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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

“Crack in the plate” by Waaa Intresting

Submitted to Contest #216

"Sorry" said Viv. "you're too late." Muted colours that dance in the shadows, the words reverberated in Edwin's mind. For what this time? "You're too late". A crack in the plate. The words hung in the air, sort of as if it was a lingering melancholic melody that pulled the strings of Edwin's heart. Words that seemed lost, whispering a lost dream, tantalizingly close yet ever so distant. Like a song you cherish, but the lyrics slip through the cracks of your memory. Leaving nothing but a faint resonance. Edwin thought, “somet...

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“Whispers from the Stoop” by Maddy Shilts

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #216

We used to call it the “Homework Stoop.” No homework would ever get done, of course. We were kids who saw too little of each other despite being in the same building all day. All we’d ever do is gossip, trash-talk, and place bets on whose order would be called first. It used to be a place where sweet memories in the making were accented by the sweet aftertaste of our far too bougie drinks. Now it leaves a taste in my mouth as bitter as the scent that fills the air. The fairy lights no longer change color. They just hang there like dying sta...

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“The Flight of Annabelle Jennings” by Ty Warmbrodt

Submitted to Contest #216

This story contains sexual and physical violence. My name is Annabelle Jennings. Seventy years ago, I witnessed the atrocity that began on May 1, 1866, on the south side of Memphis, Tennessee. Momma, Daddy, and I lived in a small two room house with a little front porch. Back then we all lived in little homes like that. We had our own schools and churches in the area, separate from the white folks. Everybody in the neighborhood gathered round their porches sharing good times and good food while us kids ran amuck. There was a lot of talk at...

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“Ode To A Funny Bone” by Chris Campbell

Submitted to Contest #216

“Two cannibals are sitting around an open spit, after killing and roasting a clown. Pulling a piece of meat from the julienned joker, one of the cannibals takes a bite, then recoils from the odd taste. How old do you think that clown was? Asked the first cannibal, before offering a taste of the stringed bicep to his companion. No idea, came the reply from his hungry friend. Why? “Does he taste funny to you…? Taking a bite of the barbecued human flesh, the second cannibal shakes his head. Then, with a gesture of masticated dissatisfaction, he...

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“We'll Always Need Groceries, Even if the World is Ending” by AA Battery

Submitted to Contest #216

Gabby managed to squeeze her vehicle into one of the few empty slots in a colony of rubber and metal. Her phone chimed, and she picked it up to read the text from Julia.Julia: Can you grab a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon?Gabby: It’s already on the list.Julia: Aren’t you sweet?Gabby: Anything for my dry, Mrs. Wine-o!Julia: Mrs. Wine-o needs Mrs. Cheesy home. FYI I made chicken just how you love it, overcooked. You’re welcome :)Gabby crossed the scorching black asphalt, her hand gliding over her face to mask the infectious effect Julia had on h...

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“The Case of Melancholy” by Shannon C.

Submitted to Contest #216

Her head was pounding and she couldn’t focus. All she could hear at first was the sound of a loose board slapping against something not too far from her. She couldn’t smell anything and felt as if her nose had been bleeding at some point in time, as her upper lip felt crusty and sore as if it were pulling at her skin. Her eyes where open but everything was completely dark. She could tell something was around her head to cover them and felt a rough tug of her hair if she moved her head to much. She fought to find her memory of how she got ...

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“Prose and Considerations” by Cindy Strube

Submitted to Contest #216

Prose and Considerations The odors of calfskin and parchment tickle my nose, blending into an intoxicating perfume that beguiles me. I shall endeavor, in this fresh journal, to set forth that which I cannot otherwise communicate. The book is almost too lovely to use… but now I have begun, there is no going back. The last gift from my poor Horace before his untimely departure from this earth, this slim volume seems a most appropriate vehicle to convey my deepest—and darkest—thoughts and feelings. The supple hide, a...

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“Pooltime Serenade” by Keelan LaForge

Submitted to Contest #216

Her feet are at the poolside, placed on the very edge, toes primed for the plunge. Her body is a stiff, unwieldy skeletal structure. Her bikini feels like bondage and the unforgiving sun roasts her exposed back. Sara is stuck in limbo – one that exists between the solid and watery worlds. Everyone around her is laughing and squealing, as if they’re mocking her fear as she inches forwards. She tries to drown out the sounds, but it is impossible. Everyone is in full-fledged holiday mode, except for her. This is her moment: the one she worried ...

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“The Mole and the Martini” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #216

“Whatcha drinking there?” A man said from across the bar as the bartender slid a martini glass in front of Jennie. Jennie didn’t want to be at the bar, but she felt obligated. Her best work friend, Tabby, invited a few people to this new bar for her birthday. The bar had a Hollywood glamor theme, not to mention, it was about time someone opened a bar that was not a speakeasy in this town. When Jennie entered the bar, she spotted Tabby right away. Tabby waved and Jennie waved back. Tabby was with two women who loo...

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“What Lyeth Behind the Blinding Light” by Karen Corr

Submitted to Contest #216

First dateA blind date for her cousin's wedding. Why had Shawna agreed to such a thing? The date was two weeks away, and already her family was battering her with advice."Do not wear socks with your heels again.""I know that. I only wore them that one time to make the shoes fit. I thought the dress would cover my feet.""Don't show up with wet hair.""My hair dryer wouldn't turn on. None of these things were my fault anyway. Everything is because of….""Shh! Don't say it. Do not talk about that. Don't mention it on your date either."~*~Ebenezer...

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“The Boy In The Woods” by Timothy Rennels

Submitted to Contest #216

The Boy In The Woods Kane Cooper sat on a boulder surrounded by a carpet of yellow balsamroot blooms. He stared into the nearby forest guarding the edge of the Oregon meadow. The rise and fall of the insects’ droning cries set its own time. The seconds lingered, hesitant to let go of the moment; fearful that the next will be less. Kane remembered finding this isolated spot with his brother Kyle. One day they would be explorers scouting out the forbidding forest from their own mountaintop, the next pirates at sea riding their sh...

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“Motherland ” by Dena Linn

Submitted to Contest #216

Have you ever noticed the strange things people do with their hands? Some grip tiny porcelain cups between thumb and forefinger, sticking out their pinky. Others have the mug between their palms like a chunk of gold. Some stare down and let the warmth hit their faces while their hands caress their phones. This is what I see when I push through the glass door and hear a shot of expressed steam. My ankles and wrists itch, my mind and heart are in separate bumper cars going 90mph. I find an empty table, and sit, trying to catch my breath, keepi...

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“My Sweet Petunia Scene 5” by Robert Schatz

Submitted to Contest #216

“Hello, my sweet Petunia. You’re looking pretty tonight.” “Why do you always call me that Sam?” “Pretty?” “A petunia. Why a petunia?” “It’s a pretty flower.” “Lots of pretty flowers.” “I just like petunias in particular.” “You know, you always say I look good. Good for my age, you mean?” “No, just good. I think you’re beautiful Deborah.” “How old do you think I am Sam?” “I don’t know. You never told me.” “You never told me how old you are neither.” “You never asked me. You always said it don’t matter, and it d...

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“REGAL BEHAVIOUR” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #216

REGAL BEHAVIOUR “You are German, they tell me”.“I am, Majesty”."None of my Danish doctors have been able to help me. What makes you think that you can?”Struensee remained silent as he watched the King who was looking out onto the vast parklands of the palace, through a rain-streaked window, his back turned to the doctor. Eventually, after a moment’s silence, having not heard the German reply, he turned back to face the physician and Struensee spoke.“You didn’t hear me, Majesty”.“You spoke?’“No, Majesty. But you knew that; which means that yo...

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“Math & Malls (& Mom)” by Colby McHugh

Submitted to Contest #216

Nick couldn’t believe his mom was driving him to his first date. Not just with Molly, his hugest crush, but his first date…ever. And his own mother had to be the one to get him there. Fourteen was a rough age for socializing, but Nick figured he should probably be grateful he had a mom who’d even allow him to go on a date in the first place. Ryan Swindall, from their neighborhood, said his parents forbade him based on religious reasons so yeah, Nick knew it could be worse. His mom was ecstatic when he asked for advice ...

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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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