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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#203: Back to Basics

If you’re signed up to the Prompts newsletter, you’re probably interested in writing short stories — and love getting emails from people called Laura. With that in mind, I have a recommendation for you...

Editor Laura Mae Isaacman offers a free, 10-day email course on How to Craft a Killer Short Story. She has edited literary giants like Noam Chomsky and Joyce Carol Oates, and her course breaks down the principles of short story writing into manageable chunks.

This week’s prompts take cues from Laura’s tips and examples, taking us back to the basics of storytelling, and can help you brush up your short story skills alongside the course.

This week's prompts

Write a story during which two conversations happen simultaneously.

Dialogue – 28 stories

Write about how a single event affects a seemingly unrelated area of a character’s life (their friendships, career, romantic relationships, etc.)

Character – 35 stories

Write about two friends getting into a fist fight.

Angst – 31 stories

Write a story that experiments with tone — perhaps a difficult subject dealt with in a playful way, or an ostensibly happy scene that hints at darkness lurking beneath.

Short Story – 63 stories

Start your story in the middle of the action.

Short Story – 69 stories

Stories

“A List of Demands” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #203

The young man on the phone was laughing after the first slap, but I kept my cool. “We are listening.” “Then you know that I am not screwing around and that I want to speak to someone higher up right now!” There was a particular etiquette in these situations and I was following it to the letter. My boss, the main officer on the case, put me in charge for a reason: he did not really care about this one. A man – really, a kid - had a supermarket locked down with a gun and the promise to use it. It was not in a very important part of town – immi...

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“The Truth About Maine” by Lindsay Flo

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #203

“It wasn’t the beginning of the end, it was the end of the end. And he knew it and I knew it and only one of us was pretending we didn’t.” This is how I start my story. I’m shotgun in Meg’s car, heading north on a girls’ trip to Maine. We’ve left behind our husbands and children, scratching the surface of our mom-and-wife warpaint to reveal something freer underneath. Maine is going to do this for us. A lifetime ago, Maine broke my heart. But this time, it’s going heal something in me. “Tell me more,” Meg says, her eyes trained on the lo...

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“Cap and Gown” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #203

They are very excited to graduate. When the diplomas have been distributed, they will step out onto the sidewalk that stretches far enough to accommodate the audiences that typically pour out of the downtown theater where, once a year, Joseph Silberman High School has their graduation. The sidewalk has seen the tuxedo crowd turn into the shorts-and-a-t-shirt crowd after tours headlined by stars from Broadway became non-equity three-show stays. The sidewalk had opinions about theater, but we have no need to interrogate a sidewalk. We have...

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“Dangerous Descent” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #203

Just because Mike was a billionaire, didn’t mean he didn’t need to listen to his wife. Cathy patiently waited for him to finish explaining all the details of his new gadget, an ACH160 business helicopter, as they ate dinner.After his lengthy monologue, Cathy jumped in to fill him in on a topic that was much more dear to her heart.“My sister is having her 25th anniversary party. It's in Sheboygan, this July.”“That’s nice.” He said, while chewing on the white asparagus appetizer, obviously still thinking about helicopters. One needs to be dire...

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“Blood and Water” by Tamarin Butcher

Submitted to Contest #203

Sandra reached for her phone. It was an automatic movement, something she did hundreds of times a day in the hope of seeing something that would make her brain go, 'Ah, yes". Today, dozens of notifications glared back at her, and her stomach twisted. Instead of sweet distraction, all she saw were reminders of the inescapable. Barely comprehending the digital onslaught, Sandra scrolled down the list. Cousin Amy, who lived her life via Facebook, tagging every family member she could think of in her public announcement of grief.: #sadd...

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“Dead man” by Richard Seven

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #203

August heat swaddled me as I made my way home from the community swimming pool. A damp towel hung from my neck. My trunks, reeking of chlorine, drooped from my narrow hips as I shuffled on dime-store plastic flipflops.I was 11, shirtless, recklessly sunburned, and alone. That’s how I rolled as a kid in Eugene, Oregon, back in the mid-60s. My family was so large, and our house was so cramped that I grew up like a feral cat, roaming and poking around trouble without fretting about consequences.The pool was five or six minutes from our house. H...

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“Legend of Imelda: Dark Countess” by Derrick M Domican

Submitted to Contest #203

There were Shadow Skulls everywhere, pouring into the Hall through every door and window, a seemingly endless amount, cloaks flapping, blades slashing as they charged at the Champion, determined to keep him from his love. Van was close to the tower in which the object of this final quest awaited, but having fought his way through horde after horde of the Undead, exhausted his supplies, given everything he had, he knew he wasn’t going to make it. Not unless he used the Atomic Spirit, the weapon he’d ventured into a secr...

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“Salt and Pepper” by Karen McDermott

Submitted to Contest #203

Benjamin Pendergast-Manifold had been waiting seemingly forever for an opportunity like this to drop into his lap. Or more accurately, his hands. Just typical, wasn’t it. He kept his LinkedIn profile pristine and up-to-date, only to be rewarded only with thousands of nonsense emails a week. He attended recruitment fairs where reps seemed thrown if you dared ask them about anything about their companies other than to ask for one of keyrings they were handing out. He attended parties in the hopes of networking, when he’d rather be lying on t...

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“Career Decisions” by Kathryn Menefee

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #203

“God, that one exam,” Jennifer said. “She kept me on the phone for hours. It was something about court procedures…?”Samantha laughed. “Evidence. She called me about that too.” “Yes! She was certain she was going to fail that one. And of course, if she failed that one, she was going to fail out of school entirely, have to move back home—” “Yep.” “And I told her—I told her, ‘Amy, you’ve never failed an exam in your life. You’ve never even gotten below a B plus in your life—’” “‘But law school is d...

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“THE EDGE” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #203

“Please don’t die.”Freddie’s eyes were open but could not see. Her pupils were dilated to the extent that the greenish-gold color they once were had now all but disappeared. “Come back. Please come back.”Freddie’s face turned slightly to the sound of Michael’s voice. Her lips quivered. Michael lowered his head.“What is it?” he whispered, “I’m here.”* * *“Mike, we're over here!”Michael Woodman, a fourth generation Phi Beta Kappa, was filling his party goblet from the house keg. He'd be...

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“Today is Going to be a Good Day” by Isabella Clementina Olmedo

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #203

The smell of fried dough reaches the upstairs washroom where I run my fingers through my curls. My stomach grumbles, pleading for a bite. Today should be a good day. The sun is out but so is a cool breeze, so hopefully it won’t be too stuffy in the church. Grandma made her signature empanadas which are solely reserved for special occasions, and my older cousins aren’t allowed to pick on me today as per Grandma’s orders. Today was “too important” and Grandma didn’t want me crying because of my cousins’ jokes or shoves. They say people tend to...

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“Harrowing evening” by John Siddham

Submitted to Contest #203

The sparkles hit her nose as she drew the glass to her lips. With a naughty smile, Amy sipped the drink and sighed —no life without gin and tonic. The bubbles from the drink burst on her tongue, releasing tangy flavours. She stared at Richard, who stood tall next to her. He was a perfect catch. Her lips widened, pushing the cheeks to reveal a dimple. We’re gonna have a great time. Her fingers caressed the stubble on his chin of the charming man she had met a few days ago. The venue was buzzing with loud music and after-work chatter. She sat ...

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“Run Through the Tape” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #203

Run Through the Tape“You should laugh every day.” - Jim ValvanoIt’s hard to make a hospital room look homey. Too much white- walls, ceilings, sheets, even the attire of the doctors and nurses. And a little heavy on metal- the frames of the bed and chairs, cabinets, dinner tray, door, the TV bracket, the light fixture above, and the steel pole holding the bags that occasionally pumped life-sustaining and pain-killing fluids into Carl. Nothing soft and colorful, a scarcity of anything that would remind one of wood. A square bo...

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“Quack” by James Larder

Submitted to Contest #203

‘You know you'll never see her again, don't you? Because of your actions. Because of your behaviour. Because of your delusions.’‘You’re wrong! You’re just blatantly wrong! I'm not crazy, man- You don't understand- No-one does- Except us- Me and her. You don't know what it was like. When we were together. It was otherworldly - Metaphysical - Heaven on Earth! We’re like Napoleon and Josephine. We chose each other- Outside the simulation! It’s a great love- A love for the ages! We know each other… And we have known each other- For aeons!’The ps...

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“The Chauffeur” by Kate Winchester

Submitted to Contest #203

Trigger warning: Mentions suicide, death, and mental health Dr. Miriam Brooks opened the door to her office and shuffled her client back to reception for check out. Miriam’s next client wasn’t scheduled for another half an hour. To her surprise, however, a man, who looked to be in his early forties, was sitting in the waiting room. His hair was short with a mix of black and grey. He had a tattered leather book in his hand, and he was intently reading it. Written in gold letters, Miriam could see the title, The Bib...

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$250

Prize money

226

Contest entries

121

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 23, 2023 EST

Won by Kris Hawkins 🏆

Title: Echelon

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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