#224: Night Owls and Early Birds
I’ve never been much of a night owl. I can stay up late, but always live to regret it the next day, and you’re unlikely to ever find me burning the midnight oil. Instead, if there’s something urgent to attend to, I’d rather do it in the quiet calm of a pre-dawn morning.
It’s interesting how, as a species, our preferences vary so wildly in this regard. Some of us are up and moving before the rest of the world has even rubbed the sleep from their eyes, while some of us rarely are awake during daylight hours. Two people’s waking windows may only overlap at dawn and dusk, before going their separate ways. This week’s prompts are a celebration of the night owls, the early birds, and anything in between.
This week's prompts
Start your story with someone saying “I can’t sleep.”
Dramatic – 87 stories
Write a story about someone pulling an all nighter.
Fiction – 35 stories
Stories
“Echoes” by Caterina Baldi
Submitted to Contest #224
“I Can't Sleep” by Debra Demars
Submitted to Contest #224
“I Can't Sleep” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com
Submitted to Contest #224
“Lone Wolf” by Susan Wakefield
Submitted to Contest #224
“The Puzzle in the Mirror” by Dolly Joyce
Submitted to Contest #224
“Canvas.” by Andrea Kersten
Submitted to Contest #224
“A New Freedom” by Edward Roberts
Submitted to Contest #224
“Sick and Tired” by Nina Massingill
Submitted to Contest #224
“I can't sleep” by Nancy Xiong
Submitted to Contest #224
“Dancing Fool” by Kathy Heim
Submitted to Contest #224
“I Can't Sleep” by Hannah Hurtado
Submitted to Contest #224
“I Can't Sleep” by Alejandra Labrado
Submitted to Contest #224
“Insomnia” by Ava Hedouf
Submitted to Contest #224
“Ruminations in the Dark” by Laura Johnston
Submitted to Contest #224
“Breaking Good Habits” by Walter Wright
Submitted to Contest #224
$250
Prize money
285
Contest entries
136
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Nov 17, 2023 EST
Won by Mallory Jones 🏆
Title: Goldfish
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!