#188: But There's a Catch
In life, thereâs almost always a catch. The beautiful new shoes cause blisters. The exciting promotion at work leaves you feeling out of your depth. The free upgrade to first class comes with a screaming kid for a neighbor. If something seems too good to be true, maybe it is!
We might call these drawbacks âthe fly in the ointmentâ; the little things that spoil what would otherwise be wonderful. With this weekâs prompts, weâre encouraging you to lean into those frustrations, big and small. Will your characters be able to find a workaround, or is this as good as it gets?
đĽ Winner
âThe First Idolâ by Tom Bombadil
đ Winner of Contest #188
âď¸ Shortlisted
âNear and Farâ by Laurel Hanson
âď¸ Shortlisted for Contest #188
âBridge Bargainâ by V. S. Rose
âď¸ Shortlisted for Contest #188
âA Forever Homeâ by Rebecca Brothers
âď¸ Shortlisted for Contest #188
âSIX LETTERS TO ILLUMINATIONâ by Kajsa Ohman
âď¸ Shortlisted for Contest #188
âA Raw Deal with the Devilâ by Augustine Maddox
âď¸ Shortlisted for Contest #188
âKintsugiâ by Olivia Lake
âď¸ Shortlisted for Contest #188
âYou have to be my Child for a day.â by Hope Linter
âď¸ Shortlisted for Contest #188
This week's prompts
Write a story that starts with the line âSo, whatâs the catch?â
Dialogue â 96 stories
Write about a character who would have complete happiness, if it werenât for that one thing.
Character â 63 stories
Stories
âThe First Idolâ by Tom Bombadil
đ Winner of Contest #188
âTenacious Dayâ by Wendy Kaminski
Submitted to Contest #188
âRetirement Planningâ by MichaĹ Przywara
Submitted to Contest #188
âListenâ by Daniel Fernandes
Submitted to Contest #188
âComing Outâ by Thom With An H
Submitted to Contest #188
âNear and Farâ by Laurel Hanson
âď¸ Shortlisted for Contest #188
âThe Point of No Returnâ by Chris Campbell
Submitted to Contest #188
âKeep Your Eyes Openâ by Aeris Walker
Submitted to Contest #188
âThe Day the Music Diedâ by Rebecca Miles
Submitted to Contest #188
âThe Chipmunkâ by Story Time
Submitted to Contest #188
âGateways and Doorkeepersâ by Suma Jayachandar
Submitted to Contest #188
âBridge Bargainâ by V. S. Rose
âď¸ Shortlisted for Contest #188
âGabriel's Hornâ by Jack Kimball
Submitted to Contest #188
âThe Lightness of Heavy Objectsâ by Delbert Griffith
Submitted to Contest #188
âI Do?â by Amanda Lieser
Submitted to Contest #188
$250
Prize money
258
Contest entries
134
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Mar 10, 2023 EST
Won by Tom Bombadil đ
Title: The First Idol
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.
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