#206: Phobias
Have you ever had that nightmare where someone is chasing you, but you can’t scream or run away? It’s a pretty common (and terrifying) bad dream, and it always makes me wonder how I’d respond in a scary moment of crisis.
Fight, flight, or freeze? You never really know what you’re going to get until you’re in that moment, staring down the object of your fear — whether that’s losing someone you love, getting stuck in an enclosed space, being surrounded by a massive crowd, or just finding a cockroach in your bathroom.
Fear is a powerful feeling to capture in writing, so this week, join me to study this lightning-bolt emotion as it illuminates the actions of your characters.
This week's prompts
Write about someone facing their greatest fear.
Dramatic
–
109 stories
Write a story that contains a flashback of a nightmare.
Horror
–
63 stories
Start your story with a character seeing something terrifying.
Horror
–
53 stories
Write about a character in a situation where they have to be brave for someone else’s sake.
Character
–
61 stories
Set your story in an eerie, surreal setting.
Dark
–
87 stories
Stories
“Mexican Day: A Tinkering Story” by Martin Ross
Submitted to Contest #206
“The Social Phantom” by Shahzad Ahmad
Submitted to Contest #206
“Nothing” by Marisa Billions
Submitted to Contest #206
“Gluttony” by Regina Sara Zalameda
Submitted to Contest #206
“Peace: The Soldier’s Dream” by Kai Moon
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #206
“Family History” by Kelsey H
Submitted to Contest #206
“No Such Thing as Ghosts” by Keelan LaForge
Submitted to Contest #206
“FEAR-NO FEAR” by Charles Corkery
Submitted to Contest #206
“From Caterpilly to Butterflight” by Sarah Martyn
Submitted to Contest #206
“Falling” by Christie McMahon
Submitted to Contest #206
“Painted Blue” by Steffen Lettau
Submitted to Contest #206
“Work makes you free” by James Larder
Submitted to Contest #206
“Petrichor” by Michael Martin
Submitted to Contest #206
“Embrace Your Fear” by John K Adams
Submitted to Contest #206
$250
Prize money
373
Contest entries
130
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Jul 14, 2023 EST
Won by Parul Shah 🏆
Title: Shameless
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!