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!

#176: Magic in the Air

Do you feel that? That almost imperceptible shift you can’t quite place?


Maybe it’s magic. Forces at work right under our noses. Powers we just don’t have the senses to detect — outside what scientists call our “umwelt,” or the slice of the world we’re able to see, hear, and feel.


This week, let your stories be guided by this question: what if, alongside things like electrical fields and infrared waves, there are magical forces in the world that we just can’t perceive?

This week's prompts

Write a story involving a magical potion — which may or may not work.

Fantasy – 58 stories

Start your story with someone witnessing magic from a hiding place.

Fantasy – 52 stories

Cast a magician (a real one, or a party entertainer) as your story’s protagonist.

Adventure – 26 stories

Write a story told from the point of view of an animal.

Kids – 49 stories

Set your story in a magical bookshop.

Fluff – 46 stories

Stories

“The Story Of Grimy And Yip” by Antara Srikanth

Submitted to Contest #176

I don't remember where I was born or whether I had a mother or siblings. The earliest memory of my existence dates back to a harsh winter day. I was covered in dirt after falling into an open drain and was shivering from the cold. I struggled to come out, but every attempt of mine failed. When I decided to surrender to my fate, I realised I hadn't eaten a morsel for a long time. My little stomach was growling, and I needed food badly. I knew if I stayed there for long, I wouldn't survive. I was homeless and helpless and resorted to the last ...

8 comments 8
Read story

“The Cheese Stands Alone” by Sydney Ogilvie

Submitted to Contest #176

I could not believe what I saw. It has been ten years, and I still cannot believe it. No one else will probably ever believe me either. The incident plagues me to this day, and I firmly believe it will for the rest of my life. Let me introduce myself. My name is Harold and I was just your ordinary house cat. Once full of life and vigor, I now spend my days, lurking through the remnants of a burned down barn in the dell, remembering. I went from a carefree cat to a troubled feline, destined for a life of being co...

2 comments 2
Read story

“Connie’s encounter” by Stevie Burges

Submitted to Contest #176

She left "Primrose", the co-working cafe where she usually spent many hours, feeling strangely depressed. She'd spent at least half a day trying to cobble together a short story, and it seemed today her brain was in a permanent 'snooze' mode. Should she give up writing entirely? Or was this a childish reaction to her writing task not turning out well? She stomped up the main street trying to decide where to go and what to do. She noticed a side street and turned into it, finding that she wasn't familiar with it. 'Strange', she whispered...

3 comments 3
Read story

“Books of Betrayal” by Samantha McWilliams

Submitted to Contest #176

Penelope’s boots thumped against the pavement as she swung her legs from the limo. She bent over briefly to brush the snow from the suede of her shoes, her other hand pressing her phone tightly against her ear. The driver held the door open for her as she pushed out into the whipping winter winds. The snow that had fallen just yesterday was being pulled from its place on the ground into tiny swirling squalls. She tugged the long winter coat tighter around her middle and pushed the phone closer to her ear. “Look, you said you would be here, B...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Neither Here Nor There” by Haley Roeder

Submitted to Contest #176

Jason stares at his girlfriend Kelli’s left earlobe, a habit that has gotten him in trouble more than once. He has trouble focusing, especially in times like these, when she goes on long-winded rants about something he has forgotten to do or something he has done incorrectly. It isn’t that he doesn’t care, he does! Truly. But…But.They are in Central Park sitting on a bench, surrounded by a flock of pigeons. Kelli places a hand on his arm, preventing him from retrieving the birdseed that he keeps in his pockets for just such occasions as thes...

2 comments 2
Read story

“BOOKSHOP MAGIC” by Julia Corliss

Submitted to Contest #176

Winslet had tended the books for many years. Time was hard to keep track of in the bookshop. According to family lore, he had first entered the bookshop in a stroller when his mother pushed him in for a book of stories to read aloud to him. He didn’t know it then, but already the books were speaking to him. When he was six and walking past the bookshop on the way to and from school, he often felt an urge to stop and linger awhile in the bookshop. Mr. Digby, the owner and proprietor, never seemed to mind. Later in his teen years, he became an...

2 comments 2
Read story

“Girls at the End of the World” by Natasha Cangalovic

Submitted to Contest #176

They met in a bookshop. Djike could only describe the black-clothed girl who entered as Widowmaker, a remnant of her childhood affinity for the old action movies that almost plagued her youngest years. It was a fitting title - the girl, Widowmaker, seemed to move through the bookstore with complete silence. If Djike didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought that Widowmaker had silencing runes laced throughout her suit. “Do you need help?” Djike asked her, the second and fourth and twentieth day that Widowmaker had slipped into the store...

3 comments 3
Read story

“Homer's Tales and Toys” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #176

You could never finish your job here. That is why you have but a single year. Don’t dally or waste. Give haste.  Sara could imagine the script, the curved persuasive letters, etched into her mind one night. When she woke, she was here in a book store. Sara had spent 364 days here and now that it was coming to an end, she wanted nothing more than this stay to go on forever. “The dust smells different here,” Sara said, feather duster lightly running along the rows of shelves. “It smells old, like knowledge. Like wisdom, adventure...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Potion Thief” by Aaron Tippit

Submitted to Contest #176

Glass shattered in a glittering shower of diamonds that tinkled off the ground. Tiberius landed on top of the glittering shards, rolling through the fall. Ignoring the stinging cuts on his face, arms, and the newest ones on his back and shoulders, he popped out of the roll and sprinted down the alley. "Stop!" A shrill cry followed him. "Come back! You took-" "Look out!" Tiberius dodged a man walking down the cross street as he burst from the alley. "Sorry, sir," He gave an easy two-fingered salute to the offended-looking man and continued...

2 comments 2
Read story

“The Kids of the Woods” by Mack Bucki

Submitted to Contest #176

Ralph first laid eyes on the two boys when he was refilling the team’s Gatorade jug. They emerged from the jungle of pines with their chiseled walking sticks and nothing more except the clothes that hung off their bony bodies. Ralph, who was known as Ralphie to every organism in town, didn’t know the boys, which was strange since he had been playing at Morley Riggs Field for seven years. The village of Ocqueoc was small. Everyone knew everyone. Maybe they were greenhorns or had just reemerged to civilization after years of living feral. Hey...

1 comment 1
Read story

“10 Days of Innocence” by L.L. Williams

Submitted to Contest #176

Carla Jackson died of stomach cancer on March 9, 2022. She left behind one daughter, Kiara Jackson. Her homegoing was scheduled for March 15, exactly 10 days before her daughter’s 10th birthday. Carla was a wonderful mother to young Kiara. Despite the family’s limited capital, Carla tried to indulge every whim Kiara’s little heart could imagine. Carla wanted Kiara to believe in herself. The guiding principle of Carla’s parenting philosophy was making sure that Kiara believed that she could do anything. Carla excelled at building Ki...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Potion of Common Speech (Works for 8 Hours)” by Aurora Martin

Submitted to Contest #176

*References to character death and slavery, implied multiple deaths, but no actual death in this short. Yes, my characters both have PTSD, and yes they are trying to act like they are fine, even in front of each other. This is part of a collection I'm making. Order is irrellevant to collection, but is relevant to prompts instead. Enjoy. Dr. Collin Kin was a brilliant scientist. Never let it be denied. The young man was also a brilliant alchemist. Magic was something he could do easily. His own first language was the magical one of his home ...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Getting A Propper Education” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #176

“We came to London so that Anna could get a proper education,” Martha looked down at her daughter with adoring eyes.  Anna’s brown curls had been pinned to the crown of her head and hung down her back.  A feathered hat was pinned on her head along with a jeweled hairpin. Her emerald silk dress sucked in her stomach and flowed down to her ankles.  Her small breasts were adorned with lace and beads.   Martha made sure Anna was dressed in the best American fashions that money could buy with the railroad fortune Martha...

2 comments 2
Read story

“Magic Potions and Dogs” by Judith Robinson

Submitted to Contest #176

Hello! My name is Hazel, and I am a miniature schnauzer. I came to Minnesota from Texas. I love to go outside, but it is hard to do when winter hits! I do love the summers and falls here. Summers don’t get as hot here, and fall has pretty colors. These past two years have been quiet. We don’t go out as much, so winters are the hardest. My breed came from Germany, where we work on German farms. Our job is to detect and catch rodents. I have around 300 million olfactory receptors, and a significant portion of my brain works to detect and ana...

6 comments 6
Read story

“The Birth of Magic” by Johanna Parry

Submitted to Contest #176

My hiding place is my home. That safe-from-the-world cave where I only venture out if I want or need to. Lately, this seems wise. Especially given the risk of infection. Or worse - being exposed to the views of those with which I may disagree.  I was surprised to discover that when I witness the world from a perspective of being anchored inside my own heart - I see only magic unfolding all around me. This awareness led me to find ways to open up my journey in a way that expands my perspectives.  To compensate for my inner her...

0 comments 0
Read story

$250

Prize money

231

Contest entries

111

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 16, 2022 EST

Won by Kylah Adams 🏆

Title: I Knew Better

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!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

Join our weekly contest

Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.

NEW VIDEO COURSE 🎉

How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months. Learn more →

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 ⭢

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

Join our weekly contest

Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.