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!

#213: The Human Touch

For most people, platonic touch is a central part of being human. When words are not enough, a warm hug or a comforting hand on the shoulder can soothe, support, and create a sense of belonging. But the phrase has another meaning; adding a ‘human touch’ to your work and interactions can also be a way to show empathy and compassion without physically touching. And when that ‘human touch’ is missing from someone or something, it can start to verge on the uncanny.

This week’s prompts are centered around the concept of ‘the human touch’, both literally and figuratively — the comfort it can bring, but also that otherworldly and uneasy feeling we can get when there’s a distinct lack of it in the art and creations we encounter.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a character looking closely at something, or someone. They can't quite decide if what they're looking at is natural, or man-made.

Science Fiction – 51 stories

Start or end your story with a character receiving a hug or words of comfort.

Dramatic – 101 stories

Write a story about someone who is losing feeling in their hands and/or fingers.

Character – 46 stories

Write about someone with a Midas touch: everything they touch turns to [fill in the blank].

Character – 39 stories

Write about an AI or person trying to inject a ‘human touch’ into their work.

Science Fiction – 49 stories

Stories

“Progress” by Morgan Hannah

Submitted to Contest #213

***Please note: the following story has themes of mental health and suicide. It is my work of fictional art, intended only to entertain.*** Catching his breath, he watched her from across the way. They were way high up; it was dark and cold, the moon too big and too bright. Panting, sweat coated his face and sat in every wrinkle of the pushed-up sleeves of his driving jacket; he carefully swung his legs out over the edge. She was wearing a loose-fitting black dress, her hair pinned up in tight curls, and long legs bare. She looked out acro...

Read story

“Sally” by Teresa Brown

Submitted to Contest #213

Sally sat on the floor, tears running down her face. Sobbing incontrollably. She looked around at the smoke flamed room and thought of all the things her family used to do and had planned on doing in the future there. Staring into the distance, she began to think of what she would do next. Only 17 years old, not quite done with school, she made up her mind that that would be her first priority. Finish school and then find work and rebuild, if only one brick at a time. Discussing things over with the chief if the village, he gave her permissi...

Read story

“Craved” by Lucerito Espinoza

Submitted to Contest #213

These story hints at physical abuse in a domestic violent relationship. The theme is breaking a cycle of abuse and struggling with the mental health ramifications of a prolonged abusive relationship without providing in depth details. I hope you enjoy part of my soul based on true events of my personal life.Yessenia was startled by the light touch on her wrist. When she turned to see who was attached to the hand, she took a sigh of relief. She was distracted in thought and was grounded by the touch of her mother. Yessenia grabbed the last of...

Read story

“Hidden Invitation” by Stacy Pulley

Submitted to Contest #213

His mom comes in frazzled. Her eyes wide, she holds the small whimpering child close to her in distress but then quickly her face softens in relief as she sees the therapist enter the waiting room. The therapist, sizing up the situation, quickly takes in the mom with the tear streaked cheeks, and the angry pinched face of the little boy who is half clinging to her, half pushing her away in a confused tantrum. "What's going on?" "He tried to jump out of the car on the expressway on the way here. It's been a horrible day" The small boy...

Read story

“Birdshot” by Evan Trapp

Submitted to Contest #213

They strode towards the summit as generations apart. The last of the snow cover was almost gone and the dead leaves of the previous year had begun to retake the ground. The old man and the young girl had a short but steep hike to the overlook, where views across the valley and snow-capped hills awaited. The old man was breathing heavily. “When I first moved to the area I absolutely hated the winters. They felt so bloody long. But that’s changed. Honestly, I can now say that I almost enjoy them,” he chuckled. Agnes, a naturally shy girl, le...

Read story

“A runner's heart” by Rudy Greene

Submitted to Contest #213

“You’re going to be as good as new or better. Before you know it, you’ll be running sub five-minute miles again.” I had to encourage Lydia. She was an Olympic athlete with a wonky heart. Who would have thought that a 23-year-old athlete would develop a heart problem. I guess it was genetic. She said her grandmother had a similar problem at an early age. I didn’t know she had contacted her birth parents. The terms the doctors used were beyond my comprehension, but I understood rhythm abnormality and heart block. “Yes, but it’s my heart. ...

Read story

“Will I be ok?” by Mara Rouge

Submitted to Contest #213

“You’ll be okay, I promise!” These words may sound so cliché for some people, but for me, they are comforting. They were the last words my mom had said to me when we last each other at the airport. She was about to board her plane to go back home. It was a rainy afternoon, and we feared her flight might get canceled. I was secretly wishing it would. I was reminded again of those words when I found a letter from her. I had stored it away in my trunk—my go-to place for all things that I want to preserve and decide much later what to do...

Read story

“The smell of beetroots” by Olga Foxe

Submitted to Contest #213

It felt like a rugby tackle, low, secure, sturdy - but but not violent enough to knock him off his feet. The kitchen was still dark in the early morning making it difficult to see, and he was not quite awake enough to react with surprise - nothing’s ever a surprise when you’re asleep is it? Even the oddest dreams make sense until you’re having your second cup of tea of the day. He rubbed his eyes, straining to see what was going on down there around his knees, and just made out what looked like, well, what did it look like? A knobbly swede ...

Read story

“PLAYED GUNNER” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #213

PLAYED GUNNER “Why don’t you tell us something of your everyday life? Your living and working conditions; life for others around you. We know your purpose, of course, but we would all love to hear about conditions generally”. The soldier, strongly built, muscles rippling beneath his waterproof lycra top, stared at the gathering, a hundred or more cave dwellers, looking upon him with a mixture of fear, awe and hatred. Two of this community, older, were doing all the talking. “I...can’t seem to move. My fingers and toes are num...

Read story

“The Saturday Train” by A Heit

Submitted to Contest #213

Roxy leaped from the concrete ledge of the railway platform, one hand touching down and her knees buckling just short of grinding into the gravel. “Go already, hurry! I’ll catch up with these,” she shouted up at Francie, as she grabbed for the two worn canvas knapsacks under the platform, each marked with an oversized, dark blue “A.” Roxy had hidden them on a day less portentous than the one ahead of them. She looked up to see Francie hadn’t moved, only stood still, looking toward the station agent. Roxy tossed a knapsack up to her. “I thin...

Read story

“"Open the pod bay doors.."” by L J

Submitted to Contest #213

She looked at the new AI program again:wRiter-WritingRoboticallyInfinityTotallyEternityforever"Well, the programmer couldn't come up with a meaning for "R"? Humm, I hope this was worth the money. " She looked at the first command: 'Create a detailed itinerary for : (fill in blanks)Cindy thought a moment. She is a travel blogger so she wanted to write about her and Steve's honeymoon to Paris; "Ok, The subject is Married, Paris ..ok, wRiter, write my blog about Paris. Here are some photos of Steve and me .." She sat back in her chair and start...

Read story

“Are You For Real?” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #213

TW: People in conflict over mistakes made.Arne entered the meet up club where he planned to meet Gloria. Her text said she’d be wearing a white Gardenia to more easily identify her. ‘Meet ups’ are an informal version of the blind date. They allow singles to get acquainted and pursue deeper connections.Almost immediately, Arne saw a problem. Across the dimly lit room, he saw two women with Gardenias. Either would make him look good. One wore a Gardenia in her hair. She had a model’s figure, but was too slim for Arne’s tastes.She stood near th...

Read story

“Moving On ” by Angel Tiong

Submitted to Contest #213

Sitting down by the coffee shop, rethinking the decision of cutting off my family. Although I was feeling regretful, part of me knew that I made the right decision. As I stood up and was getting ready to pay for the cakes I've ordered, someone came up to me from the back and tapped me on the back, 'Hey....' he said with a shaky tone. I turned around to find my long lost best friend Fredrick behind me, shocking how he grew taller by 5cm in 3 months. Fredrick was there for me whenever I needed someone to talk to, and to be honest, if it weren'...

Read story

“Puddles” by Dan Carter

Submitted to Contest #213

Read story

“"Wish I"” by Pauline Taylor

Submitted to Contest #213

“Wish I” The intrusive thoughts started to ruminate in her mind; remembering the traumatic memories of how she felt as a child. She sat down in the front corridor where there was a room lit be the flickering flames of a large beautiful fireplace. As she sat down the tears began to flow as she thought: {The memoirs from a child of an Addict} “Wish I” was somebody else. “Wish I” didn’t have the problems I have. Wish my life was different, better, perfect, wealthy, healthy, happy and joyous all the time. Wish my mother was somebody el...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

286

Contest entries

124

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 01, 2023 EST

Won by Jonathan Page 🏆

Title: The Porcelain Village

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 ⭢