes, “It’s easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.” It’s not a policy to adopt too often (if you want to keep your friends, that is). But there will probably be times when — whether out of expedience, impulsivity, or sheer laziness — you throw caution to the wind.

Whether your characters are seeking another’s blessing or begging their pardon, this week’s prompts focus on the complex dynamics between permission and forgiveness.

This week's prompts

Write about a character breaking a rule, but for good reason.

Teens – 38 stories

Write about a character seeking forgiveness for something that happened in the past.

Angst – 67 stories

Start your story with someone being forbidden from doing something.

Dark – 44 stories

Write about a character who is being asked for their blessing, but is reluctant to give it.

Angst – 14 stories

Write a story that centers around a parking permit.

Fluff – 11 stories

Stories

“Inside of Neil's Journal Sensitive Information/ Warning” by Malik Coley

Submitted to Contest #116

“We have plenty of time!” happens to be my catch phrase as my wife and I have a barking match between our daughter. Regarding our daughter. Of course! There’s more than enough time, at least that’s what I thought. Was there ever any remaining time, or was reality something that was constantly being repelled by my desire? Heh. Well hearing that your daughter is diagnosed with schizophrenia isn't exactly music to my ears. Well, not the mellow music I'm used to.Fire is all that’s being seen. Filled with rage, fury, and guilt. All the damage tha...

Read story

“1988” by Nicole King

Submitted to Contest #116

What the fuck am I going to do? I sit cross-legged on our bed, thinking about the past few years. How am I going to explain this? We've been down this road before. More than once. There was the re-kindled flame from highschool. The woman on vacation. The man from the business trip. But this was different. This was an epic fuck up that was about to completely implode my life. It's been two years since I’ve seen him. Two years since I’ve smelled him. Twenty-four months since I’ve kissed him. Seven hundred and thirty days sinc...

Read story

“Thank you, Petal” by Sunny J

Submitted to Contest #116

I ran through the breeze, skirt flying high, relishing the feel of the breeze that swept my hair off the tip of my back. Running through the countryside, through the busy city, and skidded to a halt at the foot of a familiar train station. A girl with tears running down her face was racing through the tracks, as older girls jeered as they shot after her. I gasped as I recognized the girl. “No, not again!” But it happens. There was a deep rumbling as a train started to appear from a curve, heading in the way of the neat red station—th...

Read story

“VII Deadly Sins” by C. M

Submitted to Contest #116

“It was Pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” ●・○・●・○・● Seven deadly sins.Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth. They say Pride is the sin from which all others arise.I disagreed.I didn't consider it a sin at all.Perhaps that is why I am in this position. Being endlessly spun around like a puppet, on the dark stage, with one ominous light illuminating my every step.I don't remember when I stopped feeling my legs and thinking what I was going to do next. I realized there was someone else ...

Read story

“The past will remain” by Manu Jankus

Submitted to Contest #116

''Adryan, someday the world will end, but it will sure as hell end sooner because of you'', Erix roared in a fit of madness. The person he addressed the crushing statement to remembered his friend's painful last words launched frantically at him. They distinctly resonated inside of him, as did the anger, disappointment, and a nearly undetectable amount of grief, coated with a whole lot of pure sadness, of his best friend fifteen years prior. Adryan had devastated him by his absolute ineptitude, which he did not even apprehend the amount of b...

Read story

“Help! Sensitive Information” by Malik Coley

Submitted to Contest #116

Help! Help me! I'm trapped. I'm trapped, as my life is mapped — mapped out that is! A naive me, trying to figure this crap out. That's how I felt as the kid version of me didn't even want to live. My mental state is having the world's biggest disaster! I'm blown away from my experience, shaking from my anxiety while hurricanes drop down from my eyes as everything adds up and subtracts me from reality. It divides me into the people who've been haunted. It multiplies more flashbacks as — I've lost count of the amount of pain I've gone through....

Read story

“Hot Dogma” by Noah Pelletier

Submitted to Contest #116

I had a friend who was a competitive eater as the result of being a Jehovah’s Witness. Because of his religion, Ben wasn't allowed to celebrate holidays like Easter or Christmas, or even his own birthday. Ben had to stand in the hallway as the rest of us celebrated our pagan rituals, like the fertility rite of hunting for colored eggs, tree worship, and blowing out candles endowed with wish-granting magic. So, Ben got his kicks by becoming a competitive eater. That Friday Ben and I were walking to the cafeteria. We were both very excited b...

Read story

“Caleb” by Amy Wright

Submitted to Contest #116

“No! Caleb, put down that doll this second. We don’t touch other people’s things without permission. Apologize right now.” Caleb’s mom had one hand on her hip and was punctuating her speech with the other. Caleb noticed that her scrubs were wrinkled. Caleb did his best to look apologetic as he mumbled, “Sorry, Sherry. Sorry I took your doll,” though he didn’t feel sorry in the least. That Paw Patrol doll should be his, not hers. He picked at his worn tie dyed t-shirt and stuck out his lower lip, even though he knew he would be punished if ...

Read story

“Small Town USA” by Kryste Andrews

Submitted to Contest #116

Warning: Racial prejudice Small Town USA by Kryste Andrews “If you date a Mex...

Read story

“Prime of Life” by Rob Ryter

Submitted to Contest #116

Admonition “Primrose! Just what do you think you are doing, young lady?” Great Aunt Jane’s stentorian voice blared along the landing. Primi’s hand fell limp from the doorknob. “I’m… sorry, Aunt Jane. I just wanted to…” “You know perfectly well you are forbidden to enter Great Uncle John’s office. It is off limits. You are seven years old and you know my rules. Now go to your room. I do not expect to see you until suppertime.” Hot tears welling, Primi ran down the landing to her own room, slammed the door and threw herself face down on he...

Read story

“A Day At The Beach” by Danielle Sanchez

Submitted to Contest #116

“Good Morning!” Yelled Mom and Dad. “Time to get up!” Alex opened his eyes slowly and looked up at his mom and dad standing by his bed holding a breakfast muffin with one lit candle. He looked around the room and found it to be full of balloons and streamers. It’s not my birthday, he thought. By the look on his parents face, he knew that today was a day of celebration. “What’s going on?” He asked. “Who’s birthday is it?” His parents chuckled softly and in unison said with glee, “It’s our gotcha day! Today marks one whole year since we became...

Read story

“Mateo Comes Home” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #116

Ten years ago, a tragedy occur in Maple falls. No one saw it coming, but when it happened, the whole town changed forever. Mateo, the person responsible for the tragedy disappeared shortly after the investigation finished. No one in Maple falls has ever rom him since. What he did stained and tarnished the reputation of Maple falls. Maple falls use to be the No. 1 destination for holiday vacations, now no wants to visit. The tragedy as it is called happened on the night of October 31st 2011, that night Mateo and four friends went to a H...

Read story

“Forgive Yourself” by Tj Bakari

Submitted to Contest #116

The light turned green, a dark blue car turned left and went down a one lane road to an arena at the end of the street. The lanes were empty and the sun was just overhead, birds sat on the telephone wires as the road stretched on. Driving around back coming into view was an elderly bald man cleaning his motorcycle. As the car became parallel to where it was once at the light. A boy in the driver's seat of the dark blue car, turned it off and exited. His dark blue hair long and waving in the wind not dissimilar to the long grass that brushed ...

Read story

“No Going Back” by John Hamour

Submitted to Contest #116

March 22, 2022 It was a beautiful picnic on a beautiful day. Everything was perfect. The sun was shining but not too bright. The warm breeze of the spring flowing over them, the food tasted perfect, they took pictures and watched the sunset. They made out, they went hiking, they engraved their names on a tree. Evan got a tick bite. Claudia struggled to pick it off of his calf. Then they made out some more, stargazed over his truck’s bed, Then accidentally fell asleep. When they woke up, they noticed a creepy figure stalking them, from the lo...

Read story

“Cabin on Forbidden Land” by Elizabeth Fenley

Submitted to Contest #116

The land had been cursed for centuries. Stories were spun and exaggerated over firelight after children had been put to bed. When Serdwyne heard the rumors and saw the cabin in the middle of the heavily forested land, she decided it would suit her purposes. For her “Forbidden” was a challenge she loved.Serdwyne’s appearance in the village attracted attention. As a six and a half foot tall bolva hevitar or “cursed white” with triple scars running diagonally across her face, she was accustomed to attention. Anyone looking was stared down by Se...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

174

Contest entries

112

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 22, 2021 EST

Won by Story Time 🏆

Title: Straw, Sticks, and Brick

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢