#181: Standing Tall
The mountains are the place where many people go to seek adventure, whether that be hiking, climbing, or skiing; but they’re also where some go to find stillness, and reconnect with nature. Mountain ranges have an almost spiritual feel to them 一 they stand tall, enduring the test of time, and remind us of our scale in the universe.
In literature, mountains have often served as powerful settings, or as a metaphor for the insurmountable obstacles characters have to deal with. This week’s prompts are inspired by them:
🥇 Winner
“Out of Place on the Appalachian Trail” by Aeris Walker
🏆 Winner of Contest #181
⭐️ Shortlisted
“Violet or Red” by Liv Chocolate
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“Talking is not permitted.” by Kelly Sibley
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“The Wizard of Washington Square” by Lee Disco
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“Doomscrolling Mountains” by Akash Joshi
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“The Sunset Hike” by Erin Keagan
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“Forged in Fire” by Noel Turner
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“The Miners of Mount Elgon” by 𝔊𝔲𝔞𝔡𝔞𝔩𝔲𝔭𝔢 𝔗𝔢𝔩𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔯
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“Bullets and Feathers” by Ian Gonzales
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“Everest Every Day” by Elisabeth Bridges
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“Running Man” by Sav Lightwood
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
This week's prompts
Write about someone who realizes they're on the wrong path.
Character – 69 stories
Write about a character who’s climbing a mountain, whether internal, external, or both.
Adventure – 59 stories
Write about a character who, for whatever reason, retreats to a remote cabin.
Mystery – 62 stories
Write a story that includes someone saying, “Let’s go for a walk.”
Dialogue – 73 stories
Stories
“Out of Place on the Appalachian Trail” by Aeris Walker
🏆 Winner of Contest #181
“The Promise” by Thom With An H
Submitted to Contest #181
“Violet or Red” by Liv Chocolate
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“A PSA about Ivory, Gold, and Grey Matters” by Wendy Kaminski
Submitted to Contest #181
“The Siblings’ God Forgot to Give Us” by Kathleen Fine
Submitted to Contest #181
“Strive for the Light” by Corey Melin
Submitted to Contest #181
“Martians on a Drowned Earth” by Graham Kinross
Submitted to Contest #181
“The mistake” by Anand Sachdev
Submitted to Contest #181
“Lilies” by Keira Shinn
Submitted to Contest #181
“One Rule For One” by PJ Aitken
Submitted to Contest #181
“The Wrong Bus Home” by Story Time
Submitted to Contest #181
“Talking is not permitted.” by Kelly Sibley
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181
“Mount Philbert” by Michał Przywara
Submitted to Contest #181
“The Collector” by V. S. Rose
Submitted to Contest #181
“It's not the mountains we conquer, but overselves” by Miss Maggie Maria
Submitted to Contest #181
$250
Prize money
278
Contest entries
125
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Jan 20, 2023 EST
Won by Aeris Walker 🏆
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!