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!

#17: All the Fixin's

Next weekend is Thanksgiving in the United States! And while people have their own various traditions when it comes to marking the holiday, one thing remains fairly consistent: you get together with loved ones and you eat.

And in between mouthfuls, you talk! In fact, dinner conversation can be an excellent and overflowing source of writing inspiration — from family dynamics and long-observed dinner-time rituals, to new-comer partners meeting the family for the first time. A family dinner can truly be mapped out using a story structure: with a beginning, followed by rising action, peaking with a climax, and then wrapping up with a denouement.

This week, each of our prompts challenges you to write a short story involving a family dinner.

P.S – Know some kiddos who will be excited to do some reading over the holidays? Check out this list of the 35 best Thanksgiving books to read with kids.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a family dinner from the perspective of an in-law who's married into the family.

Thanksgiving – 33 stories

Write a story about a family dinner that includes someone unexpected showing up.

Thanksgiving – 80 stories

Write a story about a "chosen family" dinner, where no one is related by blood, but they still feel like family.

Holiday – 40 stories

Write a story about a family dinner that takes place in any time period other than the present.

Historical Fiction – 30 stories

Write a story about a family dinner that involves some kind of reconciliation.

Nonfiction – 30 stories

Stories

“Thanksgiving Tears” by Kaysie Davis

Submitted to Contest #17

My head pounded as I stared at the destruction that laid in front of me. The smoke and smell of burning flesh made tears start to well up in my eyes. The fire alarm was screeching.“Oh, wow.” The sound of my husband entering our kitchen was the final straw, the tears started to fall.“I don’t know what happened!” I sobbed, “The turkey caught on fire! Everyone is supposed to be here in a few hours, but everything is destroyed!”“Take a deep breath.” Cole advised, as he wrapped his arm around me and surveyed the mess. “We have time. We can f...

Read story

“DINNER WITH TIFFANY” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #17

Jeanette and Kenneth had just settled down to a cosy family dinner. They’d originally planned to go to the cinema, but their babysitter, Angie, had gone down with the flu and been forced to cancel. She worshipped the ground their little boy Alec crawled on, and it was hard to tell how much of the blocked up sound to her voice was because of the flu and how much was because she was fighting back her tears. Jeanette assured her she wasn’t to give it a second thought, she was just to rest up and drink lots of fluids until sh...

Read story

“FREE BUT OPTIONAL” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #17

“The Lilacs” had gone through stages, since it first opened in the 1950s, of being called a Guest House (the first owner, Mrs Branson, had been quite determined it would never be anything so common as a Boarding House) and a Private Hotel, a Guest House again, and then simply a Hotel. Now, technically, it wasn’t classed as anything. The sign, already slightly faded by the harsh wind that blew in from the North Sea, but still pretty, with a picture of a lilac tree on it, just said The Lilacs and officially it was Guest Accommod...

Read story

“Beta Casseopeiae” by Natasha Arnold

Submitted to Contest #17

Kept within the bounds of time and space, Ezra could not escape the impending doom of Shabbat Dinner. His hands clenched tightly to Tziviah’s arm, his gentle, hazel eyes gazing towards the family home. His sandals scuffled across the field, his wife leading him towards his worst nightmare. “Zussya and Mordechai have been keeping Abba busy,” muttered Tziviah, opening the front gates, “After the wedding, Mordechai hasn’t stopped looking for a wife. But it’s Levi that Abba should worry about… He’s nearly twenty-two!” A gentle wind b...

Read story

“Family Skeleton” by Agathe Burrier

Submitted to Contest #17

No one thought that she would actually have the nerve to show up. I think that’s why she was able to get inside, truly. No one moved. No one stopped her. She just… she just kind of showed up at the door, sat herself on the edge of a chair and smiled. By that point, there was nothing we could do to make her leave without causing a commotion.It’s not that I hate her, you know. I mean, I don’t. My aunt Susan is another story for sure, but I’m just sort of following the flow on the matter. Everyone in my family hates her. I simply see no reason ...

Read story

“Journal” by Tiffany Wetherington

Submitted to Contest #17

I don’t keep a diary or a journal or anything like that except for a basic planner at the office. That planner, now that I think about it, is probably the reason I don’t keep a diary. When you’re required to meticulously note what you’re doing for every minute of the day coming home and writing about your day seems a little repetitive. I’m going to label this file “Journal,” however. Maybe it will have more than one entry, it’s hard to tell, but I doubt I’ll have another experience that will fit with the one I’m about to write. Not to disapp...

Read story

“The Lucky Charms” by Bella Owens

Submitted to Contest #17

”Pass the salt, please.” “Which one, May’s organic Himalayan salt or the salt that actually tastes like salt?” Eric laughs, holding up both salt shakers. Maybelle elbows him jokingly. “You know that everyone here likes my Himalayan salt, and you are the only one who has a problem with it, Eric.” “Actually, I’ll have the normal salt.” Valentina says. “Wow, I see how it is!” Maybelle exclaims. “You know what? My Himalayan salt and I are perfectly happy without you guys!” She adds, before bursting into giggles. The rest o...

Read story

“Thanksgiving 2121” by AL Paradiso

Submitted to Contest #17

[All 5 prompts included!] “I know I’m early, but sis-in-law duties compel me to help organize. Al, is the replicator working?" “Yes, Sheila. It’s upgrading now. MAT-REPLICATOR, you will accept commands when addressed as MR (mirr). Acknowledge.” Ack-knowl-edg-ed. Time-r in-di-cates TD prep-ar-a-tion due to start now. Shall I print chairs and table for ten first? “Yes. Do you have sufficient recycle materiel from breakfast?” Neg-a-tive for the com-plete sett-ings and meal. Sug-gest adding shoes, old cloth-ing and towels to re-cycle chute an...

Read story

“Landing Day” by Julie Le Blanc

Submitted to Contest #17

Jonathan's taxi only ran four lights on the hour-long journey from the spaceport to his parents' house in the Lower New Tokyo. The gentle swaying of minor traffic violations would have been soothing, even nostalgic for Jonny, as he hadn't been planet-side in twelve months, but for the taxi driver's insistence on talking to him about the local sports team -- a topic to which Jonny, a devout sports atheist, had little to contribute.He stepped out onto the driveway and looked around at his parents' home. Marguerittestown, their little suburb, r...

Read story

“Favorite Thing in the Whole World” by Brittany Weaver

Submitted to Contest #17

“Is anyone allergic to pumpkin?” Miri called from the kitchen. “Pumpkin?” Axel asked, looking up from his Town and Country. “Is that even an allergy?” “Anything can be an allergy. Like how I’m allergic to you,” Timber quipped to Axel. Miri laughed as the grown men knocked each other to the floor, tussling as Canaan shouted over their grunts. Hollers of “100 points! 100 points to the redhead!” floated from the living room to the kitchen. “You’re the redhead!” Timber yelled to Canaan out of the struggle. “You don’t get points, ya noob!” &nbs...

Read story

“An Unexpected Thanksgiving” by Heidi Slowinski

Submitted to Contest #17

The house was quiet, just the way I liked it. I'm not very social, as a general rule. A quiet Thanksgiving was just what I wanted. My mom would be home later. We'd curl up and watch Elf together. We always watched Elf together on Thanksgiving night. It was the best! She would pull out my favorite blanket and make cocoa. But for now, I had the house to myself. All was quiet and I was ready for a nice long nap.I ate a nice snack. My mom always keeps my favorite snacks available for me whenever I want. My stomach full, I curled up in my fa...

Read story

“Cantenbrook's Gift” by Alaina Logan

Submitted to Contest #17

Hattie stared at her sewing blankly. It stood out at odds and ends, and heavens it wasn’t the best, and Hattie knew it. She held the red string in her hand, swinging the needle tied to it back and forth. “Hattie, dear, your stitching is, well…” Miss Maple trailed of as Hattie glared at her as she continued to swing the needle back and forth, back and forth. &n...

Read story

“The Thanksgiving Beyond Imagination” by Evelyn Freday

Submitted to Contest #17

If I didn’t hurry up soon, I wouldn’t be able to enter the science contest in time. Fifth grade is when you are allowed to enter. In fourth grade, I was totally psyched about it, and when I realized I couldn’t do it, I was pretty bummed. Mrs. Albeck almost decided I could enter in fourth grade, since I was doing 7th grade math AND English, but in the end she decided I probably wouldn’t make it against the sixth graders. I wanted to crush her perfect pale face underneath my heavy-duty working boots that Father had gotten me for Christma...

Read story

“The Nearness of November” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #17

It didn’t really feel as if they were at war, and yet they were, and they didn’t know when it would be over, and longed for it to be, before it had even properly started. Mrs Phoebe Miller had always given her children a proper birthday tea, though, and she wasn’t going to change that tradition now because of what had happened just over two months ago and everybody had seen coming. It was her elder child Melissa’s 18th birthday. She wouldn’t come of age until she was 21, but it was still a significant birthday. Phoeb...

Read story

“Closure ” by Kaitlynn Flint

Submitted to Contest #17

11/27/19 “Oh, the turkey is nicely cooked, James,” Mother said, chewing on the soft strip of meat. The room was lightly lit with candles from the chandelier. The warmth of the fire was comforting for each family member. “Thank you, Mother,” Smiled James. There was a silence in the room. Tonight was a night for talking with family, but there was nothing to talk about. The sadness was unbearable. It weighed in their throats, filling their hearts. Instead of having a real conversation, they stuffed their mouths with the rich foods on...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

213

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 29, 2019 EST

Won by Ian Gonzales 🏆

Title: No Place Special

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 ⭢