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!

#191: Sakura

Spring is finally here! In Japan, the season is famously marked by the mass blooming of cherry blossoms, also known as sakura, an event so beautiful it attracts tourists from all over the world. Due to its impressive yet short-lived blooming, the flower symbolizes the fascinatingly transient nature of life — but it’s also associated with a message of renewal, and hope for the future.

To celebrate the new season, this week’s prompts are inspired by cherry blossoms and the feelings they evoke year after year 一 we hope they’ll bloom into great stories!

This week's prompts

Start your story with your character(s) going to buy some flowers.

Spring – 78 stories

Write about a character who is starting to open up to life again.

Character – 68 stories

Write a story about a character who’s late to witness a special event.

Funny – 25 stories

Make Japan (or Japanese culture) an element of your story.

Narrative – 37 stories

Write a story that includes someone saying, “I feel alive.”

Dialogue – 68 stories

Stories

“A Banker’s Friday” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #191

Anoize looked out from his office to the long lines of Friday’s bank customers. Why couldn’t they use the Instant Tellers? Why couldn’t they stay home and do their banking on their computers? Nadia stepped into his office. “I feel like I’m dying in this place.” Anoize announced to Nadia. “Eric Leon is here again for the bank draft to close the home sale for the McDougalls.” “They’re down. They’re still down. I’ll talk to him.” Anoize motioned to Nadia to send...

Read story

“Opening up” by Robert Cook

Submitted to Contest #191

I wake up in the morning and go to work at a warehouse just putting labels on packages and then putting them on a conveyer belt for shipping. I work in this little booth by myself it’s nice and quiet so it allows me to think. I tend to think up tragedies in my head though I’ve been trying to block them out but, its hard so I listen to music to make me feel better. Around 3:30pm I hear the bell ring which means it’s time for lunch. Unfortunately, we can’t eat at our stations meaning I have to go to the massive breakroom filled with people. As...

Read story

“Colorless” by Aran Saguri

Submitted to Contest #191

Mom, This letter may be a surprise for you, I know we haven’t talked in a while. You know losing dad was hard for me, and I had to distance myself because of how difficult it all became. I understand if you don’t want to hear from me after all this time, but you are the only person I have in this world, the only one I can talk to about this. The reality is that I’m terribly unhappy, just like dad back then. I know I judged him harshly and we would fight constantly because of that, but now that I’ve reached the age he had when he started dete...

Read story

“Something So Beautiful” by Eridian Prenowitz

Submitted to Contest #191

“Pathetic fallacy,” a mutter under my breath, “the attribution of human feelings and responses to inanimate things or animals, especially in art and literature.” A dry laugh escapes as I look towards my ever-growing pile of books, trying to ignore the fact that my life has been filling up with things I have to get done ‘right away’, ‘as soon as possible’, ‘actually, ten minutes ago, Chris, so hurry up’. My gaze wanders over to the window, and it’s practically dark. I drop my notebook onto the bed, grab my jacket and sling it over my sho...

Read story

“The way home” by Eddie McKenzie

Submitted to Contest #191

The lamplight sent shadows flickering and dancing with the wild, reckless abandonment of a lost soul as it drew the passing moths into their inevitable demise at the passing bats as they grew spoilt from the ease of hunting that the turn of the world had enabled. The bite of a winter chill nipped at the heels of those unfortunate enough to find themselves wandering the streets even after clouds heavy with the promise of rain crept in to blot out the stars. Really, it was hardly shaping up to be the sort of evening that anyone without prior p...

Read story

“Satin Doll” by Harry Nightingale

Submitted to Contest #191

Satin Doll“Nancy, I feel alive!”“Do you, Tess, that’s lovely, darling. How about we get you onto the bed? There we are.” Nancy poured a glass of water and placed it on the bedside table. “So, what’s got you all excited then?”“It’s Jim. Jim the Gem, I call him.”“Ah, I thought it might be something along those lines. Well you be careful! He’s new — we don’t want any broken hearts.”“You’re a good girl. But you should tell him that! He brought me flowers this morning, look.” Tess pointed past the bottom of her bed, and she bounced with delight a...

Read story

“Sakura Angel” by Lori Ann

Submitted to Contest #191

Waking up early in the morning, Sheila felt dull and drained from all the life changes that had happened over the past few years. As her mind wandered into thoughts of the past, family members, friends, her job, home, and even furniture were all gone, she reminded herself she was starting over from scratch! Stretching her long, skinny body while flipping off the covers, with a sigh, she got up and walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She leaned against the sink to support her tired body and saw a brilliant purple butterfl...

Read story

“Winter Never Left” by Ellery Gallagher

Submitted to Contest #191

[CW: blood/death]“I feel alive.”I looked over at her, and couldn’t help scoffing, “Do you?” If she noticed my derisive tone, she didn’t say anything. Instead, she smiled, eyes closing shut as she relaxed against the sand. The water lapped at our feet—an icy rush that sent goosebumps up my legs. The ocean had yet to match the spring breeze. It stung. It was nothing but a reminder that we hadn’t made it out of winter’s grasp, though it was easy to ignore with the warmth all around me. Warmth like Cassie telling me she feels aliv...

Read story

“Sakura” by Chris Redd

Submitted to Contest #191

Cherry BlossomJust on the edge of the city, there is Sanji, a quaint little flower shop. The shopkeeper there is a quiet little soul with a bundt hairstyle who’s also a virtuoso with flowers. Kenzo Takahashi stood cluelessly in front of a sea of bouquets, as the shopkeeper relentlessly buzzed around him, primping each arrangement. They played hide and seek with each other for about fifteen minutes. Dissatisfied, Kenzo just shook and scratched his head. “I see you like my hydrangeas.” said the shopkeeper. “They’re very nice.” “What’s the occa...

Read story

“An Old Fashioned Flower Shoppe” by Valerie Aulerich

Submitted to Contest #191

The sun shone intricately across the last of the spring snow. Glimmering icicles hung onto rooftops. She had pined over her Burpee seed catalogue for months. Somewhere underneath the cold bruised soil, an awakening was on the rise. Winter earlier that year had crept in like a teenager in the night. It had brought with it a frozen plant of silver ice crystals. Now late April, a splendor of color graced the landscape. Essences of harmony were in the air. Buds would soon begin to unfold like butterfly wings out of a cocoon. She knew where to lo...

Read story

“The Flower Boy” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #191

“What are we doing here?” Alex raised his voice above the music, and looked around the packed bar. “We came here to make a purchase. It’s going to be the answer to your depression. Help you get over your separation. Make you feel good about yourself again.” Nick said, eyes focused on the door entrance to the bar. “I don’t want any drugs.” Alex said, sipping his beer. “It’s not drugs. And it’s not for you. There she is.” Nick waved at the bouncer who directed an elderly lady t...

Read story

“The Perfume of Spring” by Levi Michael

Submitted to Contest #191

Pulling over on 19th, in the city, wasn't the hard part, it was getting back on, but it was worth it. Not only did The Papadopoulos Brothers have some of the freshest flowers you could find, they were also the only florist on the way. At least, directly on the way. “Do you want card with that?” he asked in his thick Greek accent as he wrapped the bouquet of oleander in a plastic veil. I shrugged. “How much?” “No.” He held out an assuring hand. “For you?” Although we’d never met, he gestured at me like an old friend. “For you. Fre...

Read story

“Hana and the Flower Rain - A rare blossom at the Sakura festival delivers a life-changing encounter. ” by Arpad Nagy

Submitted to Contest #191

The streets were alive with the energy of a thousand joyful faces. People milled together, raising flower-adorned drinks, smiling at one another while knocking glasses together in toasts and good cheer. The scents from the food vendors in their small street shacks mingled aromatics with the sounds of knives knocking swiftly against wooden blocks. The musical notes of percussion, wind, and stringed instruments resonated through the air. It was Sakura, the annual Japanese celebration of the Cherry Blossoms. Overhead, pink and...

Read story

“Boutonniere's ” by Cristina Blanco

Submitted to Contest #191

I am the first to turn on the lights of a dark and equally cold flower shoppe. Early rising. The soft chirping of my birdies. The most gentle of alarm clocks, although I do keep time by Uncle Tony’s Bulova Grandfather clock that sits perfectly upon my Sweet Georgia Brown…my piano. My piano. A treasure…a gift given to me from my short time in the South, ironic because my ancestor, iconic Stonewall Jackson, his grave I visited, and now a piano that doesn’t resemble far from a coffin. The little time I spent as a Funeral Director at H.M. Patter...

Read story

“Mondegris Rain” by Sarah Magno

Submitted to Contest #191

This must have been the 27th time Wren Lin had this dream – maybe the 28th? – but, honestly, he’d lost count long ago. He didn’t have it in him to count anymore. “Ah-hah…dammit, not again.” He recognized the dream as soon as that famous cold spring Mondegris rain licked at his hair and made his thin, pale hands shiver. This was back when said hair was still long. Back when he’d hop off the train from that old job in the inner city. Back when he made the entrance of this botanical garden his stop. He’d cut through the acres of floweri...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

276

Contest entries

170

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 31, 2023 EST

Won by Pari Ghodsi 🏆

Title: Lilies

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 ⭢