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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#14: The Plot Thickens

This week, we launched a very fun* tool at Reedsy: our brand-new Plot Generator!

Turning to writing prompts is a great idea when you need that extra bit of help coming up with ideas to write about. This plot generator is here to do the same, offering more than 1 million** story combinations to inspire you.

You can choose to generate a fantasy, drama, mystery, romance, or sci-fi plot — or, just hit "random" and you'll get a little bit of everything! Plot ideas include characters, a theme, a setting, and even a plot twist... with just one click of the finger!

Each of this week's prompts is a plot element pulled right from our generator. You can feel free to incorporate as many of the elements in your story as you want — whether it's one or all five!

*Almost too much fun, if that's possible.
**Actually, trillions!

This week's prompts

It's about a photographer, who is a rookie.

Character – 34 stories

It's a literary fiction story about growing up.

Novel – 39 stories

It kicks off on a yacht with the delivery of an important letter.

Short Story – 35 stories

Someone in the story has a lot of hard lessons to learn.

Sad – 35 stories

And there's a twist! It actually all took place in the past.

High School – 32 stories

Stories

“A walk on the wild side / The photographer's Story” by Carolyn Bayne

Submitted to Contest #14

he sunset was beautiful on the horizon of the shores of the Caribbean. Now in their 60’s, the years had passed so quickly, and their children have flown the nest, leaving room for expansion, for the two of them to share their final wedded bliss together in paradise. This was their life, as I sat watching, through the lens of my camera.Watching the sea, rippling its waves as blue as the ocean, beckoning, a golden color revealing the fragments from the sky and giving off a slight chill in the air. He, wrapped his arms around hers. She, under t...

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“Today's five o'clock news” by Katherine Gallore

Submitted to Contest #14

His clammy hands felt clumsy and refused to fit in his pockets. He stopped trying to shove them in once he noticed that the receptionist’s eyes were on him, perhaps for the better since the blue plastic envelope had started to slide out from under his arm. He could just see himself desperately trying to pull out his hands, now stuck in small damp pockets, to gather up his papers after they’d flown all over the place. He readjusted the envelope and resigned himself to the awkwardness of empty hands – better than to crease his documents in the...

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“The Folio Assignment” by Melody Davidson

Submitted to Contest #14

I was sitting at a desk in the library across from Sky. She was doing homework, and I was reading a book but I’d been staring and the same page for at least 5 minutes. “So Avery, what do you think about this photo?” she asked, “Your the one that’s good at photography.”“Why are you even doing that homework It’s the holidays?” I asked. “They never check, anyway.”“I really want to do well,” she responded and looked back at her laptop pouting and I laughed. Sky was such a nerd, but you wouldn’t be able to tell behind her crystal blue e...

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“Darkened Chamber” by Sally Monroe

Submitted to Contest #14

It was warm for November. The sun was out but muted, its golden glow filtered through the soft morning mist. It was early still; the sun had only risen above the horizon about an hour ago. Morgan wanted to get an early start. She wanted to be done long before night fell. This was her first solo photo assignment. Her friend, Mary, was supposed to come with her, but had a last minute emergency and had cancelled. Mary offered to go another time, but Morgan had decided to go on alone. She had recently been hi...

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“MY PENTEX” by William Webster

Submitted to Contest #14

The package, wrapped in pink paper, was tied together with a complementing bow and ribbons and placed before Susan. She handled the package in her hands as her parents looked on. Susan had always wanted a camera. Not any camera, but a 35 millimeter, single lens reflect. Caressing the box she rubbed the sides as if rubbing it would make her wish come true. Susan brushed aside her auburn hair and eyed the package hoping beyond hope that the package contained her camera. Untying the ribbon, she slid her finge...

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“What The Camera Doesn’t Capture” by Jackie Black

Submitted to Contest #14

I remember the advice the burly Lieutenant gave me before I left the precinct that day, which also happened to be the day I was hired.“Don’t get drunk on Friday nights and don’t eat anything before your first few call-outs”.The first part made sense since I figured Friday nights were their busy time, but the second part not so much. At least not at that moment.“Yes sir” was all I said back.I doubt he cared that I didn’t drink or felt like explaining his concern for my eating habits.I was also in a hurry to get out of there as this physically...

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“Approach and Capture” by Sam Deans

Submitted to Contest #14

“You develop a technique and you lose. That’s just how it is.” Was Julia’s response to her friend, Jeremy, the host of the local access show. The well dressed host with the ordinary haircut rebuttled back with a confused look on his face. “But you will admit though, that technique equals style, yes?” Julia shook her head, the straight strands of her black hair wavered. “No, no, no, Jeremy the two can be one in the same, but they can also not be. And in my case, they aren’t alike. You see, when you develop a technique, you beco...

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“The Price of A Dream” by Ganesh Malpani

Submitted to Contest #14

“I might get late today. Don’t wait for me and have your dinner on time ma!” said Clara as she left the house. Her weak, old mother just looked at her leave with a tight-lipped expression. ‘Today will be different,’ hoped Clara. She carried the same hope every single day as she left home. Clara was twenty-five, born and raised in Nottingham, and was a photographer. She had a bachelor’s degree in marketing and she had worked as a marketing consultant for a few years at a meager pay. She hated every moment of that job so she finally decided to...

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“Looking Within” by Dana Bolen

Submitted to Contest #14

Something growing? Click.Something wooden? Click.Something white? Click.This quaint neighborhood was proving to be a great place to complete my photography instructor's scavenger hunt assignment. So far I had snapped pictures of nearly every item on the list. Five elusive items remained.Something purple? After meandering several blocks, I spotted a cluster of lilac bushes in front of a quaint old house with a perfectly manicured lawn. Wishing for a close-up, I pushed open the picketed gate. When I was halfway across the grass, I noticed a li...

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“Pitcher John” by James Freeze

Submitted to Contest #14

Pitcher JohnWhat happens to a warrior's mind after the smoke clears and years from the end of his war? In this case, it was the Second World War and this warrior had participated in some of the bloodiest battles in Germany. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was not something many had heard of during this time. At least not by that description but it would show its ugly face later during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. An emotional/psychological cond...

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“Things Unsaid” by Evan Lanning

Submitted to Contest #14

Coursing lightly through the air, a bee came to a rest on the porch balcony. The soft night air was disturbed by this unusual sight. Buzzing from this railing to that, it seemed to mock Edgar as he took another drink. He brushed it away and it flew off momentarily. As it came back, Edgar hesitated before looking out into the temperate spring night of croaking frogs and flickering bugs. He took another drink. The out-of-place bee returned and edged along the banister before Edgar. This time Edgar, wide-eyed, pulled back his hand ready...

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“ Earliest Recollections” by Boris Schwetz

Submitted to Contest #14

Earliest Recollections I got here too quick. I was born a premature baby. At birth I weighed less than five pounds. After I got here I planed to stay skinny because I did not like eating, it took time away from playing and being mischievous. To me this was more important than eating green stuff that tasted awful. My mother and my mammy would secure me in my highchair each day, three times a day. One would stand over me with a flyswatter ...

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“God`s Seed” by Oleg Kharchenko

Submitted to Contest #14

Once upon a time three kids, Andrew, Ann, and Arthur, came to their Grizzled Grand Dad with a long beard and husky hands for the whole summer. He lived in the forest edge in an old-time log house with a small field and a big garden in front of it. Day in and day out children ran around the log house, took care of their nanny-goats, picked cherries and apples, and went to the forest to gather blackberries. Children had fun, fooled around, and felt happy.But one day, while having dinner, capricious and snub-nosed Ann came out with, “Grandpa! W...

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“Love Story” by Benji SIlver

Submitted to Contest #14

Based on a true story I was eight when it happened, police showed up at my front door, coming to take me, my parents were dead, I realised later that that moment was the moment that I lost my childhood, all because of some person with a 40 S&W wanted what we owned. A few days later my uncle comes to pick me up, I didn’t even know I had an uncle. I didn’t want to go, but they said it was compulsory. Another week and I'm in another place far from home. A few years pass, and I feel so alone, no friends, no enemies, just a few bul...

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“Litost” by Shazia Parween

Submitted to Contest #14

I've made a mistake, I tell her without meeting her eyes. My eyes scanning my maths homework. So many mistakes there as well."What did you do?" She doesn't seem furious. Of course she doesn't, she doesn't know yet.Something, wrong, I reply slowly; with a long pause between those two words. I don't want to have this conversation. But I'm still trying. Because I know no other way to fix this. I don't know if I can, even fix this. But I need to try. And I am."It's break time" she shifts in her chair. I notice an eight instead of a nine in my an...

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$50

Prize money

175

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 08, 2019 EST

Won by Raven T 🏆

Title: On Becoming Marcus

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!

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