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!

#190: Eras

To quote Brooklyn 99, Taylor Swift “makes all of us feel things.” With her honest and reflective accounts of growing up and searching for yourself and your place in the world, she’s managed to trace her remarkable coming-of-age arc in a way that millions of people can still relate to.

This week, let’s remember what growing up feels like, or take inspiration from Taylor Swift’s master storytelling to come up with a new story. But remember — using lyrics isn’t allowed!

This week's prompts

Start a story that begins with a character saying “Speak now.”

Dialogue – 86 stories

Write about someone who decides to make their own version of something old.

Character – 36 stories

Set your story in New York, where someone’s been waiting for your character.

Adventure – 39 stories

Write a story about a fandom

Funny – 27 stories

Start your story with someone vowing to take revenge.

Dark – 62 stories

Stories

“The Band” by John Jones

Submitted to Contest #190

The gravel crunched under his boots as Tucker Howard crossed the parking lot. At least he thought it was as there were no vehicles parked anywhere. Stopping to read the sign on the building which said, Halfway There Bar & Grill, he admired the attractive structure. The front of the building was made of stone with polished, wooden steps leading up to the doors. Large wood beams extended out from the front supporting a high peaked, slate tile roof. Rocking chairs were scattered along t...

Read story

“It Pays the Bills” by Kelly L

Submitted to Contest #190

I am feeling all of my fifty-nine years as my assistant is slathering my bare skin down with petroleum jelly. I already have the make-up on. That’s the easy part, the hard part is the costume. Luckily, LionCon only comes once a year.I will never forget the first time I saw The Deer Hunter. It was a Friday night 1978, I was fourteen years old and had badgered my older brother to take me to a movie. The one condition was that he got to pick the movie. I agreed and sat down in the theater resolved to enjoy a night out of the house no matte...

Read story

“Michael's Work” by Will Johnson

Submitted to Contest #190

“So, Michael, why do you want to work here?”Michael looked around the high-ceilinged pub; the line of fruit machines, the long bar with deep shelves of glistening spirits, the brasso’d hand pumps. Lights hung from the ceiling and would make the place closer after dark. Two dartboards were hung in the far corner – one with an electronic scoreboard and one with an ashtray of white chalk under a blackboard. Even in the daytime the corner’s light pulled like the end of a tunnel.He saw traffic queuing outside through the tall windows (twice his h...

Read story

“I don't need a fandom” by Brenna Girl

Submitted to Contest #190

Lights are on in a tiny little room. There is a petite figure of a man sitting by the dusty old table with chairs around it. He seemed calm and nervous at the same time. In front of him are a box of cookies and three milk cartons. The door opened startling the tiny man. First came in a man with a serious look on his face, it seemed as if he was about to solve world hunger and the answer was right here, but he just didn’t know where. The other young man with disheveled hair followed him in. “Oh great, everyone is present and we can sta...

Read story

“Jack of the Wandering...” by Andrew Sweet

Submitted to Contest #190

Janet sits two rows up and to the right atop a pink pillow with purple hearts, and a perfectly complementing zafu that’s purple with one giant pink heart currently hidden by her ample bottom. With any luck, she’ll be feeling much less zen in a few weeks when I get my revenge. She senses me and turns, flashing me a bright smile. I grin and nod and pretend everything’s fine, because that’s what I do. The instructor lights the incense because that’s what he does. Whisps of smoke rise, hinting at the existence of unfelt breezes as it twists and...

Read story

“Inferno of Vengeance” by Austin Jorgensen

Submitted to Contest #190

Under a sky ablaze with the fading embers of the setting sun, Rafael stood upon the parched earth, his gaze affixed upon the distant mountains. The desert wind whispered its secrets, laden with the scent of blood and the cries of the fallen. Hatred brewed in the deepest recesses of his heart, fomenting a thirst for retribution that could not be quenched.Rafael had once known a different life, filled with the laughter of children and the touch of a woman who had shared his bed and his soul. But that was before the men came, their faces hidden...

Read story

“Silence” by Alban Nichols

Submitted to Contest #190

Three months ago, the Client had cried and begged to my liaison to help fulfil his vengeance. I don’t remember why I agreed to the first meeting, but I’ll never forget the excuses I made for every meeting since. I won’t forget when the excuses dried up, either. Hammerhead and I had been driving down to a café once; he’d asked me why I didn’t cut the deal. I didn’t have an answer for him. I just turned to the window and took a long drag of my overpriced cigarette. It was easier to admire my hazy reflection in the side mirror than to think ...

Read story

“Leviathan ” by Mehkyla Gibson

Submitted to Contest #190

Content Warning: Has a bit of violence and mention of deaths. My hands clenched up when I heard that demonic name once more. Leviathan. That’s it. That’s the name of the murderous monster that ruined my entire life. I need to relax but it’s so hard to not have the urge to jump out of this train and track that pathetic fiend. My adoptive father, Mr. Holloway has been ‘educating’ me about stock markets and something about the history of trade. Honestly, I'm only half listening to his philosophical rambles. That’s all the old man does, tel...

Read story

“Judge me, or not” by F.O. Morier

Submitted to Contest #190

-"You said you wanted to talk." He beckoned her further: "So, speak!" She was so nervous. She wanted to start at the beginning but mixed everything up. She started about a phone ringing, her tears, how he forced himself on her... -"How do you remember all that?" he said almost in a tone that suggested a suspicious fantasy. Maybe I should start at the beginning as well, although I have to admit that I'm not sure which "beginning" to start with. One fine summer morning she had taken the subway to her sister's house. Her sister was waiting for ...

Read story

“Little Benny” by Stephen Spurlock

Submitted to Contest #190

Stephen Spurlock SPEAK NOW Little Benny (that’s really what the runt told people to call him), held his stubby little arms imperiously over his head as though he might actually give the darkness a big mushy hug. Standing in the middle of a dark deserted house abandoned for years, this was Little Benny’s element; his moment to shine as he supposedly summoned up a ghost and bade it speak to be recorded for posterity’s sake-whatever the hell that was supposed to mean. The only sound to be heard as Be...

Read story

“I’m ready ” by Kenneth Hunter

Submitted to Contest #190

“Speak now or forever hold your peace”demanded the officiant standing in front of the young couple. His stern voice rattled Todd’s being as the words reverberated throughout the near empty chapel. The officiant meant business. His words passionately escaped his lips as he recited his wedding invocation . Wearing a formal black tuxedo, exquisite cuff links and meticulously polished leather dress shoes, he dressed the part of the significant event. Utter silence, No one spoke. The tiny chapel featured two rows of pews , and the altar. The audi...

Read story

“Irises” by ML David

Submitted to Contest #190

Speak now. He paused, confused. These days, the voices usually babbled in the background, giggling and gossiping and god knows what else. They whispered when he was on the street. They whispered at night when he was trying to sleep. They whispered constantly, but they rarely made sense. Speak now. “About what?” he asked. Valeria gave him a puzzled look. She put her french fry down. “Are you hearing voices again?” Uli blinked back embarrassment. He cleared his throat. “No. I just…I was thinking out loud.” The voices returned...

Read story

“Two Kinds of Teenagers” by Kelly Sayre

Submitted to Contest #190

Content warning: divorce. “Speak now...” The reverend’s words ushered me into a vivid daydream. I instantly traveled out of the polite, Southern world I’d grown up in, where children were to be seen and not heard, and into this place where I said what I wanted instead of what everyone else expected. I had never been the “Speak now” kind of teenager. My bridesmaid’s dress, for example, made me look like a stalk of celery standing on that altar. But there I stood, wearing it anyway. In my daydream, however, I was free to say what was on...

Read story

“Shared Ride” by Michael Petlak

Submitted to Contest #190

“Speak now,” he mouthed silently through a few yellow-stained teeth. The man in the driver's seat felt his heart beating through his shirt. He moved his hands to ten and two, then squeezed the wheel. A damp trail of sweat followed his hands. His eyes slid to the rearview mirror to check on his other new passenger. A navy mackintosh, sprinkled with drops of rain, slid effortlessly off the designer weatherproof material and straight onto the leather seats of the black luxury sport utility vehicle. “Morning, Richard?” asked the dri...

Read story

“The Truth Comes Out” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #190

“Speak now,” I commanded Anne. I needed her to talk to me. To know she was okay. That she was breathing. And that she would not pull the Kultro chef knife out of the round block on the marble countertop and stab me in the neck. “What do you want me to say?” Anne twisted her wedding ring on her finger. Four carat solitaire surrounded by another six carats on a platinum band. It was not the first ring I bought for Anne. The first ring I bought Anne was simple. It was a gold band with a sm...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

250

Contest entries

114

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 24, 2023 EST

Won by Éan Bird 🏆

Title: Dear Coldplay, I Love You. Wait. Scratch That.

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 ⭢