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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#207: Behind the Scenes

People usually bring their A-game when they know they’re being observed — but they’re often at their most interesting when they think no one’s watching. There’s a reason we’re all so intrigued by “behind the scenes” content, whether it’s about a celebrity we love, or an industry we find fascinating; getting to see all the work that goes into making something happen, especially when it looks effortless to the untrained eye.

With this week’s prompts, we’re lifting the curtain and going backstage. Whether we’re following a character who’s getting a break from the effort of performance, or exploring an industry where most of the action happens behind the scenes, let’s see what happens when we finally call “cut”.

PS — If you’re curious about the “behind the scenes” of Prompts, we’d love to have you! Get your own backstage pass by applying to be one of our volunteer judges.

This week's prompts

Set your story on a film or TV set, starting with someone calling “Cut!”

Dialogue – 46 stories

Write about a person who constantly has to put on a persona (e.g. at work, in their relationships, etc.) who can finally drop the facade.

Character – 80 stories

A journalist has been granted permission to visit the premises of a lab carrying out top-secret work. They could never have anticipated what they’d find…

Science Fiction – 38 stories

Write a story about a magician who never reveals their secrets — until now.

Character – 31 stories

Set your story in the kitchen of a bustling restaurant.

Fiction – 39 stories

Stories

“The Professor’s Secret” by Nina H

Submitted to Contest #207

Morning seeped through the window and swirled about the room. Thin white curtains did little to stop it. Bits of dust sparkled in the air as Professor Miles Clark sat with a stack of papers and red pen, reading and grading. The squeaking sound of sneakers jarred the Professor from his concentration and he turned to look toward the door, glasses slipping an inch down his nose. “Ah, Julia! Turning in your work I see! It’s about time, young lady! You really do like to press a deadline, don’t you!” Professor Clark said with a smile...

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“Nutri Inc.- 2183” by Cecilia Englishby

Submitted to Contest #207

His Majesty, King Willforth the Second of Engalsea, Master of the European-Islands, The Grand Regent of the Dependencies, Baron of the Dessert Lands, Lord of the Caribbean North, and Prince and Great Steward of the Unclaimed Empire, sat before the comfort of a roaring fire in the Royal media room; waiting for The Family to finish dinner. He hadn’t turned on the lights, wanting to remain alone as long as possible.Willforth had left them halfway through the third course, too anxious to eat any more. Without ceremony he pushed aside a...

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“Letting The Mask Slip” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #207

After all this time, I think I’m beginning to understand. I’ve spent my entire life running. Running away. Now I think I know what it was I was running away from. Me. I was running away from myself. I kept running, only I told myself that this was living. That I had to keep going. I could never stop. To stop was to meet an end, and I told myself that I was afraid of the end. That I was not ready. Truth is that we are never ready. I’ve seen that truth more than most. I’m beginning to realise that none of this was real. N...

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“The Fakir” by Zeeshan Mahmud

Submitted to Contest #207

In the latter part of the 17th century India, there lived a fakir well-versed in black magic who was purported to resurrect the dead. He gained some prominence although eyewitness accounts and testimony of his feat were sparse and scanty. It is presupposed he hailed from an ancient syncretic faith of Hinduism, Sufism, and Islam. Although Quran forbade the performance of black magic, there has been history of the occult in Islam, none other than the famous book Shams al-Ma'arif being the most well-known among them.Legend once had i...

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“May as Well Hang for a Sheep” by Angela Ginsburg

Submitted to Contest #207

Let’s just get this out of the way from the start: I am not a witch. I was doing a legitimate master’s in medicinal botany when the war flared up and my lab was destroyed. I don’t practice black magic. Magic is not real, no matter what the modesty enforcers say to keep women in line. I let my clients think it’s magic because science is the men’s realm they’re trying to circumvent, and because I’m only allowed to operate because the modesty force thinks I peddle wives tales and expired tylenol. To them it’s just tea leaves and hope, a wa...

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“In the Weeds” by Stevie Burden

Submitted to Contest #207

In the Weeds By: Stevie Stephens Burden It was early but Mickey was already in the kitchen. She worked on all the front of the house chores that had to be done before she could open the coffee shop. She needed to find out what their baker had come up with overnight. Then she would need to put them in the display cases. Mickey, never knew what to expect on any given morning or day despite being co-owner of the restaurant. It was just the nature of the business. She prepared for another busy day of tourists, locals, serving three meals, co...

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“The Butt Double” by Stephanie Troyak

Submitted to Contest #207

He takes me from behind, grabbing my ass and rhythmically pounding into me in slick, steady strokes. His fingers dig into my flesh. My hair is loose and damp, as sweat drips down my nipples, shining along my porcelain flesh. He grabs my hair and I let out a soft moan as my neck lolls back. “Get up” he commands. He pulls me up on my knees, and wraps his muscular arm around my torso, proceeding to gently nibble on my ear. His breath on my neck sends a quivering sensation down my spine. His hands slip down my stomach, and my body tingles as his...

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“Pot Plants and Self-Help Books” by Carina Caccia

Submitted to Contest #207

It is here in a lamplit living room, surrounded by pot plants and self-help books, where we meet our protagonist, Marta. She sits in a cloud of cigarette smoke, ashing it every few tokes in a red metal tray painted with gold elephants. Her daughter brought it back from Thailand—another toke of her cigarette—and, as always, had thought of her. Thank goodness someone does, otherwise she might go mad; no amount of pot plants and self-help books can compensate for a child’s love. They do, however, silence the scream of solitude for a while. She ...

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“The Window” by Liam Murphy

Submitted to Contest #207

The Window There wasn’t a window. We, George and Justin La Croix, the owners of the restaurant, couldn’t allow our affluent customers to see or hear the chaotic scenes that went into the prepping of their pricey meals. While our front-of-house staff worked in a calm and measured atmosphere, the kitchens were entirely different. Our restaurant in New York was named La Maison Du George. We served upmarket, traditional French cuisine in an intimately formal setting. Diners ate to the accompaniment of background classical music. The customer's...

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“All the trouble for Ali ” by Miranda Ndowa

Submitted to Contest #207

It was exactly 3:30 am when the whole town went dark. The Generator rolled his eyes and sighed. It was going to be a hectic day without electricity, with all screwdrivers and spanners operating him should he try the malfunction stunt. He wondered why Lagertha was his destination after the three months he had spent in a container shipment from China, only to be delivered to the doorstep of the Foodies Corner, a famous restaurant in Lagertha. He had served for straight five years, but right now he felt like retiring. “Hey, Generator, off I g...

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“I was a John Q Extra” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut” the first Assistant Director called. “Break for lunch.” The third Assistant Director announced. “We’re in that warehouse. Doors are way down the west end.” We were led by some seventh Assistant Director, Extra’s Wrangler, to the far end of a warehouse where catering had still not unloaded. “We’re locked out.” Another extra said yanking on the steel doors. “I saw tech guys somewhere at the other end inside, when we came over. We could knock on the window...

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“Turning Tables” by Celia Bassols

Submitted to Contest #207

“Pick up ten. Vite, vite.” Chef Claude was already tired of this waiter tonight. “If the sauce breaks before it gets to your table, you’ll be wearing it. Do you understand?”“Oui, Chef.”Upon hearing this, Chef’s ears burned. “Speaking French doesn’t make you a garçon, remember that.” Chef Claude was in a particular mood this evening. “Americans.” The acidic words flowed effortlessly off his tongue. “Life is so easy for you until you actually have to work.”His staff heard Chef’s quip and anxiously looked at him, hoping he would offer more...

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“Best Friends - O Yeah” by Calvin Kirby

Submitted to Contest #207

Best Friends – O Yeah!By Cal Kirby(This is based on a true story, with some liberties taken to make the author seem more involved with the famous people)As I finished wiping the chicken salad off Goldie Hawn’s face and saying my lines, “Are you alright, is everything alright?” Norman Jewison, the director, yelled, “Cut!!!”I was really excited, as this was the first time I actually had lines in the many movies I had been in.It was in 1982 and it all started with me getting a phone call from my agent from Central Casting, saying “Cal can you b...

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“What Is Art?” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #207

“Cut!” Bren Halfleck looks stunned. Then he looks around him at the crew. Green screening is an art in itself. It’s acting in its rawest form. Precision make believe. There is nothing there, but he has to make sure the audience sees what should be there. Then the tech wizards colour everything else in and there really is a dragon, or an alien, or a talking boat or whatever it is that is trending this year in the weird and wonderful world that they call Follywood. “Is that it?” he asks as the crew start wrapping things up. “Ye...

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“Hissing Caverns” by Kimberly Walker

Submitted to Contest #207

Cut!... let's take a ten-minute break…"Mom, you looked relaxed, confident, and beautifully in your element in front of the camera, but how do you feel?"I'm good. I did a breathing treatment, although I was worried before we started. I'm glad I wore my scarf around my head, shoulders, neck, and long johns underneath this outfit. All the lights on me are an excellent heat source… ha, ha, ha…(Mom thinking) …We will face our fears for our children…, right? Inhaler in hand, nervous system on blast, and eyes wide open, I entered the cozy cavernous...

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$250

Prize money

234

Contest entries

96

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 21, 2023 EST

Won by Derrick M Domican 🏆

Title: Speed Fate

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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