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!

#140: Down Memory Lane

It’s no secret that many writers draw inspiration for their writing from real life, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, when you’re searching for things to write about, taking a memory of your own and altering it is a reliable way to get out of a bout of writer’s block.

Memory is an important concept when writing fiction, as it helps connect the past to the present — so this week, let’s take a trip down memory lane.

This week's prompts

Start your story with the narrator or a character saying “I remember…”

Angst – 102 stories

Write about a character with an unreliable memory.

Character – 46 stories

End your story with total oblivion.

Horror – 24 stories

Write a story that involves a flashback.

Fiction – 71 stories

Write a story inspired by a memory of yours.

Nonfiction – 90 stories

Stories

“Snow” by Erica Waterman

Submitted to Contest #140

Snow. The people on the TV are predicting 11 to 15 inches overnight. A few flurries are floating down towards the grass now, but the real snow is coming overnight. As Margo sits down at the kitchen table with her cup of tea, she recalls how much she used to enjoy the snow as a child. She and her sister used to go sledding with their father. They had a wooden sled with metal runners. It was painted red, of course. Red, sled. A rhyme. She wonders if she has noticed that before. The color red ...

Read story

“The Tragic Backstory of Danika DeRioux” by Naomi Coffman

Submitted to Contest #140

The hero will win. The villain will lose. Someone you love will die. That’s the story. That’s always the story. Don’t forget. Danny remembers every detail of that day. She can’t forget and, believe me, she’s tried. She remembers the electric spark of his touch. She remembers his smell—sandalwood and citrus. She remembers the way he said her name, as if he could taste it. Dark chocolate. Dry red wine. A last kiss. Delightful. Full of delight. It’s been a long twenty years, but Danny hasn’t forgotten. * They met just before sunset, at a hole...

Read story

“Silence is Golden ” by Karen Lethlean

Submitted to Contest #140

Silence is Golden Once upon a time – A good beginning; warm and familiar you may say. Everything must have a beginning. Once upon a time; belonging to myth and fairy tales, does not seem to fit, but will have to do. This was a time when the world seemed a ‘Noah’s Ark’ society and I am the single who didn’t fit. I might have documented a case of ‘survivor syndrome’ being the survivor of a broken marriage and working full-time shift work, supporting a child. I was burdened and fragmented. Somehow, someway the pieces ha...

Read story

“A Pair of Bluebells” by Lily Lu

Submitted to Contest #140

This must be the thousandth time I’ve saddled my hippogriff, but today my hands tremble. Falena is an icy blue steed and her gold feathery tail fans out behind her. Picking up on my antsy energy, she chirps uneasily. Today, I’m going on a simple royal quest to pick up something from the dangerous Silver Thicket. It doesn’t sound too intimidating, but completing a royal quest is the only opportunity for children of craftsmen like me to ascend to nobility. If I fail, I might not get another chance for years, and I’ll be stuck in my parents’ di...

Read story

“Gone” by Kate Kilbee

Submitted to Contest #140

Images. There are the ones in your dreams which are very vivid. People walk and talk in them but even whilst asleep you know they are not real. Then there are the ones made of paper, photographs, that you can hold in your hand that capture moments forever, like time standing still. Freeze frame. Neither of these are real because the people in them are not moving or reacting in real time. They are not aging or changing. You cannot hold a conversation with them, or laugh at their jokes. So there are times when images are not enough or can even...

Read story

“The Church of the Past” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #140

The Church of the Past The year was 2016. My wife and I were taking a drive in the country with no particular destination in mind, open to anything that we might find and explore. But, as we would suspect sometime later, perhaps there was more to it than mere travellers' whim. Perhaps the word 'destination' contains the word 'destiny'. We had driven down country roads for about half an hour when we saw something that caught our interest. The little church stood prou...

Read story

“Death Among the Waves” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #140

Natasha Yugoselski ran to hang up her Walker Company work apron and rushed to the exit for the long trek home. She couldn’t wait to throw herself into the arms of Janusz, her husband, lifemate and love. He had spent the glorious summer day swimming on the Jersey Shore with Stash and Walter, his two teenage sons, and Natasha couldn’t wait to hear about their adventures. Sure she regretted having to work on the production line while her family played, but one of the Walker...

Read story

“Huntington Lake” by Mariah Heller

Submitted to Contest #140

“Remember the bear? With Dad around, we didn’t even realize we were in potential danger. At least our food was wrapped up well and out of reach from wildlife,” recollected Ellie while she was on the phone with Susan. Susan snorted, causing the sound waves to vibrate against Ellie’s ear. “Wrapped up? Don’t you remember that bear ate the rest of the dog food! Dad and Uncle Brian secured our food, not Porky’s.” Ellie smiled at the memory she and Susan shared camping with their dad at Huntington La...

Read story

“Sessions 2, 5, and 9” by Sue Hunter

Submitted to Contest #140

“You said you had some things you wanted to talk about, Helen. Tell me, what’s on your mind?” “I don’t know, I guess I’ve just been feeling really burnt out lately. I feel like I keep repeating the same chores every single day. I have no way to liven things up.” “I see. What about your friends? Why not ask them to hang out?” &...

Read story

“Mahon 1969” by Jay Harold

Submitted to Contest #140

Sensitive material: Some swearing and descriptions of sexual harassment but they are a necessary part of the story. Mahon 1969 I remember it as though yesterday - “Eh, English, fucky fucky!” These words are seared in my memory. I can still hear them, even now. They were shouted at me by a raggle taggle group of young men and boys whenever I disembarked from the coach to Mahon from Cala‘n Porter. Face burning, I would head off down the street carrying my metal handled shopping bags. The women would look at me wit...

Read story

“I Remember Drowning ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #140

I remember drowning. Most people would pick a more pleasant memory, but to me, the day when I nearly drowned in the South Fork of the American River on June 17, 1992, created a memory that will be with me the rest of my life. I have many other memories, some good as well, some not so good, some I wish I could forget because they weigh me down like an anchor. I will never forget how quickly I was pulled into the rapids, helpless as a newborn and then at the exact moment when I thought I was going to die, I came to the surfac...

Read story

“Forced Fate” by Nicole Bolding

Submitted to Contest #140

I remember green trees. To be specific, not just green trees, but trees in a myriad of colors. Autumn brought leaves of red, purple, and a beautiful golden yellow. Some trees stayed a beautiful deep green year-round. Spring was the best time to admire the trees. The bright green buds of newly forming leaves were a sight to behold, and the blooms of colorful flowers were always beautiful. I did not appreciate them then. They were the most mundane thing in the world that I took for granted. I never thought I would wake up in this dreary future...

Read story

“My Friend, Stella” by Paul Forster

Submitted to Contest #140

I remember seeing Stella for the first time on a Wednesday in October of 1950, we were both eleven and in the 6th grade. It was lunchtime and she was sitting alone in a corner of the school yard not eating. In the next few days I’d see her eating crackers sometimes, but she never had anything to drink until we went back in and she’d spend a long time at the water fountain. Everyone who brought lunch got to picnic when the weather was okay and we gathered into groups with our friends. I didn’t have any real friends, I was the school ne...

Read story

“Ida and the Stricken Savant” by Jonathan Krushell

Submitted to Contest #140

I remember the day she died.I wish I didn’t. I wish I could forget. One night I saw a storm in the forecast for the next day and prayed I’d be struck by lightning so I’d forget everything.I remember a lot of things about that day. I’m not talking about the day she died. I’m talking about the day after the night I prayed I’d be struck by lightning. And every day since then.I remember everything that has happened in the past seven months because God answered my prayers. Of course, he didn’t answer my prayers when my wife started getting s...

Read story

“The School Magazine” by Dragos Marcean

Submitted to Contest #140

I remember that day perfectly. It was as gloomy as my mood lately. I was twenty-seven years old and already bored with life. Also, it wasn’t the best idea to forget my umbrella at home during a rain shower, nor to miss the bus. To make matters worse, an asshole driver splashed me from head to toe. I explained to him, in my mind, why his mother was an easy woman, but that didn't dry my underwear. I was going to be late for school, and there was no doubt that in my class there would be pandemonium. The last time I was late, I found the littl...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

333

Contest entries

170

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 08, 2022 EST

Won by Cecilia Maddison 🏆

Title: Old Soul

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 ⭢