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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

“The Light over the Black Sea” by Rayn Haarpe

Submitted to Contest #216

I opened my mouth trying to utter even the slightest word, but no sound could be heard. I was simply standing still, stripped of my voice. I tried screaming from the top of my lungs, giving it every bit of air I had at my disposal, but to no avail. The heavy silence that seemed to carry the weight of the world forced me to my knees. I was left stranded on the ground, gasping for air. I brought my hands to my throat, desperately trying to relieve the pain caused by my unrewarded efforts to make a sound. I could not give up, I needed to get ou...

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“Not so Perfect Afterall ” by Deliliah Smith

Submitted to Contest #216

There’s a girl in my Latin class at University. She is flawless. She is always the first to arrive, at least she is always there, books out, laptop (a Mac, of course) open ready to learn by the time I fly through the doors, having rolled out of bed, half a cup of coffee spilling out of my travel mug, bag unzipped with two minuets to spare until the lesson begins. Sometimes, she turns to look at me as I cause a whirlwind around myself as if to say “you know we start at 9am get yourself together.” And I instantly feel like a naughty child bein...

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“THERE'S A CATCH IN IT” by Robert W

Submitted to Contest #216

England has many a village like it, but we like to think that Little Wattlingham, hidden deep in the inner recesses of the Herefordshire countryside, is something special. If you want to pay us a visit, don't drive too fast. If you blink, you'll be through the village before you know where you are. And don't even think about stopping to ask for directions. The people who live here or hereabouts can be very secretive indeed. We have always prided ...

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“House Sitting by Audrey” by Anna Mac

Submitted to Contest #216

The day George and Melanie Hansen summited Mount Everest, their house sitter arrived at San Francisco General Hospital via paramedic transport, strapped to a gurney, writhing in pain. The house sitter, Keiko, was advised she could expect a full recovery from a peptic ulcer. Twelve time zones away, five miles above sea level, the Hansens smiled jubilantly for photos, unaware of their urgent need for a new house sitter…“Hello, is this Miss Audrey, with the house sitting?” The woman’s voice—lilted by a sing-song accent—competed with an emergenc...

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“Mystery of the Basement” by Valerie Landrum

Submitted to Contest #216

In the heart of Colorado's Montezuma County rugged terrain, an air of timeless grace permeated every crevice. The landscape, etched with the hues of the earth and kissed by the warm embrace of sunlight, offered a serene and ageless backdrop. An abandoned Prairie Ranch house that had languished in vacancy for decades stood amidst the rolling hills and under the vast, unending sky. Among those rolling hills, Emma and Grace, along with their husbands, Jackson and Mark, would embark on a fresh start. Their venture led them to the desire to pur...

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“Twisted First Dates” by Ella Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #216

The inside of the restaurant made her gulp, standing in the doorway. But the host had already spotted her, and there was no backing out. There were waiters in nice pressed white shirts and black pants carrying covered platters around. She expected them all to have small mustaches, but was disappointed to find they all looked like normal people. Her phone buzzed again. I’m at the table in the back. It's private. She grimaced a little, but ran a hand through her hair and took a breath. She needed to do this. Striding to the back, she l...

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“Never Cross the Double Line” by Lynne Boyd

Submitted to Contest #216

I saw her as I topped the hill, walking down the center of the road, just as if it was a path to the lake, or a walk in the park I thought to myself. My window was down and I could hear her chanting something, but couldn’t quite make out the words. I pressed the gas and made a quick descent down the hill, threw the brakes on, shifted into park and jumped out of the car. “Never cross on the double line. Never cross on the double line.” She couldn’t have been more than three years old. She wore a pink dress and white flowers, a play...

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“Show Me” by Joseph Kunkle

Submitted to Contest #216

Guts fascinated Chalktawl. The bayou offered up a host of entrails from American Alligators, swamp rats, feral hogs… and humans. Chalktawl has seen them all. Including those of Tex. Crouching on his knees, Chalktawl lifted a lumpy strand of a transversing zig and zag for a closer look. He tilted the willow stick. The large intestine descended back into the heap. If he hadn’t been 4-F, he’d seen plenty of guts on D-Day. Summoned by U S Marshall Louise LaBlanc, Chalktawl Jones arrived. They were gone. The guts. Gone from where they’d gushed a...

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“Up and to the Left” by Levi Michael

Submitted to Contest #216

We both liked reading people. That’s how we met. We’d worked together for three years, said a few words in passing, but never really noticed each other, until the day in the breakroom when we were the only two who could tell that Herb was obviously lying. We laughed and Herb shot us a glare and the rest of the group just went along as he dismissed us and continued his story. Unable to stifle our laughter we both apologized and left, only finally letting the laughs rip when we were almost halfway down the hall. I’m sure Herb still hear...

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“When Carl Came to Visit” by Taylor Barnard

Submitted to Contest #216

It is curious that large places can become small after years of indifferent familiarity. Take this house. I know each crack in the floorboards that run along the living room’s western wall. There is a small hole in the fireplace tile. When I sit just so in the felt armoire that Denise took from her aunt’s home after that unfortunate accident, I can make out tiny pulses of smoke, which unfortunately waft into the house. Rather than patch the hole, Denise forbade me to use the fireplace. When we moved in it felt so grand. But any space can be...

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“Room 23 ” by Adrienne Ellis

Submitted to Contest #216

She walks with confidence, each stride of her 5’9” frame an intentional move towards her purpose. She’s not arrogant, but she knows she is a beautiful woman. She wears a flowing white dress that makes her golden-brown skin glow in the late summer sun. Her large brown eyes have always betrayed her every emotion. Drag queens are jealous of her long, curled lashes. She will use her looks as a means to an end, but only if necessary.She knows he is following behind her. She does not know, however, how close he is. She can’t run, lest sh...

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“Oblivious” by Ian Grogan

Submitted to Contest #216

Trigger warning: some offensive language.The door was barely unlocked before Captain sauntered into the apartment, over to his bowl, downed a few gulps of water, dripped all over the floor and wandered off into the living room. Phil barely had time to unhook him before he started his thirst-quenching quest. He, too, walked into the apartment with a slight hunger. After gently removing his shoes, he locked the door, sat the leash down on the counter in the kitchen and made his way towards the fridge. Phil meticulously spread a dollop of ...

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“Risk Management” by Octavia Kuransky

Submitted to Contest #216

Risk Management Octavia Kuransky It’s funny what you’ll do when you’re desperate. Well not funny. Funny is not the word. Interesting. Sometimes shocking. It depends on the nature of the desperation. What you will do, I mean. How far you will go. It depends on the nature of the desperation, also maybe your age, your race, your gender. But, by way of example, let’s say you’re broke. A certain kind of person of a certain background will - let’s say - eat the tough part of ...

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“Taking Aim” by Lara Deppe

Submitted to Contest #216

This story contains content that includes issues of mental health, suicide, and physical violence. You pull your black hoody closer tighter around your face as you turn your bike down your tree-lined street toward home. The streetlights are on and making you a stretched black shadow on the deserted block as you pass through their coned light on the bumpy pavement. The red-brick rambler at the end is yours. The house is dark, and the shades are drawn. No one will be home for another three hours or so. Your mom is staying late tonight to se...

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“And So It Goes” by Doreen M Atkinson

Submitted to Contest #216

And So It Goes “This has to stop. Look here Martha, we have to do something. No use fiddling about with it. We have to get more of our friends involved. How to start is the question. Do you think many are concerned? You haven’t said a thing. What are you thinking? Why don’t you speak up?” And on and on she went. Poor Martha couldn’t get a word in edgewise. “My Rodney came home with dirt all over the seat of his pants. I was shocked. Shocked I tell you. I just took one look and there it was, all over his new suit pants. Oh, don’t...

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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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