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!

#184: Technical Difficulties

If you’ve ever experienced technical difficulties, you know the boundless frustration it can cause. Glitches, bugs, constant buffering, or — worst of all — no connection whatsoever; these small inconveniences can throw our days off balance (and make us want to pull our hair out). Taken to the extreme, technological failures and a breakdown of the internet infrastructure could have far-reaching and devastating consequences on a global scale.

This week’s prompts are inspired by technostress and issues of connectivity, inviting you to take your frustration out on the keyboard — or even imagine a world without the internet! 😱

And psst! While we have you, remember to check out your free digital copy of PROMPTED — a new literary magazine, featuring winning stories from weekly Prompts contests just like this one, edited by Reedsy professionals.

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone saying “Houston, we have a problem.”

Dialogue – 41 stories

Set your story during a complete city or nation-wide blackout.

Thriller and Suspense – 52 stories

Write a story about a character who is experiencing glitches in their reality.

Mystery – 81 stories

Write about someone who has chosen to disconnect and live an analog life.

Character – 36 stories

Write a story where a character has to decide whether to press the button or not.

Science Fiction – 70 stories

Stories

“Cape May” by Nora Sheppard

Submitted to Contest #184

“Houston, we have a problem.” William smiled at Stacy as he watched her splash around while directing her float over to the dock. It was good to see her smile, even in response to his lame comment. He handed her a plastic cup of wine. "Did you know that Captain Kidd pillaged these very waters in the late 17th century?" William asked, as he watched her lounge. She wore a big floppy hat and sunscreen on her nose. She nodded back and smiled. "Well, you look like a pirate. Birds of a feather . . ." William Bern had met Stacy Mills a...

Read story

“It's Not As Bad As You Think, Is It?” by Samael Lynch

Submitted to Contest #184

Nothing was off, all and all it was the most normal day then the blackout came. You think this would be enough reason for total insanity across the whole fucking globe right? Well you would be surprised by that. Sure some stupid folk acted all crazy like as if everything was going to end and got themselves killed in the end but they were stupid so it was kinda in their job description to act like that. Not to say that all stupid people deserve to die, the world needs stupid people otherwise no one would read terribly written stuff like this....

Read story

“Darkness Follows Where Light Leaves” by Elizabeth Lee

Submitted to Contest #184

Blackouts are not scary until you learn that monsters exist in darkness and shadows. At least, that is what we are told to able to stomach the thought of daylight. What montharas fail to tell their milli is that monsters exist even when the lights are on.The solarplants faded around Pledge Time, right before the Light God hides away so White Goddess can shine while we sleep. When we approached Rest, the solarplants were still dark, and did not illuminate again as they should have, making it hard to prepare our last meal and move around the h...

Read story

“Technical Difficulties” by Joanne Johnson

Submitted to Contest #184

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES PART IElla was in the middle of vacuuming the living room when the power quit. Frustrated, she clicked the on/off switch a few times before realizing it was not the appliance’s fault.“Damn.” She frowned and stalked to the light switch on the wall. Clicked it up and down a few times. Nothing. She looked out into the yard where a narrow trail led to the snowy street. Eric had been in a hurry this morning, worried about icy roads and clogged streets, so he cleared the minimum amount of snow. Car tracks led from the g...

Read story

“The Church of the Green Comet” by Mark Baxter

Submitted to Contest #184

It was the Babylon Day party that started it all. If I hadn’t gone to Harry’s party marking five long, hard years since the events of Babylon Day, when the blackout started, I wouldn’t be writing this letter. But … But it was, after all, the fifth anniversary of the start of the blackout, which everyone called Babylon Day. The theme of the party was, of course, Babylon V. Everyone came as their favorite alien ambassador. How could I resist? Things were finally settling down to the new normal. The electrical power industry had gotten used...

Read story

“A hot afternoon in New York” by Stevie Burges

Submitted to Contest #184

A hot afternoon in New YorkIn the searing heat of an August afternoon in 2003, I popped into a Barnes and Noble bookstore near Broadway in Manhattan. I was at the end of my initial two-day visit to NY before meeting with Will and his wife to swap locations and go to Avalon, New Jersey.The plan was to meet Will at the World Trade Centre (WTC) on Thursday, 14th August, after he’d finished work, at about 6 o’clock. We both worked for the same global financial company. I was located in London, and Will was based in our new corpora...

Read story

“Final Girl” by V Joyce Lott

Submitted to Contest #184

In the end, it comes down to me. I am the one the killer cannot seem to finish. The one that he consistently toys with until she has had enough and finally meets him on his own level of crazy. I am the final girl. Depending on which version you prefer, I may be Jamie Lee Curtis or Heather Langenkamp. I’d rather be Jamie. Forty years and she is still kicking butt. The girl in the movie runs and looks back. As usual, she falls and I yell at the TV. “You idiot... get up. What are you doing? Run?”My phone chimes. It’s a text from my mom. MO...

Read story

“The Brief Persistent” by Ana Marina Rúa

Submitted to Contest #184

Emilia. I found three pairs early that evening. They were lined up in a row behind the loose slat in the cupboard, right where my uncle hides the tuna cans that he's not supposed to feed to the cat. I stood there for quite a while, staring at the small round shapes, although I couldn’t quite make out the colors in the half-dark. There was the familiar jolt, the surprise followed by recognition, as it always happens. And, as always, something sweet and sandy burst in my throat, shrinking back into a tight ball of treacle. I clench...

Read story

“The End” by Andrew Sweet

Submitted to Contest #184

Why do such nefarious things always happen when I’m supposed to be in bed? This was the thought that Tarina Persson considered, though nothing truly nefarious had yet occurred. Tarina was about as far from nefarious as she could be, still in her long-sleeve bamboo pajamas—her favorites, incidentally—black with white trim and vaguely reminiscent of a sailor’s uniform. However, Tarina was well aware that the wind outside, which had suddenly stopped, had, until then, whipped the coniferous trees by her back patio into a frenzy. And a quick exam...

Read story

“A Glitch into the Future ” by Crystal Grau

Submitted to Contest #184

“This fog is getting pretty thick we better get back to the cabin”, said Neva. She noticed the visibility ahead was narrowing down to only a few yards, anything beyond that unseen. As her husband Finn agreed, he turned their blue Chevy Cobalt around. They had decided to take a break from being in their secluded cabin and take a sightseeing drive through the woods. They both loved the outdoors now, watching nature and taking it all in. Neva especially, capturing pictures of the gloomy skies above that cast an ominous landscape and birds...

Read story

“Control” by Lexi Rose

Submitted to Contest #184

TW: There is mention of death, suicide, and insanity."Mara,""Mara,""MARA,"I don't even know if I am Mara anymore. I don't think the version of me shouting knows either. That's why it has to end.Three weeks ago...Of course today is going to start off like this. I wake up to the fire alarm going off in my neighbor's apartment. She's 90 and probably shouldn't be living on her own. I've offered Mrs. Brady to live with me many times, but she never take the offer.KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK "Mrs. Brady?" No reply. I knock again. "Mrs. Brady?""Yes dear?" her...

Read story

“George the Genius” by William Simon

Submitted to Contest #184

George Roundtree’s childhood had been normal to a fault. He was born and raised in the suburbs of Birmingham. A perfectly average place, and for the most part he’d been perfectly average himself. The 50th percentile in mostly everything he was involved himself in. Right at the tippity top of that bell curve was where he’d grown up. He’d been an ok footballer as a kid, nothing special. His grades were all C’s and B’s. He wasn’t unpleasant in appearance, but his face was very forgettable. If he’d ever gone missing the description porti...

Read story

“The Elven Boots” by Alistair James

Submitted to Contest #184

Little did I realise that my visit to Fogarty's Gentleman's Outfitters for Field and Gun would result in the extraordinary events that followed. I needed new walking boots. My current boots had served their time; they were comfortable but badly worn, and they had lost their grip. Fogarty's was in Ring Street, a Dickensian back-alley in my hometown of Brome. The small bell, suspended over the door, tinkled as I went in. It sounded almost embarrassed to be announcing the arrival of a customer. The shop smelt of polish and old clothes. I gl...

Read story

“jean jacket” by Cale G

Submitted to Contest #184

jean jacket. plaid hat. boots and more jeans. every day--every single, conceivable, waking day--i see a man dressed from top to bottom in jeans and plaid. he stands on a corner, and it's right across from me. glance through my office's window and you'll catch this man starring in the lead role. he'll stand on this corner--mcdonalds behind him, walgreens to the side, and a money lending service on the other. he'll stand here and stare, watching. always in the jean jacket. always with the plaid hat. always in boots, in jeans, in transfixi...

Read story

“Nora” by Maya Trujillo

Submitted to Contest #184

Nora was a regular 27-year-old girl. She had a 9-5 job, her own apartment, regularly hung out with her friends, and even had a boyfriend which she loved very much. She was what came to mind when you think 27-year-old. Everything about her and her life was regular until one day it wasn’t. My head throbbed when I woke up, I didn’t think I drank enough last night to make me hungover, but I guess I did. I have also come to learn recently that my body doesn’t handle alcohol the way it did when I was 21. I went into the kitchen and contin...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

121

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 10, 2023 EST

Won by Michelle Oliver 🏆

Title: All the Lonely People

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 ⭢