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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#16: Once Upon a Time

Earlier this week, we published a blog post about modern fairy tales, and it got us thinking about the fact that no genre of literature is without its own set of tropes — and that certain literary tropes we still see commonly today are rooted centuries back.

This week's prompts are all elements pulled from fairy tales — both modern and old. You can feel free to play them straight: in other words, using the trope traditionally. Or you can feel free to twist the trope on its head. That's the great thing about tropes: they might provide you with a foundation that's already well-worn, but the opportunities to make it your own are endless.

This week's prompts

Write a story around the theme: Be careful what you wish for.

Novel – 79 stories

Write a story that involves love at first sight.

Romance – 87 stories

Write a rags-to-riches story.

Novel – 20 stories

Write a story in which characters are warned not to go into the woods.

Mystery – 98 stories

Write a story about a character on a quest, trying to "prove themselves."

Adventure – 30 stories

Stories

“Being Me” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #16

Wake up in the morning, take a shower and brush my teeth. Feed the cats then eat my breakfast, then go online and hope my friend is there. He been gone for a couple of days, and I was worried. Not to mention lonely.Sure, I am married but he is busy with his work most the time. I sigh and start drawing to pass the time. I look at my drawings and smile, they always have a way of making me feel good. Then I try to work on one of my stories, but find I don't have much muse for it. Sometimes I wish I had more friends, and people I could hang out ...

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“WISH” by Scott McCowan

Submitted to Contest #16

Three friends find a magic lamp and cannot help but think of the story about Aladdin. One going as far as to rub it and jokingly state “Oh Jeni of the lamp, grant us wishes.” their sides aching in lighter. No sooner than the friend had, a Jeni appeared with all of them picking their jaws up from the ground. The remaining two left presuming this had to have been planned. Resembling nothing like the Jeni from Aladdin. ‘You ask for three wishes?’ the voice sounding as if it came from everywhere but nowhere at the same time, each noddi...

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“What this table holds....” by Karen Iseminger

Submitted to Contest #16

“Well… as delightful as this has been…” Garis put his hands on the table and pushed himself up, “I have homework to do…” The table gave more than it should and answered back with a groan. The corners of Lynn’s mouth pulled upward, reluctantly; her eyes cast down at Garis’s hands, “I remember when you were so little… your chubby little hands on this table… and now you give it all it can handle…”“Oh no, mom’s crying again…” Grace was laughing at her mom without making fun of her. As much as Grace didn’t want to admit it, she was a lo...

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“Shattered Reflections” by Kennedy Smith

Submitted to Contest #16

“Maryanne, add another curl to the left side and more pins to the right to lift it better,” Kiana ordered scrutinizing her image in the mirror in front of her. “Yes M’Lady,” Maryanne sighed stretching her tired fingers and reached for another pin. ‘Kiana!” The door flew open and a disheveled young women ran in tripping inelegantly on the carpet before she reached the vanity. “Emmaline,” Kiana smiled. “I long to hear what you rushed in here to thrust upon me with all the enthusiasm in the world, however.” “However, you simpl...

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“Shattered again” by Aurora James

Submitted to Contest #16

Time is meaningless in the underworld. It’s a recurring nightmare. You’re alone, with nowhere to go, no other soul around. Just you, stuck repeating the memory of your death in a never ending cycle. It’s kind of like billions of parallel dimensions all with the label “hell” on top of them. Once you die you’re stuck here by default. Judging day is November 22nd. You just have to cross your legs and wait for it. Getting judged is a choice, though. And truly, I can relate to the souls who would rather tr...

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“No, Never Mind!” by Christine Hungerford

Submitted to Contest #16

The girl stood alone in her room, her mud-brown hair shielding her profile so anyone coming into the room could not really look at her. “I’ll never move out of here. I’ll never have the best of friends. I’ll never have a secure future!” Delilah trudged to her bed and flopped down onto it. She was twelve years old, in the seventh grade and she was moving—yet again—to a new school—for the ninth time. This new house was the hundredth...

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“Love And Me” by Cynthia Starchasertenn@aol.com

Submitted to Contest #16

Growing up I always heard the term "Love at First Sight" but I was not even thinking about "Love". They always said you don't need to look for love, it will find you....I thought that was funny, I laughed and went on playing with my friends. As I grew up, things started changing, my thinking, my body, my mind and they way I thought about things. I started noticing boys more and thinking how some of them were so cute, having these feelings that I couldn't explain. Then one day I was sitting on the front porch of my Gammy's house with my ...

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“Return to Sender” by Douglas Maxson

Submitted to Contest #16

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“Picasso summer” by Judy McIntosh

Submitted to Contest #16

Jenna sauntered through the leafy woods heading for the river. Summer was in early days and the warm breeze was scented with lilac blossoms. She had found a perfect path, winding through the forest filled with budding trees.Jenna and her dad had just moved into this rural town after the sudden death of her mother. She had been killed by a drunk driver last year.They had decided that a new start in a different town might be best for them.She now stood on the windy rock cliff, opening her arms to the panoramic view. White clouds scudded across...

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“Forgotten Princess of the Silver Throne” by Alexandria Hodson

Submitted to Contest #16

I hadn’t expected the entire town to greet us when we’d arrived. I also hadn’t expected the cottage we had moved into to be so large. It sat beside the lake, its wood damp from the spray. There seemed to be no shortage of wind, a solemn cry echoing through the walls. I was pleased to find that my bedroom wasn’t the size of a closet. For some reason, the idea of no longer being in a city came with a picture of smaller everything. I was wrong. The dining room was about the size of the livi...

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“I Miranda” by Albert Zygier

Submitted to Contest #16

I Miranda by Albert Zygier Sandy, a good friend of mine that works as a producer in one of the networks that I am a frequent guest on, invited me to a July 4 party in East Hampton at the home of her aunt and uncle, a mogul in the real estate business. Everybody who is anybody will be there. As it happened, I had just come back from an assignment in the Middle East, and after a few weeks traveling from one country to another I was worn out, so I accepted. Who knows, perhaps I might even find an interesting story just waiting for me there.&nb...

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“Loves at first sight” by Sumaita Jabeen

Submitted to Contest #16

I yawn as I saunter out of my house ready to tackle the day. I walk towards the bus stop and wait for my bus as I give a once over in what I have with me. I have a strenuous job as a theatre manager. Plays are a big thing in “Once Upon A Land”. The prince and princesses that reigns the countries are usually the idols the plays are based on. Their love stories are something. I don’t get it. I don’t get those butterflies erupting in the stomach moments, the time stopping moments, everything being a blur except for the person standing in front ...

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“Love At First Sight (Sort Of)” by Kemmy Blue

Submitted to Contest #16

True Love Isn’t Real. That is my rule of life. If you lower your expectations you won’t get hurt. You don’t look at somebody and immediately fall in love. I guess that’s what happens in those old Disney movies. But it’s about more than what you look like. There are other things you need to take into account. Personality Smarts Love for Life There is no such thing as love at first sight. Or so I thought. My name is Karli. And this is my love at first sight story (Sort of) I sat in the middle of a long history lecture in a ro...

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“Found At Last” by Emma Chaffey

Submitted to Contest #16

I gagged unconsciously as yet another couple's lips met. Christmas was quickly rounding the corner, and all this garbage about holiday romance and kisses under the mistletoe was finally starting to get under my skin. More than just under my skin. It was burning my insides, and my heart was right in the middle of it all. Christmas was meant to be a time of cheer and gratitude, giving and compassion. Instead all I felt was loneliness. Friends were constantly shopping, attending dates, and pushing aside all thoughts of me. I think my depressing...

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“The Princess Was the One for Me ” by Rachel Frankki

Submitted to Contest #16

Falling in love at first sight, was not an idea I heard throughout my childhood. I grew up hunting in the woods for survival, where my parents taught me all of their skills pertaining to living in the wilderness. They were the ones that told me how to properly skin a wild animal while also looting a royal carriage, and not get caught. To be able to stave off hunger when the winter was harsh, and there wasn’t a variety of easily accessed food. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have been able to continue living in the woods after their deaths...

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$50

Prize money

314

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 22:59 - Nov 22, 2019 EST

Won by Vivien Leanne Saunders 🏆

Title: The Sackcloth Liar

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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