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#179: Levelling Up

New Year's Eve is a time for celebration, but it also marks a watershed. If there's something you've been wanting to achieve, but haven't quite found the time (or willpower) to make happen, the start of a new year can be the perfect moment to turn over a new leaf.

This week's prompts are all in the spirit of progress. Whether your characters are starting an entirely new life, or are making a tiny shift in the pursuit of happiness, it's time for change. And if your New Year's resolution involves getting back into your writing routine after the holiday haze, we hope they'll provide ample inspiration to jumpstart your creativity. We'll see you in 2023!

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone making a vision board.

Adults – 17 stories

Write a story in the form of a list of New Year's resolutions.

Holiday – 38 stories

Your character always makes the same promise; to change. Will they finally make it happen this time?

Angst – 44 stories

Write a story about someone scrambling on New Year's Eve to fulfil their resolutions for the entire year before the clock strikes twelve.

Funny – 28 stories

End your story with a kiss at midnight.

Romance – 73 stories

Stories

“Mae goals.” by Aliza Palmer

Submitted to Contest #179

Therapy meeting #3 conclusion:“Write 10 resolutions for the year” . That’s what Jaina, my therapist told me at our monthly session yesterday. I’ve been going to her since….well, since…. Anyways, yesterday we were talking about our goals (like I have any) and she said that New Year’s would be the perfect time to write out some resolutions for the year and see if I can stick to them…... So here I am, on my bed, as usual. I have my torn-out paper from my broken little notebook-Mae gave it to me for my birthday last year, it’s all messy, but I c...

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“How to catch David” by Annick D Arnaud

Submitted to Contest #179

How to Catch David “First things first”, she whispered to herself, “first things first, he MUST propose before spring.” She didn't write that down, though, for it was hardly a resolution she could put into life in his stead, was it? Yet he must. What could she do about it then? She nibbled at her pencil, which had already become an awful sight, such a nibbler was she. 1–she traced the figured carefully, more a drawing than the real 1–thus buying some time before she unraveled the list of what SHE needed to do, in order to catch i...

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“Mission Impossible: Family Edition” by Marina Nakawaki

Submitted to Contest #179

Edit with the Docs app Make tweaks, leave comments, and share with others to edit at the same time. NO THANKSUSE THE APP Faye Darling promised herself that she would change her family to become the close family they once were. It was New Years and was also the time of year to make your resolutions, whether it's to start that diet you’ve been putting off or to learn a new skill. But for Faye it was different. She had a mission to get all seven of her family members to eat a good dinner together. Now you must be wondering why Faye...

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“Shining through the Skky” by Sri Vi S

Submitted to Contest #179

Deep in the infinite Was a matter so shiny It wanted to rise and Shine, It felt power It felt fearless It felt love It felt joyous It felt form It felt senses It felt the mind And then was born The star from the skky!! AbasMarg a.k.a. AMarg as it was known was crossing the great “ocean of stars”. The stars were in conference of some sort. Their facets were serious and drawn in high intensity focus and concentration. AMarg carried its responsibility with great commitment and dedication. It never took things lightly ever. This was its inna...

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“Can I Change?” by Adam DeBuque

Submitted to Contest #179

It happens with such regularity it has become almost sickeningly predictable. The desire to change is real, but the failure to overcome such deep seeded beliefs is almost inevitable. Once again, here I sit. Alone by my own words and actions. At this point the desire, even the need, for change is obvious. This is unsustainable, and even after 16 years of marriage there must be a breaking point somewhere. The fear is real that I will find it one of these days. And I promise, again and again, I will change. I will find a way. I will persevere i...

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“Roadside Promises” by Brandon Kruyen

Submitted to Contest #179

Somehow, I had found myself driving the A109: a thick, heavy asphalt scar that traced its way across the oldest of all continents. Music thumped lazily out of the bass, and the wind had been fresh in my face. A rooster comb of dust plumed behind me, while high above, the sun bleached the land a bone white and found me driving and listening, driving and trying to forget. Yet one memory never strayed far anymore, shackled to me in the heat of the day, tightening painfully in the dark of night. My daughter: a beautiful green-eyed girl, ...

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“Memories” by Emilie Buchanan

Submitted to Contest #179

It was around 5:00 in the afternoon when I arrived at the cemetery. The sun was already setting, and the air had gotten colder. The crunching of dead leaves filled the void of silence. I opened the gate and went down the path I knew by heart. I come here almost every day to pay my respects. I keep telling him I'll get over his death, but it feels near impossible sometimes. In the solitude of the graveyard is where I find my comfort. My son Andrew died five years ago of cancer; the poor boy was only ten. Since then, my wife Sarah and I have g...

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“THE FINAL DECISION (THE LAST MINUTE DECISION)” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #179

THE FINAL DECISION( THE LAST-MINUTE DECISION) It was the last day of the year. He too would celebrate the end of the old year and the arrival of the new. But…there was that decision to be made, that he had kept putting off by day after day for too long, which he had to make before the end of the year, of which only that day remained. He had to make that decision for Katia, his lover, and also for Mary, his wife. Katia was his lover for three years, and he had promised her he would divorce her wife to start a new life with her. Together the...

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“Before Midnight” by Salma Castaneda

Submitted to Contest #179

“Hello my darling Gloria. I hope you’re having a fine birthday. I bet you are, up there in heaven… I hope. Anyways I brought you a bit of vodka this year. Don’t tell Mark - he’s been saving it for a special occasion. Then again how could you, you're six feet under,” I spoke to my old friend who now resided in a grave yard. I decided i should hurry up since they Just as I was about to spill some onto her grave I heard someone running toward me calling out to me “Nana what are you doing out of bed!? You’re supposed to be in bed! The doc...

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“The Kiss of Death” by Amanda Doak

Submitted to Contest #179

Content warning: Mental health, Substance abuse, Talk of suicide Get up. Nobody’s coming to save you. I laid on the couch thinking of ways to kill myself and reasons not to. Gun to the temple? No, gun to the chin. Razor to the wrist? That was the token ladylike way to go, but it took too much precision, not fast enough. If I thought I could stomach it, I’d swallow drain cleaner, but I always hated throwing up. I sat up and glanced through the front window into the neighbor’s house across the street. It was dark. The lights o...

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“A Kiss from a Stranger” by Ashley Dillon

Submitted to Contest #179

A Kiss from a Stranger My best friend dragged me to this stupid New Year's Eve Masquerade Party and then abandoned me with her boyfriend. She has been trying to get me out of my shell since my fiancée dumped me. We both got dolled up and came out to have a great night and then she left me all alone again. What was she thinking? I should leave right now but then I see him, my ex-fiancée is here with one of my coworkers. She is the worst person I know. She was sleeping with our boss to keep from being fired and now she ...

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“Although Jaded, A Little Enthusiastic” by 姐姐

Submitted to Contest #179

Although the night was early, it started rough, windy, and energetic. In Sin city, no one can see the stars. The darkness in the sky continued to spread as the last signs of daylight burned at the horizon. Dawn slowly emerged. The moon seemed to overtake the rising sun this season as if the morning greetings had already taken place. When I was barely awake, sunlight shone between the folds of my window blinds. I sat upwards, allowing my eyes to wander around the room. The sun was casting a wicked grin, warming my face. Soon imprinted on my...

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“Uncertain, yet disciplined.” by Adnan Ahmed

Submitted to Contest #179

December 31st, 2022, the alarm goes off at seven and John is sitting stoically at the edge of his bed contemplating his dear life. Very quickly, he gently wipes his wry face and stands up. He was aware that if he were in bed much longer, he would willingly allow the comfort of his cozy bed to take over and convince him to fall back asleep. He next proceeded to perform a few pushups and sit-ups and then took a cold shower. Even though it was his day off, he promptly changed into business casual attire to get himself mentally pre...

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“A Series of Unfortunate Resolutions” by Aoti Williams

Submitted to Contest #179

Resolution #1: Quitting drinking. Jamey Barnair had gone to the club to ring in the new year. He knew full well what his resolutions were and that quitting drinking was at the top of his list. Nonetheless he indulged in nightlife drinking activities because “it didn’t count until new years day was over,” or at least that is what he told himself to feel better. He had cheap tequila shots back to back with a sexy single mother he had met on the dance floor. After the fourth shot he switched to drinking corona’s and before the club shut d...

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“2023, the Year of Decluttering, Tech, and Strong Relationships” by Nikki Hertzler

Submitted to Contest #179

I stumbled through the past year listening to podcasts, watching Youtube videos, and reading self-help books in order to try to improve my relationships and my clutter problem. "Try" being the operative word. So, this year, I am announcing some self-improvement goals. Many of those goals involve the resolution to not do like in normal years and gain or hoard possessions This year instead I will also be more conscious of building relationships in addition to improving my technology use. First, my decluttering-possessions goals this year: I...

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$250

Prize money

200

Contest entries

103

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 06, 2023 EST

Won by Saeda Rose 🏆

Title: Resolute

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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