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!

#196: In Another Life

Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the way making a single decision, big or small, can cause your life to fork off in an entirely new direction. There are the obvious crossroads, the big life choices, and then there are the tiny ones; ones we fail to notice are taking place every single day. Waiting at the crosswalk instead of jaywalking, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, spending an extra 10 minutes scrolling through social media — even these non-events can make the difference between a life-altering incident happening, or not happening.

But what if we could access those paths we didn’t take? Would we go back and choose a different route for our lives? What if we could sense those “sliding doors” moments as they happened? This week's prompts are inspired by this classic sci-fi dilemma, and by the coulda, shoulda, woulda’s we all live with every day.

This week's prompts

Write about a character unknowingly experiencing a “sliding doors” moment. Write your story in two halves; what could have been, and what actually happened.

Dramatic – 62 stories

Write a story that includes the phrase “Maybe in another life.”

Dialogue – 74 stories

You’re walking down the street, when you spot a familiar figure. It’s another you. And they’ve come from an alternate reality to warn you about something.

Thriller and Suspense – 32 stories

Write a story involving a portal into a parallel universe.

Science Fiction – 61 stories

Set your story in a world where time travel has been perfected, and people can use it to hop between alternate timelines — but at a cost.

Dystopian – 50 stories

Stories

“A Simple Life” by John Weyermuller

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #196

Sarah could not sleep. The sound of the sea against the hull of her ship, the gentle rolling motion of The Maiden’s sharp hull slicing through a calm surface, the smell of salt. The mild musky scent of Gabriella’s hair and body pressed up next to her, the cool night air from her private quarter’s open balcony door kissing her naked skin. All these wonders of her life at sea, and still Sarah could not sleep. She slowly moved Gabriella's arm off its resting place across her torso and sat up, careful not to disturb The Maiden’s first mate in t...

Read story

“the Grind” by Anne O

Submitted to Contest #196

The curtains are drawn this morning, allowing the sun to wake me. Jordan must have known I wanted to sleep in, but also that I would be angry with myself if I did. He usually parts the curtains first thing in the morning for me, before he gets ready for his morning jog. I needed the extra sleep, thankful not to have been brutally awakened by a striking alarm clock. I can still hear the cries from the evening before. Despair has a taste if you didn’t already know, and it never seems to truly dissolve. I carry weight I don’t need, the emotions...

Read story

“Tap Tap Tap” by Douglas W. Carr

Submitted to Contest #196

My brother and I were hanging out at our favorite bar on Wednesday like we’d done for years. We loved sports and Wednesdays were our days to watch all sports being broadcast. My days of betting were long behind me, but I enjoyed following my brother’s bets and sharing in his success. We always sat at the bar so we could view the four screens behind and above the bar. I was drinking a top shelf bourbon with a beer and my brother was drinking a tequila like we always did, when he stood and shouted, “I won! Holy shit, I won!” “What? What did ...

Read story

“The Harpswell House” by Mazie Maris

Submitted to Contest #196

“Julie?” the driver asked. I nodded, only looking up long enough to make sure the license plate matched the one on my ride share app. I opened the back door of the 1998 Nissan Sentra and plopped down onto the crusty tan-colored back seat. It was the smell that made me look up from my phone once again, and it took me less than a second to notice the paper pine-scented tree hanging from the rear view mirror. I smiled to myself, thinking of him. I was kind of shocked that a car this old and this crusty qualified as acceptable for a ...

Read story

“The Soul Shifters” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

Submitted to Contest #196

Lawyer Percy Campbell sat holding an envelope marked ‘Personal. Miss Victoria Trent had left the country and presented him with this letter for her uncle and aunt, if she made no contact before year’s end. He hadn’t received the call to destroy it. Victoria had mentioned possible danger but nothing else. Percy had been her lawyer since before her career as a well-known artist. He knew her aunt and uncle when she first lived with them after her mother Rose’s death. They had 24hrs before they would know the letter existed.His curiosity mounted...

Read story

“An Unknown Barricade” by Ernie-Rose Wayer

Submitted to Contest #196

My alleyway is empty tonight.Yes, I know. Mom practically pulled my ears out my head last night, warning me not to take this path back home, but Huntley and I both know she couldn't care less.Right. Huntley.She hasn't been home for a week now, and Mom has started to visibly quake with worry. I called her a couple times, and was utterly unsurprised she didn't pick. I always wonder why she has a phone if she's never going to ever answer it.My feet crunch as I step gingerly onto overflowing trash from abandoned bins. A half eaten sandwich in a ...

Read story

“If Only” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #196

‘Drab. Who would design anything in drab?’ Carole looked around. It seemed everything sang a dirge of that same ‘blah’ color. Evelyn entered. Carole stopped sketching and watched her daughter make herself breakfast. She sat opposite her mother without speaking. “Good morning…” Evelyn nodded and took a bite. Carole returned to her sketch but soon set the charcoal onto the table. “Is something wrong? Are you not speaking to me?” Evelyn swallowed. “You always say not to talk with my mouth full.” She took another bite. Carole rolled her eyes...

Read story

“What Could Have Been ” by Amira Brown

Submitted to Contest #196

(Trigger warning: domestic violence, death)I’ll tell you a story. A story about the most beautiful girl I’ve ever known. Her name was Jordyn.Jordyn was about 4 '11, dark brown curly hair with a slim figure. When we first met, I had only considered her a close friend, but as the months went by and the seasons began to change, so did the way I felt about her. It started when I would imagine what it would be like to kiss her. Nothing too bad. Just an innocent kiss. Then soon after for reasons simply beyond my control, those feelings began to gr...

Read story

“Warmth” by Soumyaa Panddey

Submitted to Contest #196

I wish there was a way to love you,I wish we had better times.I wish the world was a simpler place,Without an obligation, a judgement or a timeline.We are doing this for a better life.But would we be better without each other?Or is it all a lie?I loved you so much, I still do,But something inside me, I love more, than I do you.I know there will be a next time.Just meet me halfway baby, Maybe in another life…***Forty years later.The bell chimed as the door swung open and an old woman walked into the bookstore. Outside was a thick black c...

Read story

“This Is Not Real” by John-Paul Cote

Submitted to Contest #196

Even the sky was entirely blue with the repeated warning, Your Device needs to be repaired. This application or operating system could not be loaded because a required file is missing, corrupt, or contains errors. File:\OSC\system 414\Xxxxx.xx Error Code: 0xc000s174-b48-000c Error Code: 0xc000s178-a12-000d Error Code: 0xc000s182-b67-000j Error Code: Error Code: Error Code: Error Code: Error Code: Error Code: Error Code: Error Code: Only minutes before, Michael had been studying at his favourite coffee shop. The finals were here. The last on...

Read story

“Flare” by C. Charles

Submitted to Contest #196

Summer 1987Somewhere in the trees a cicada started to buzz and Lauren knew that they were in the heat of the day. The light from the sun beat down hot and bright, casting stark black shadows underneath brilliant highlights on the leaves of the trees around them. They were walking on a trail through a small meadow towards the next stand of trees where the trail continued.Jeff was walking through the tall grass ahead of her, a dark strip of sweat running down the back of his shirt behind his backpack, his sweat darkened hair hanging in curls d...

Read story

“Special Someone” by Lena Chall

Submitted to Contest #196

Houston, Texas It was hot. Really hot. She’d never experienced heat like that before, the intense humidity making it hard for her to breathe. She heard the rustling of keys, then a bark, and the voice of the person she was going to fall in love with. She just didn’t know it yet. “I’m so sorry, there has been an accident on the I-45. I hope you haven’t been waiting out here long.” Julianne pulled her into a hug, her skin cold from the AC in her truck. A friendly dog tried to jump up at her. Not a very big dog, a boxer maybe, but bef...

Read story

“My Alternate Self and His Advice” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #196

My Alternate Self and His Advice This is the third time now that I have seen this fellow. He looks a lot like me, and he smiles at me when I look at him. I didn’t have the nerve to go up to talk to him before, but this time I feel that I must. I simply have to do it. When I walk up to him, he says to me, “Say, you are certainly a handsome fellow.” My obvious reply is: “yourself as well.” &...

Read story

“Walk on by” by David Drake

Submitted to Contest #196

“Hey ace. We need to talk. Now.” Walking toward me at a brisk pace, I grabbed my arm and pulled me along into the sidewalk crowd that cared nothing that I was literally talking to myself. “Do you still have those….coffee shops? The ones that sell an easy drink to make at a ridiculous price and pretend it’s something that matters to everyone else?” I grunted, surprised at the force that I had at this old age. “Uh, yeah. Who are you?! What are you doing?!” I said to myself, staggering at being pulled by my own hand, even decades older. “Wher...

Read story

“The Last Saturday in April” by Tiffany Dugan

Submitted to Contest #196

I see a familiar person coming down the street. She reminds me of my mother but twenty years younger. She is beautiful, relaxed, and glowing like she’s been on vacation, just had mind blowing sex, or she’s rich. Maybe all three. She looks that good. As I get closer, I see she’s carrying a canvas bag. Leafy greens poke out from the top. I assume she’s just been at the farmers market. She also has a bag from Choc, a pastry shop further uptown. Her stride is very familiar. Her shoulders are back. She swings her arms easily. I can alm...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

279

Contest entries

149

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 05, 2023 EST

Won by Delbert Griffith 🏆

Title: The Bullet that Esther Stopped

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 ⭢