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!

#149: Of Stranger Things

After its much-awaited release last week, the fourth season of Stranger Things has taken the world by storm. First aired in 2016, this television show stars a group of D&D-loving kids and unlikely heroes in a topsy-turvy world. Its creators took inspiration from many classic thrillers, and the show has in turn been influencing writers to write Stranger Things books.

Whether you’ve been swept up by this sensational show or not, I hope my Stranger Things-inspired prompts can propel you into a story of your own this week:

This week's prompts

Write about a character who is trying to convince others to play a game.

Kids – 20 stories

Start your story with the flickering of a light.

Kids – 98 stories

Write about two people who form a bond with each other through music.

Middle School – 46 stories

Set your story in a town that’s teetering on the edge of something dark, literally or metaphorically.

Dystopian – 50 stories

Write a story about an unlikely group (or pair) of friends.

Middle School – 43 stories

Stories

““God Only Knows”” by Laura Simmons

Submitted to Contest #149

“Hey, clean this clutter up!” John playfully kicked his roommate as he passed by a crumpled wad of paper, an errant sock and an uneaten half sandwich on a paper plate, right in the middle of the apartment floor. “God is coming over, and he told me he’d kick your ass if he sees the place in a mess.” Harry burst out laughing. “Who’s coming over?” “God.” I forgot to tell you. I met him at the Ferry last week. We got to talking, and now we’re bffs. At first I didn’t believe him when he said he was God, but...

Read story

“Daisy Died” by Madison Scruggs

Submitted to Contest #149

Five pins hovered above the shiny polished wood, hanging from their necks. Below them, their brothers knocked together before bustling into the black pit, disappearing from sight. Daisy Miller stood at the tail end of the lane and watched the remaining five settle where 10 once stood. She inhaled slowly, paused a moment, and then swung. Crash! The row of white was torn in two by the hurtling purple blur. Daisy raised her hands in victory and delighted in the sound of her friends cheering behind her. ...

Read story

“The Girl Who Walked on Water” by Tsholofelo Tombale

Submitted to Contest #149

It was beautiful out on the day that Sam died. The sun was waning and casting an amber glow across the sky. Sam was walking home from his afternoon classes and had his headphones on, and an old Jay Z playing on repeat when he happened to be passing a river that flowed right under the main highway. Sam paused as he caught sight of a cara mocha skinned girl kneeling by the riverbank. His eyes had never been that great but he could make out that she was wearing the blue shirt and grey skirt that were the uniform at his school, and though she ha...

Read story

“Scribe Automatica” by Kevin DuPont

Submitted to Contest #149

“Has that always been there?” “Has what?” “That tree.” “You’re asking me if a specific tree has always been there? Teddy we are in the middle of the woods. All these trees have always been here since always,” Daisy swept the frizzy strands of hair from her forehead in a futile attempt to keep it from blocking her eyes. &nbs...

Read story

“The Tree” by Dawn Locklear

Submitted to Contest #149

The Tree Lochlyn enjoys her playtime, friends and secret place. What she doesn't know is that there are games that hold mysteries and magic from here before. Her friends like it too because it is the best fort ever. Hide-n-seek is better than any other place, especially during the long days of summer. They get to play late into the evenings, even sometimes close to ten o’clock because it stays lighter longer. On this mid-summer day, Lochlyn naps under the gigantic Black Walnut tree. Because it is so big and...

Read story

“Play With Me” by Annette C

Submitted to Contest #149

“Why are you insisting we play a game when our friend has been missing for days? Not to mention that your little sister is missing as well,” said Jona frustrated that Jinórilie didn’t seem fazed by the current events. “I just want to play, is all. It’s…um, my coping mechanism. I know my sister is missing, but what can I do? There are police searching for her everywhere. As for Derihia, he’s probably at his girlfriend’s,” Jinorilie stood with the controller in his hand, extending it over to Jona. Jona slapped the controller out of his hand, s...

Read story

“Wanna play Yacht? ” by Madhatter Thawne

Submitted to Contest #149

People laugh about it all the time now. Even after I explain the reasoning for it they will sit in silence for a moment, digesting the sweet but bitter reality of it and then they laugh some more. I have always had a keen eye for good people and no-one has ever judged me for anything in my life other than myself but this part of my home always came with an explanation. My family played Yacht when I was a kid instead of Yahtzee. We were poor as any normal middle class adult could see, but as kids we didn’t know this at all. My parents did eve...

Read story

“Obsessive” by Margo Harris

Submitted to Contest #149

“God, I hate that flickering light.” “So, why don’t you just call the landlord about the wiring issue, Bessie?” “Come on, Cooke. Doesn’t he freak you out? He definitely freaks me out.” When I showed up to tour the apartment building I am now living in, I waited in my car until the landlord arrived. I must have been wearing my impatient face because next thing I knew, a guy appeared right in my window, staring into my soul. I took a chance and opened it, rolling it down only a bit. “Are you Betsy?” He asked me. “Bessie, actually.” I repl...

Read story

“The Black Out” by J L Jones

Submitted to Contest #149

*CONTAINS POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE CONTENT - MENTAL HEALTH AND IMPLIED VIOLENCE*The light over the kitchen sink has been flickering sporadically for the past two hours, a storm brewing outside, teasing the electricity lines into the house. I have a flashlight on the table next to me and candles ready to be lit nearby. My phone is charging in case the power is out for days versus hours.I have a love-hate relationship with thunderstorms. I love to watch the lightning light up the sky, each bolt a brilliant flash like blinking neon. I appreciate t...

Read story

“Tipping Point” by Nicole Evert

Submitted to Contest #149

The light gave off a mind-numbing buzz, flickering and faltering as I walked through the halls wearily. The last thing I heard before the shaking was banging from inside the walls, like someone was trapped between, trying to escape. Now, there was just silence.What happened?The last thing I remember happening was I had just drew myself a bath, when I started hearing this thumping from in the walls. It started softer, but grew louder and with aggression, accentuated with short grunts and indecipherable yells, followed by the television beginn...

Read story

“Follow The Light” by Howard Seeley

Submitted to Contest #149

As he opened his eyes, Lazarus was greeted by a flickering light. But unlike any other light he had seen before, it was brilliant as a thousand suns, but at the same time, calm and comforting. The source of the light seemed to draw him, beckoning him to come closer. The glimmer seemed to reflect off of unseen surfaces and it filled the air, pierced his skin, and filled him with energy. As the light strengthened him, a beautiful song began to echo throughout the realm, but where it originated from, he had no idea. Wonderingly, Lazarus asked h...

Read story

“Worlds Apart” by Diego Ornelas-Tapia

Submitted to Contest #149

What could it be? Dante thinks as he fights back the urge to scream, watching the small closet light above him flicker on and off. On and off. Oh, God. What could it be? Dante whimpers. And his older brother, Santiago, places a hand over his mouth and whispers, “Don’t. Move.” Dante abides and holds his breath, staring at his older sister, Addie, gripping onto their father’s hunting shotgun she loaded the second they rushed into the closet. He notices her trigger finger trembling. And her fear only heightens his own. Addie’s never scared. E...

Read story

“Twyla and the Aliens” by MC Mills

Submitted to Contest #149

The flash of the overhead lights caught Twyla’s attention. “The show will be starting in ten minutes, folks. So, please begin making your way to your seats.” The announcer said through the speaker system. Twyla Watson stood watching as people began to file in. To make it seem as if she wasn’t scoping out the room, Twyla adjusted the watch on her wrist. Feeling uneasy, she looked around. There was a group of people ahead of her. She saw three humans. The rest were Eldra, Snakeling, and Felynx. The sight of her mother runnin...

Read story

“Morning Has Broken” by Jeannie Labelle -Potvin

Submitted to Contest #149

Ginny woke up softly with an old Cat Stevens song rising from someplace deep inside. Indeed, morning was breaking and yes, it felt like the first morning.She stretched, thought of Luke with her eyes still closed. She smiled gently, reached out to caress his body and realized he wasn’t there.Ginny sighed, took a deep breath of praise and elation and opened her eyes.Glorious, blinding radiance filled the eastern sky. It had begun with a tentative flicker as the earth traveled towards Her burning lover. His ardent passion burst into a...

Read story

“They Came as One” by Yaimafir Iman Ellovél

Submitted to Contest #149

Light peeked in past his eyelids and seeped through that watery, globular refractory of crystalline vastitude until it graced itself upon his dormant retina. Unlike any kind of drowsiness that had ever come upon him, this weight on his eyes was unbearable and any attempt to resist returning back to darkness was a mere fantasy. The little him falling back, down into the abyss, he reached for the brim of his eyelid, but alas, it was out of reach.Darkness devoured him and quietness pervaded the theater of sight as the last of the light par...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

256

Contest entries

123

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 10, 2022 EST

Won by Katy B 🏆

Title: How to Win a Game of Chess Without Really Trying

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 ⭢