#188: But There's a Catch
In life, there’s 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 ‘the fly in the ointment’; the little things that spoil what would otherwise be wonderful. With this week’s prompts, we’re 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?
This week's prompts
Write a story that starts with the line “So, what’s the catch?”
Dialogue
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96 stories
Write about a character who would have complete happiness, if it weren’t for that one thing.
Character
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63 stories
Stories
“Leaning Both Ways” by K A Hamilton
Submitted to Contest #188
“Wow, That's a GREAT Deal!” by Liz Orvis
Submitted to Contest #188
“Our Night” by Keith Maynard Jr
Submitted to Contest #188
“Gestalt Therapy, Interrupted” by Richard E. Gower
Submitted to Contest #188
“BEHIND THE HORROR :The True Terror of Theme Park Halloweens” by Ruth Simms
Submitted to Contest #188
“A Gift from the past” by Pamela Clarke
Submitted to Contest #188
“RIDING FOR FREEDOM” by Melinda Madrigal
Submitted to Contest #188
“The Ferret and the Three Keys” by M B
Submitted to Contest #188
“To Bargain With a Faerie” by Zoë Page
Submitted to Contest #188
“A Love as Pure as Gold” by Maggie Hardy
Submitted to Contest #188
“Patience” by Astrid Nolan
Submitted to Contest #188
“Verified Author” by Nathan Landrum
Submitted to Contest #188
“If It Wasn't For that One Thing ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com
Submitted to Contest #188
“The Trouble with Singularities.” by Ken Cartisano
Submitted to Contest #188
“Quid Pro Quo: An Allegory” by Dan Coglianese
Submitted to Contest #188
$250
Prize money
258
Contest entries
133
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Mar 10, 2023 EST
Won by Tom Bombadil 🏆
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.
Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!