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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#20: Quite the Character

Between 1887 and 1927, Sherlock Holmes appeared in a total of four novels and 56 short stories penned by Arthur Conan Doyle. Since then, the stories have been adapted countless times, earning Holmes a Guinness World Record for "most portrayed movie character." And while Doyle's mysteries were widely lauded, it was the character of Holmes that had readers coming back time and again.

This week, your challenge is to write a story that highlights a single character. The premise is up to you — just give us some small understanding of this character by the end of the story.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a character who starts out as a pessimist and ends as an optimist. (Or vice versa.)

Character – 46 stories

Write a story about a character experiencing anxiety.

Character – 83 stories

Write a story about a character who would be described above all else as "logical."

Character – 31 stories

Write a story about a day in the life of a mother.

Narrative – 55 stories

Write a story about a character experiencing independence for the first time.

Teens – 59 stories

Stories

“Bleak Midwinter” by Marte Van Der Linden

Submitted to Contest #20

It will be my first Christmas alone. I’ve hardly left my room today. There’s nothing outside that I particularly want to do and no place I want to go. Mum says she understands why I’m not coming home, but she doesn’t, not really. I’ve tried to explain to her that I can’t afford to be sentimental. My student loan is growing at an exponential rate. And besides, I could use the two weeks of uninterrupted studying time. So I sit inside and read until my eyes hurt, hoping that understanding will trickle into my brain. So far, quantum mechanics is...

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“First Recurrence” by Arthur Tiberio

Submitted to Contest #20

In the end, the matter was resolved in the same manner with which it had been initially pursued, to the acceptance of all and the satisfaction of none. However, since it was generally agreed upon that there could really have been no other conclusion, and since the failure came at no great cost to any person still living, even that shortcoming was destined to be forgotten.It happened like this.Two weeks and over five hundred miles ago, there came to the door of Aureon Mane a tremulous knocking, followed by a portly figure in a trim mustache. ...

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“Let's not Panic” by Mia Hunter

Submitted to Contest #20

Matt’s POV“Oh… no…” was my first reaction....Profuse palpitations to Himalayan heights was my second.I will explain- try to explain what happened, to the best of my ability… but I am not betting on your understanding.Betting… yes, that is where it all began.Steve was a dear friend from the office. We grew close when I hit the office lottery. In fact, he was so sweet that he introduced me to the wonderful world of betting cause in Steve’s words “why come down when you can keep going up?”One Friday night when we had gone out to celebrate the l...

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“Finding Hope” by Massiel Alberto

Submitted to Contest #20

Finding HopeLory was a perfectly healthy young woman of 25 years old. She enjoyed walking in the park with her cat, she loved to see the sun rising and never missed a sunset because she said: “every sunset is unique”. And she was right.Lory lived alone in her apartment. The complex consisted of six apartments and she lived on the second floor. Her apartment was beautiful, nicely decorated with a big gray comfy couch in the middle of the living room. Sometimes she fell asleep on her couch and spent the most wonderful nights of her life. Her c...

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“The library book” by Akito Yu

Submitted to Contest #20

I love books. I spend hours hiding under my covers, soaking in every word, knowing there isn't possibly a thing that could go wrong. Riding an endless roller coaster, continuous adventure. The one time I can feel completely safe, knowing I am securely strapped to the seat, no matter how thrilling the ride. The insufferable optimist, knowing no matter how bad things can be, they will always get better. There's nothing that can take away that sense of security I had every single time I walked to the library and checked out a book to read. A wh...

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“Waiting for Dinner” by Keith Manos

Submitted to Contest #20

“ . . . can you play me a memory? I’m not really sure how it goes, but it’s sad and it’s sweet, and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man’s clothes” [Billy Joel] Regarding Sue, his mindless sister-in-law, Jim decided to confront her later. Of course, when she visited again. What else could he do? &...

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“But I Called Him John. ” by Rima ElBoustani

Submitted to Contest #20

People forget, when they die, that they have left someone behind. Someone who cared. Someone who loved them. That was true for Jane Doe. Her mother left her. Her father left her. And then her husband left her. Those were the only people in her life. Their names were Susan, Albert and Samuel. Everything had been normal. Nothing and no one could have predicted the outcome. That they would all leave. The only thing she had, in the end, was the baby boy she was pregnant with when her husband died. Cancer took them all. But not her boy. He woul...

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“Cobwebs” by Karen McDermott

Submitted to Contest #20

Number 43. I’d finally found it. A weather beaten brown door. A cheerful duck egg blue terraced house. I knocked on the outskirts of the knocker, fashioned as a cool iron hand. It felt rude to put it to use somehow without shaking it first. Once I got ideas like that in my head, they were difficult to dislodge.I could hear a soap opera being turned down, then slow considered footsteps approaching. The door creak...

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“A Family Tradition” by Whitney Trang

Submitted to Contest #20

“Mom, are you sure you want to do this?” Fourteen-year-old Faulkner asked. “Of course.” Nerina ruffled his hair. “It’s December. You know what’s right around the corner!” “I thought we could keep it a bit... mellow this year.” Faulker took the last bite of his cereal. “No, that would be silly.” Nerina turned to her twelve-year-old daughter. “What do you think, Darlah?” “Faulkner’s right.” Darlah agreed with her brother. “Maybe we could take it down a notch or two t...

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“Birthday Visitors” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #20

Emilia prided herself on her positive attitude. She did not actually go as far as intoning those I am fifty tomorrow, thought Emilia Snodgrass, as she snuggled down on her comfortable memory foam mattress and pulled her duvet around her. It was a strange thought. Still, what of it? After all, fifty was the new forty, or whatever the current version of it was. It was all only a number, and life was good to her. She had a job she loved in a bookshop, good friends, her health, and was comfort...

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“The Heart that Made My Mother.” by Rima ElBoustani

Submitted to Contest #20

For every day that I have lived, I have never known what it means to be poor, to beg for food or money so that we can pay the rent. My heart is young. I am like most people I know. But my grandmother was not. Her heart knows the tribulations of life. She had to watch my mother and her sister suffer when there was not enough to eat. She is not like anyone I know. Her heart is many years older and her soul more beautiful for it. When we suffer, our heart gains wisdom and our souls find the beauty in life. We take pleasure in what little we hav...

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“The Guest at the Gables” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #20

It was surprisingly easy. Too easy, which made me nervous. I had been collecting money for our Outreach programme. Yes, I still, without thinking, say “our”. Sometimes I think it is harder to change the automatic default of language than a mindset. Perhaps because it doesn’t matter as much. I don’t know. I was trusted. Trusted as much as any of us ever were. That was the paradox, of course. We weren’t trusted, and yet we had to be, to a certain extent. And&nb...

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“Silver Lining, by Kymberly Jensen” by Kymberly Jensen

Submitted to Contest #20

Heather lived in a run down apartment that matched her look. Her grey-blue eyes were seemingly dull and lifeless. They had dark circles beneath what used to be vibrant eyes. She was tired. Tired of making excuses for not answering her “best friend” Janie’s phone calls. Tired of her job, tired of her boss, tired of her Mother always calling and nagging, tired of her nosy neighbor Margarete, who lived next door and was always in her business. Tired of feeling used by men, tired of trying to keep up with the rent, tired of shut off notices, tir...

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“My Sweet Baby” by Sierra Kingen

Submitted to Contest #20

My sweet baby, all fresh and pure.I seen nothing sweeter, than my babe beforeI will hold you proudly, till you can walk strongThen my little babe, will be gone, a strong manAnd then this sweet mother, will rejoice for so long. Aged arms caressed a soft child as the song was hummed with a raspy voice. The child slumbered as his mother slowly put him down into the crib. Sunlight streamed into the room, flooding the wooden rocking chairs, the body size mirror, and the sleeping babe in a golden war...

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“Echoes” by Suzanne Murray

Submitted to Contest #20

It's 6am, and there is a noise coming from the bathroom, a pipe gasping for air as the tap that has been on for the last 8 minutes continues to run, someone is banging on the door to be let in ,screaming “I need to pee!”The back door has slammed a total of 14 times in the last 3 minutes as I feel the edge of my bed dip slightly as the weight of a small child crawls silently towards me , the movement stops as a small hand rests on my shoulder.“Mummy, I'm hungry , I need toast , I'm starved.”&n...

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$50

Prize money

274

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 20, 2019 EST

Won by Amy St. Pierre 🏆

Title: At Home

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!

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