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

“The Sleeping Princess” by MJ Simons

Submitted to Contest #191

Once upon a time, a beautiful princess slept in a stone tower in a remote village in the cold and craggy mountains. The tower was on a cliffside and had only one window. The princess was in a deep sleep but could hear the sounds around her. She especially enjoyed hearing the birds sing lovely melodies daily and the waves crash upon the rocks. Princess Amethyst was very beautiful, and her father and mother vowed to reward anyone who could wake their daughter because she was their only child, and they loved her very much. As could be...

Read story

“The Song of the Violinist: By Mary Palladino” by Kara Palladino

Submitted to Contest #191

“The snow falls, the wind howls, and the moon rises to console the stars.”Few could see the cold imagery of the mind. Many are blind; they ignore the inside storm. They only look at what they want to see- the outside: Vibrant colors and the melodies that the Violinist creates.In a sleepy little village some time ago, in an old cottage on the hill, there lived a man. Every soul in the village knew of this man. He would go into the less sleepy parts of town and play his violin. His playing was so entrancing that the ears that heard his song wo...

Read story

“A Howl in Time” by James Marvin Taylor IV

Submitted to Contest #191

Part 1 The night was cold and dark as the full moon rose in the sky. Jackson, a teenage werewolf, felt the transformation happening inside him. His bones cracked and his muscles stretched as he felt the fur sprouting from his skin. He howled in pain and ecstasy as he became the creature he was destined to be. Jackson had inherited the werewolf gene from his father, who had passed away a year ago. His mother had remarried and they had moved to a new town, where nobody knew about his secret. But Jackson couldn't keep the wolf inside him fo...

Read story

“Two Cherry Blossoms” by Trina Hayes

Submitted to Contest #191

As we walk through the market gates I can smell the sweet aroma of all the flowers mingled with the scents of fresh fruit.“Okay let’s see, she wants sunflowers, red roses, pink tulips and monte cassino flowers in her bouquet,” I list aloud.“What’s this for again?” My best friend Jacob asks. I exhale deeply. “I have told you about a million times! I’m helping out with Sarah’s wedding!”I stop walking and stand there for a moment letting all the spring scents and ocean breezes fly around me. “Come on, what are we waiting for?” Jacob a...

Read story

“Flowers - Nature's Soul Nurturer” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #191

“Hello Diedre. How are you love?” Mrs Lincoln the florist asked as she cut off some surplus leaves from a bunch of carnations. “Pretty good thank you” came the reply from Jennifer as she walked around the light and airy shop. Today there was a delicate perfume floating through the air that Diedre hadn’t smelt before and she was intrigued. “What’s that lovely perfume I can smell?” she asked Mrs Lincoln, who was drying her hands on the pink and purple pinny she wore for as long as Jennifer could remember. “Oh, lovely isn’t it. That is the new ...

Read story

“The Venus Flytrap” by Adam Young

Submitted to Contest #191

I knew something felt off. But I couldn’t put my finger on it. The days of off-ness turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into a blur. It all started on New Year’s. I normally begin a new year with a feeling of freshness and clean-slatedness. This time around the sun was different. I felt hopeless. My life had come to be rather nihilistic. The gray cold and hollow winds of the skies matched my interior. One could simply pass it off as a dip in the doldrums. After all, I had been through different ebbs and flows in my time on this e...

Read story

“Hunger, A Love Story” by Nancy Graham Holm

Submitted to Contest #191

Hunger, A Love Story by Nancy Graham HolmHome delivery service in rural California was standard during the Covid19 pandemic, and Amelia was grateful for it, especially since the delivery boy was so attractive. Tall. Muscular. Light blue eyes framed by dark curly hair – someone her granddaughters would say is "hot."Nobody would suspect this 80-year-old woman was nurturing a craving buried in her memories. Lust. She smiled when she thought about it, amused that she still experien...

Read story

“The Flowers in her Hair” by Kierstin Pilon

Submitted to Contest #191

The fog clings to your skin, just as dew clings to the grass, and just like your clothes cling to your body. Even in this wide open space everything feels so close to you, as you inhale, the thick mist invades your lungs, as you lie back on the grass in the meadow. You close your eyes to the overcast sky and remember a day completely unlike this one, so many years ago. You walked through the trees to see the clearing that would become your second home. This place was perfect, enough distance from the town center that you no longer hear the...

Read story

“Spring Duck Tales Festival” by Keyanna Jones

Submitted to Contest #191

It was the day of the annual Spring Fling Festival, and Tim was running late. He had planned to arrive early, get a good spot to watch the flower parade, and participate in the egg hunt.But as he rushed out of his apartment, he realized that he had forgotten his wallet. It contained his ID, his credit cards, and a few dollars for the festival. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should go back to get it, but then decided that he didn't want to waste any more time.As he made his way to the festival, Tim felt a growing sense of an...

Read story

“An Issue of Blood” by John Lente

Submitted to Contest #191

Jacob Fielder stamped his foot. When that seemed insufficient to express his frustration, he kicked the tire of his old Chevy pickup truck, splitting the toe of his worn out boot, scraping his big toe, and making his sad life even worse.“Dadgummit!” He swore like a man thrice his age and brought his wounded foot up to his waist, hopping about like a cartoon character until he lost his balance and fell against his disabled vehicle. The awkward angle of the truck bed pushed him off, and he fell onto the broken wheel that had com...

Read story

“The Violet Moon” by 3i Writer

Submitted to Contest #191

News of the upcoming occurrence of a violet moon in the sky of Trisdale city went viral on social media. The moon being violet in color was an extremely rare occurrence; it was sighted in 1999 in the Middle East and not many people had seen it. Trisdale citizens, who had never seen a red moon with their very own eyes, were absolutely thrilled for a violet one. Although there was a lot of talk in town. there was actually no official news report about it. In fact, Charlie, who worked as a weather presenter, reported that it would not happ...

Read story

“ The Heart of the Art Thief” by Marcellus Brown

Submitted to Contest #191

Part I: Blushing PetalsUnder the cherry blossom trees, the streets of Tokyo were abuzz with life as the blooming season painted the city in soft hues of pink. Hikari, a talented photographer with a penchant for capturing ephemeral moments, found solace in the delicate petals. Her camera hung around her neck like a trusted companion, each click preserving a memory.Hikari had always been captivated by the art of capturing moments in time. As a little girl growing up in Tokyo, she would often play with her father's old Polaroid camera, taking s...

Read story

“Nozomi” by Douglas W. Carr

Submitted to Contest #191

David O’Meara was a successful advertising executive with a large marketing firm on the east coast. He was well liked by his colleagues and subordinates, but outside of work he had no social life. He never married, rarely dated, and had no children. Most everyone knew David kept to himself. In fact, outside of a few random encounters in the park with colleagues, he wasn’t seen.David lived a mostly moderate life and never did anything in excess. He lived in a modest apartment albeit it was in the best high-rise in the city. He ate in most of ...

Read story

“Go Do It Then” by Sammy Courtney

Submitted to Contest #191

I’m so fucking bored all the time. My classwork and homework are easy. I get it all done in minutes. I work out daily, hangout with people daily, and I still have so much free time. I know this sounds like a dream for a lot of people, but this is torture for me. Wake up, workout, do homework, socialize, repeat. I can’t take it anymore. This is way too easy. I am a freshman in college, I’ve made good friends, I’m in a fraternity, I get some action from girls but nothing special. I play sports, often, and I’m in good shape. Financially, my f...

Read story

“The Plight of Chickens ” by Lola LaForge

Submitted to Contest #191

For all the trouble he was, Olivia held the fondest memories of Jacob. Although she could honestly say that she didn't dislike any of her old lovers - at least not beyond the few weeks after breaking up with them, or vice versa - Jacob was a favorite. As a young woman, Olivia loved to be in love. She watched her relationships blossom from a place outside of herself, as if they were movies she was starring in. Back then, her romances might last a year, sometimes longer. Or they might fizzle out after a few months. A new man would ca...

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 ⭢