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!

#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

“Rosewood” by Yeisha Lee

Submitted to Contest #216

In the heart of a bustling city, there was a quaint bookstore that had been a hidden gem for generations. Its creaky weathered sign bore the name "Rosewood Books," and its shelves held countless stories, both forgotten and cherished by few. One day, a young woman named Emily wandered into the bookstore. She had always been drawn to the written word, finding solace in the pages of books. As she perused the shelves, an old leather-bound tome caught her eye. Its title, "The Enchanted Chronicles," was etched in faded gold letters. Emily pu...

Read story

“FINDING UTOPIA” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #216

My name is Haven, I live on a planet called New Eden, where everyone lives a happy life in pure bliss. New Eden is a world where you get to smile every day, laugh every day and enjoy life. Our ancestors created a world without the fear of dying. I love New Eden. I love living here. The sky is always blue. The sun is always out and we get to see the stars in the night sky. It's the perfect place to live. Now I know perfect isn't always a good thing but New Eden is what I would call perfect. Not many people would agree with me. Some would sa...

Read story

“AN UNEXPECTED ADVENTURE” by Susan Willard

Submitted to Contest #216

MEET ME OUTSIDE BEHIND THE TALL BUSHES, AROUND THE BACK OF THE BUILDING – ALONE, ASAP! Guy Fletcher read the note again. Someone slipped the wrinkled napkin with the hand-written note into his coat pocket while he was in the Wilson Creek’s visitor center. He pulled out his keys and there was the handwritten note. Scratching his head, Guy turned to look for the back of the building. As Guy trudged up the slight hill, entering the protection behind the Rose of Sharon bushes, a ...

Read story

“Ambush at Twilight” by Joseph Peck

Submitted to Contest #216

The sun had dipped between the tree line when their column was attacked. Their cohort of three hundred was battered and marked, the scars of defeat wearing them all down. Armor that had once gleamed in the sunlight had now become scratched, dented, and rusted. Pikes were held in worn leather clad hands, whilst sabers were belted at the waists of each soldier. The metal masks of bearded men attached to Morion helmets stared forward, blank and emotionless, hiding weary gazes. In the center a few dozen men marched, arquebuses leaned on th...

Read story

“The Cliffside” by Nick Baldino

Submitted to Contest #216

I wish I never heard Ronnie’s words. They come back to me, sometimes, when the moon is low and hangs with that open-eyed stare, the same way the teachers used to stare at us. Ms. Powers in sixth, Mr. Jordan in seventh, the three us in the back with our hornets and chewing gum and wet paper pellets. “We’re going to the Marymount Cliffside.” Benji and I stared through him, trying to avoid his pig trough gaze, his upturned nose that sucked his face inward. Ronnie said it again, louder. “Marymount Cliffside. Tonight. We’ll bring rocks to ...

Read story

“Now” by Kyle Sager

Submitted to Contest #216

I must have only been dreaming, all that time away from him. Perhaps it’s within the revival of the forgotten that appears one’s true question of what living really means. In Clissold Park I sat alone and waited for him to show. The sharp, jagged shadows of pine trees stretched out infinitely on the lawns as the sun set, and a gentle wind carried the flitting swallows up and down as though strings were attached to their fragile bodies. Autumn’s first chill had passed over London so noticeably you could feel it in your bones, somehow p...

Read story

“Three's a Crowd” by Jessie B Taylor

Submitted to Contest #216

Three’s a Crowd By: Jessica B. Taylor ~ Joy ~ The tension was thick. The old expression, ‘you could cut it with a knife’ applied. An icy silence filled the space between us while the raucous, loud music and frivolity took up the rest of the space around us. The place was packed…the band was playing one of my favourite rock anthems, and I sat frozen in my chair. &nbsp...

Read story

“Pins and Needles” by Thomas Holland

Submitted to Contest #216

My skull might as well have been cleaved in two: that is how excruciating the pain in the side of my head felt, waking up on that cement floor. I groaned as I sat up, explosions of black and white obscuring my vision. “God damn it, what happened?” I muttered, closing my eyes as the sparks settled. I tried to remember, finding only a fuzzy blur where my memories should be. A cough sounded to my right. I stiffened – someone else was here. Through blurred sight I peered across the room, just able to make out a young lady in the corner, her he...

Read story

“Portrait” by Christopher B.

Submitted to Contest #216

He takes his seat opposite me at the little table and clumsily scoots his chair forward, filling the little restaurant with a sound like a child playing the trumpet. For a moment, as he tries to pretend he’s not embarrassed, I can’t remember if I swiped him, DM’ed him, or found him in a box full of farmers, Christians, or cupids; which is distantly irritating.“Wow, this is, so awkward,” he says and laughs. His eyes crinkle at the corners and the awkwardness is clearly genuine, which is sweet in a way. Oh god, what was his name again?“I know,...

Read story

“No Pressure” by Andrea Corwin

Submitted to Contest #216

This story briefly talks about euthanasia. "You can't always do peanut butter cookies, Charly! This is for the holiday cookie exchange. The cookies should be festive and creatively decorated," Mary instructed. "Making six dozen cookies is exhausting. It takes me all weekend. I am not about to stand all day in my kitchen rolling out cookies, cutting them, baking, and icing or decorating with sugar sprinkles. It's too much. Bar cookies are what I will make, or little ball cookies in powdered sugar. Take it or leave it! YOU can be Mar...

Read story

“Raging River” by Ralph Emery Barhydt

Submitted to Contest #216

Raging RiverRalph Emery BarhydtSeptember 21, 2023Caroline went down to the river to pray. The river was raging, roaring, rushing as she had never seen it. “Dear God, please come to our aid. Calm the river, restore it. Please make it gentle and helpful again. Please Lord, this is too much and I am afraid that it is going to get worse.”Hurricane Albert was just sitting off the North Carolina coast. It was a category five storm and ferocious. It was a strange hurricane as it had made land fall in Northern Florida and Southern South Carolina, th...

Read story

“My Kingdom!” by Michael Fox

Submitted to Contest #216

"You're late, again, Jimmy!" my cruel master, Antonio, yells out in panic as I sense him perturbed by his impatient busy guests. While Antonio runs in circles in turmoil with himself, I find myself entangled in the caustic dance between consciousness and the persistent yearning for the illusive solace of sleep. You see, there is no greater joy than replacing the mundane I'm scared to admit might be called reality with an experience capable of boundless impossibilities that draw to me. What I have learned, however, in this hell scape that I a...

Read story

“the day i quit” by Ivy Butterfly

Submitted to Contest #216

WARNING for anyone who's gonna read this: this story is about a self harm addiction. I used to suffer from this but have been through months of therapy, I'm good now. I wrote about this because writing is a good way for me to process and I wanted to “write what I know.” I’m not allowed around scissors anymore… …my fellow employees don’t know that, or they don’t care. I stare down at my hands like they were the sinners, when in reality it was myself all along. Scissors have a million uses, I should know. I’ve used them to open a can...

Read story

“Unspoken things.” by Nathan You

Submitted to Contest #216

Charley knew it was a mistake to try a new cafe. Her local had been quiet and cozy but there was no way she was going back there, too many memories. Still she hated trying out new places. It was awkward even if they turned out to be nice. Unfortunately her fears were proved right. The decor was modern and soulless and the Barista made a weirdly big fuss about her ordering tea from a coffee shop even though they definitely offered it. After an agonizing few minutes waiting for the barista to finish she took the cup and headed for a booth in...

Read story

“Fighting For Love” by Isabella Moore

Submitted to Contest #216

“Jamie take a picture!” I yelled at my best friend while holding a sprinkler and smiling. We were at the annual Fourth of July Street Dance in our hometown in New York. Every year we came here to support local vendors and hang out until the fireworks show. I was staring down at my phone. “Andddd posted”, I tapped the phone screen and shoved my phone into the back pocket of my fire red shorts. We found an area of grass under a tree to set up our blankets and have a picnic before the show started. “I can’t believe we’re going into our ...

Read story

Load more stories

$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!

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 ⭢