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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#216: Show, Don't Tell

As autumn marches on, we once again find ourselves back to work and study, hopefully filled with renewed energy and the desire to write. But before we start typing away, why not revisit some craft fundamentals?

"Show, don't tell," is age-old advice that encourages writers to tell stories through sensory details, actions, and images, rather than exposition. But that’s easier said than done. The best way to incorporate it into your writing is to practice.

With that in mind, you might enjoy our free 10-day email course on Show, Don't Tell, along with this week's prompts, which are inspired by it and invite you to refine this foundational storytelling skill.

This week's prompts

Start your story in a coffee shop without using obvious words to describe it (e.g. barista, coffee cup.)

Narrative – 69 stories

Write a scene in which a character’s behavior or reaction to something is affected by a past experience — without saying what that experience was.

Character – 51 stories

Include dialogue that shows that a character is socially awkward.

Dialogue – 28 stories

Include a scene in your story in which a character's body language conveys their hidden emotions.

Character – 25 stories

Write a story with an open ending that gives readers just enough details to draw their own conclusions.

Narrative – 111 stories

Stories

“Probably for the Best” by Aaron Schmidt

Submitted to Contest #216

"Why are you here?" Ryan always asked questions he knew the answer to when he was frustrated. She rolled her eyes. Exasperated, she looked out the floor to ceiling windows. Just through the reflection of the white oak wood paneling of the shop's interior her eyes caught some construction workers climbing scaffolding across the street. She looked back at him with a slow blink. "I work here." She said, clearly familiar with his ruse. Stubbornly he pressed, "No I mean, why are we here?" A young man dressed in black slacks, a button up, and a re...

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“Can I Get That To Go?” by David Willett

Submitted to Contest #216

A bitter and muddy aftertaste tingled on my palette. Even the smell of it burns my nostrils as I take another mouthful. I would be more relaxed and satisfied at my usual morning haunt. Instead, I settle for the ‘good enough’ imitation of my daily ritual. Familiar and friendly faces swapped with clanging luggage trollies and raised voices attempting to order through language barriers. Still, I would gladly remain hidden amongst the caffeinated chaos rather than face what awaited me at home. I stare at the scraps of blueberries on my plate, w...

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“Why Today?” by Anamarie Coriell

Submitted to Contest #216

As the bullets rang out and the casings clanged to the floor, I thought to myself: “Why today?” The sound of the full auto high caliber gun firing was so overpowering, I could barely hear anyone else. For a moment, the gun was so booming loud and the five other patrons and three employees were so quiet that I thought I was alone with these two giants of men.I was hiding under the dark oak wood round table and right in front of the small window seat with a bright flower design, clinging to the tiled floor as the man with the gun wearing the b...

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“Alien Discourse” by A Case

Submitted to Contest #216

Frank sat rigid and still except for his bouncing knee hidden under the table. He put pressure on the ball of his right foot. That spot that always gave the satisfying involuntary knee bounce. It was comforting, providing as much relief as possible in a public place. Spikes of anxiety lurked in the recesses of his brain, hanging in the dark corners, waiting. He longed for the dark cave of his basement. He checked his watch again, 16:20 ten units more than the agreed upon orientation schedule. These later models had more problems with the hu...

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“Brewtiful Moments” by Mara Rouge

Submitted to Contest #216

“A tall blond for Lily!” “Coming!” I was just putting down my bag when I heard Jamie call me. As I walk back to the counter, I see a woman getting my order. I guess she did not realize it was for me. “Excuse me—" I say to her. “This one is mine.” “Oh, I am sorry. I thought this was my order. I did not hear him call anyone.” “No, I am pretty sure he called Lily. Me!” I say pointing to my chest. “Err, the tall blond is for her,” Jamie says from distance, while processing a customer’s payment. “Thanks, Jamie! Aww, I love the tul...

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“A Familiar Scent at the Coffee Shop” by Momo Delsor

Submitted to Contest #216

For weeks now, a certain scent had drawn him to this place each morning. still unusual, yet the scent of an intricate figure, had been pulling him through the doorway and into the bustling symphony within. He settled into his usual worn leather chair in the corner and was assaulted by layers of sound and texture as he waited, for her. He cataloged each sensory detail, clinging to these impressions like a lifeline. The rising heat from a fresh mug, the sharp citrus oils released into the air when a lemon is squeezed - these things he could un...

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“Paint Girl” by Jr Wolfgang

Submitted to Contest #216

“No. no, no, no. Please tell me you’re messing with me,” pleaded JR to Brick in aisle 11 of the department store where they are coworkers. Both employees were fairly new to the company. So they were still meeting others there on a daily basis. The first time JR laid eyes on “Paint Girl” he honestly did not really notice her. He kept his head down at first for most of the workdays. JR can get nervous with first impressions. He tries to keep low profiles but can never stay away from himself for too long. JR noticed Paint Girl up ...

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“Bird” by Cameron Michles

Submitted to Contest #216

Bird wondered about that a lot. Or maybe it was decided all at once. Or maybe it depends on the weather. The weather. Strange. She’ll ask her tomorrow. ----- The kitchen clock said 10:07 A.M., but the clock in the den said 10:08 when she finally knocked on the door. “Do you have a glass of water?” Her cheeks were red and specked with sweat. &nbsp...

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“Our Lives Bound Together ” by Sienna Stephens

Submitted to Contest #216

His hand touched mine. It was cold and felt lifeless, like her hand. I pushed myself away from him, moving further and further back before hitting a wall. Tears crept their ways to my eyes, hands shaking violently, and breath going in and out into a panic. I couldn't look at him, he looked too much like her. The loose curly black hair, dusty silver eyes, and snow-white skin. It couldn't be her, he was different, he wasn't like her. His figure became clearer the closer he approached me. The usual calm and collected turned into worry and pani...

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“Alive” by Leigh Johnson

Submitted to Contest #216

It was a bar, but it more closely resembled a set from a science fiction movie or a Gothic castle: black velvet and polished heavy wood lit in lurid neon.She sat in a booth, alone. The texture of the fabric made her conscious of the bare skin of her thighs and shoulder blades. She swiped on a phone screen and opened a messaging app. There were no messages. She smoothed her hands over her abdomen, compulsively.The space was strange, a grotesque hybrid of Old World luxury and harsh modernity. One wall of the space had been ripped away and repl...

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“There is fire on the mountain” by Blessed Chileka

Submitted to Contest #216

MATILDA“Oh Chomie, what happened to you?”Instead of replying, she just cried. Softly. She opened her mouth to say something then her face contorted. Kendric came and stood behind me. Holding my shoulder. There seemed to be something coursing down his hands. But I did not bother to figure out what it was. I was having my own mini package of dilemma.“Oh Chomie….” I whispered covering my mouth.Kendric kneaded my shoulder then. I was about to break down in tears. I swallowed back my sorrow, choked, and started coughing. The guy took a glass...

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“Irish Coffee” by Maria Ghita

Submitted to Contest #216

He wanted us to meet at the furthest cafe away from her house, which made my heart pump twice as much blood. As the puddles were ruining my heeled boots, questions were echoing in my brain. One of them, more specifically why, doubled in size, until I could hear it everywhere; in the swish-swish of the cars rushing past me on the street, in the bla-bla-blas of the people sharing the curb with me, in the splash-splash of the vicious drops drowning my boots. I checked the time on my phone while still keeping it in my trench coat’s pocket, shiel...

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“Our Little Secret” by D. Grimes

Submitted to Contest #216

Mom’s picking me up from school instead of the bus. I got a note from the office an hour before dismissal that said so. I couldn’t pay attention all through silent reading time, but that’s okay, I usually can’t anyway.I run to her side of the car and fling my arms around her before she can bend down. She squeezes me back with one arm and combs my head with her nails. If I don’t pull away, she’ll maybe never let go.“I’m so happy to see you,” she brushes her hair out of her face. It’s longer and turns blonde at the bottom.I wriggle into the ba...

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“Tasmanians The Word ” by Rudy Senecal

Submitted to Contest #216

When the man in the white tee shirt walked into the apartment, Whitney immediately thought he seemed on edge. That kind of behavior wasn’t all out of the ordinary when Jax brought a customer back with him. But this guy was different. He seemed nervous, but not afraid. Which she got that vibe from a lot of people, most customers seemed to think that one wrong move would mean Jax would pounce like a tiger. But he walked in and took his shoes off without Jax even having to ask. And looked around the place with a nod. &nb...

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“A Premonition of Better Things” by E Moss

Submitted to Contest #216

It was not his intention for Jacob to leave his home behind this soon after his father had perished not long after he had shared another pleasantly benign and laconic dinner together, sitting across from the unclean heapings of hotly heated beef chunky in a canopy of canned vegetable aisles whipped downstream cheese-in-aesrolized can starch could not be used for a traditional trade in feigned tenderness shared between a single father figuring out who is even his son's best chances ahead but the dad did not want him back into a fitful game wi...

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$250

Prize money

284

Contest entries

115

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 22, 2023 EST

Won by Hazel Ide 🏆

Title: Long Live the King

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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