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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#225: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

From Narcissus falling in love with his own reflection to the speaking mirror in Snow White, mirror images have always been a popular motif in literature, commonly used to introduce questions of identity or self-consciousness. But they can also be used to create a split between reality and illusion: is what we see really the truth, or are our eyes — or indeed minds — playing tricks on us? Taken one step further, one might even argue that texts themselves are a reflection of their author and the world they inhabit.


This week’s prompts invite you to reflect (pardon the pun) on topics of self-image, twisted realities, and outer appearance that may or may not capture what’s going on beneath the surface.

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone buying a cursed — or perhaps blessed —mirror from an antiques store.

Fantasy – 74 stories

Write a story about someone trying to paint (or otherwise create) a self-portrait.

Character – 66 stories

Write a story about someone coming across their doppelganger.

Mystery – 48 stories

Write a story about a character who one day notices that their reflection has taken on a life of its own.

Fantasy – 50 stories

Set your story in a house of mirrors and make the atmosphere increasingly eerie.

Horror – 42 stories

Stories

“A Self Portrait” by Keoki Nunies

Submitted to Contest #225

Warning: nudity Tim paints beautiful brown circles on a white canvas sitting on an easel. The reality is that Tim cannot paint anything to save his life. He is a terrible drawer and painter. At least, this is the story that he has told himself for years. Tim is more of a writer. Dan, Tim’s twin brother, a real-life model poses naked and exposed. His hair is dark brown just like his brother’s. His arms are muscular and not lanky. “Hey, keep still,” said Tim. Dan kept on scratching his nether regions. Dan was supposed to be sitting there like ...

3 comments 3
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“Art Imitates Life ” by Olivia Hetu

Submitted to Contest #225

The assignment given to Astrid by her Introduction to Art professor was simple, create a self-portrait by use of any medium. The assignment was worth twenty percent of her final grade. Although Astrid had been provided one week to complete the assignment, she was eager to get started and began immediately. While researching different mediums Astrid found that she was most drawn to the idea of using a pencil to bring to life a black and white photo of herself. The next step was to take a photo of herself, re-arranging her living room, she wa...

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“Reflections From Near the Grave” by Doris Booth

Submitted to Contest #225

Reflections From Near the Grave By Dory Ann Elsworth (Pen name) I look into the mirror to trace my likeness onto an imaginary canvas. What does this face tell me? Who have I been all these years, and who am I now? Each line in the reflection follows something lost or something achieved. This crevice—the one between my brow—reminds me of a difficult childhood. Pain and poverty do not care whether skin is white or dark. My fingers follow the lines, before I transfer them to the blank page.  One line is f...

6 comments 6
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“Reflection” by Angelica M

Submitted to Contest #225

ReflectionIn the dimly lit confines of her small attic studio, brushes dance across the canvas in Yun-jin’s skilled hands. The scent of paint permeates the air as she meticulously crafts her self-portrait, each stroke infused with her dreams and aspirations. The flickering light cast elongated shadows, creating an eerie yet intimate ambiance as she worked.Yun-jin’s slender fingers delicately blend hues, striving to capture not just her likeness but the yearning and desperation hidden within her soul. The portrait is more than a mere painting...

2 comments 2
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“Self Portrait” by Daniel Kleba

Submitted to Contest #225

Every day I paint a mask. The features shift and change with the tide of my own self-confidence but it’s always my face. The different masks of me, which I wear to avoid scaring my loved ones. I have a mask for strangers, a mask for friends, a mask for acquaintances, and one for family. I have masks for myself, depending on my mood, and sometimes they fight while I’m driving to work. These masks are not lies, merely a fraction of the truth. Every day I paint these fractions and every day I see the same face. It’s not until I show the canvas ...

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“The Perfect Self Portrait” by Chrissy Murray

Submitted to Contest #225

They took Tobias’ brush away. Then it started, this obsession. Unbothered, he continued smearing the paints with anything available, especially his hands. His palms were slowly saturating with colors that could never fully be washed off, no matter how hard he scrubbed. Even at the mere age of ten, he outshined so many of his tutors. Never failing to impress with his untempered skill. A child prodigy they said, amazed by the things he could create. He’d disagree. He wasn’t good at art, he was art, and he embodied it with his entire being. Som...

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“Painting the Name” by Štěpán Kat Cenek

Submitted to Contest #225

“Sorry, sir, but this is an exclusive night for invited art society members only. I have to ask you to leave.“  Arthur's heart stopped.  “But I am…” he tried to mumble, but the gallery director did not let him. “I am really sorry, sir, but as I have said, this event is for invited gents and gals, not for people like you.”  Arthur couldn't say anything and turned into a rainy street. He checked once more to see if someone would recognize him, but nobody even looked at him. It was not the first night he was not recognized. Ble...

6 comments 6
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“Yellow” by Fox Ferguson

Submitted to Contest #225

[Trigger warning: mental health, suicide/self-harm]The brief at the night school class is clear: Paint a self-portrait in monochrome. I choose yellow.It sits there between green and orange on the art teacher’s colour wheel. He spins the paper circle and all the colours briefly blur to white.I choose yellow because it is the colour of happiness and sunshine. The colour of the sunflowers in the Van Gogh painting the teacher showed us. Yellow flowers in a yellow vase on a yellow table against a yellow wall. The colour of butter and comfort. The...

3 comments 3
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“Blank” by Kaito Ikari

Submitted to Contest #225

Oswin’s paintbrush met air. Devoid of the paint marking the palette, he drew a blank.  It was his job to paint a portrait of himself, but no matter what he tried, nothing came out.  What a strange dilemma. He knew who he was, so why try to put it to light? And yet, he could not think of anything that the canvas could or should hold. “He’s so perfect he can’t even capture himself!” How annoying. A glance showed him his usual posse fawning over him. No matter what he tried to do, they saw him as perfect. It was quite maddening, to sa...

1 comment 1
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“The Creative Process” by Matt Plyukhin

Submitted to Contest #225

“Next week from today! Friday! 6pm! Don’t be late! We need an hour to set the gallery, another to get the guests to line up outside, and another to kick the asses of anyone who doesn’t bother to show up, ha!” the teacher barked at his pupils. “Alright alright, session’s over tonight, see you at the show next week, artists!”  Students began to shuffle out the door. An ensemble of characters wandered around gathering their art supplies from the studio before funneling back into the deep end of downtown. Single moms, exhausted constructio...

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“Echoes of the Canvas” by Dominik Rainer

Submitted to Contest #225

Act One: The Challenge In the heart of a bustling Middle Eastern city, amidst the cacophony of everyday life, there lies a small, almost hidden, artist's studio. It's a sanctuary of creativity, cluttered with canvases of various sizes, some half-finished, others mere sketches. Tubes of paint, brushes of all kinds, and jars filled with murky water are scattered across the room, each telling a story of a moment caught in color and emotion. This is Amir's world, a young artist whose talent is as profound as his introspection. Amir, with his d...

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“Especially for You.” by Rose Lind

Submitted to Contest #225

@@@@÷÷÷#@###___<<=#$&&&&&&&#Warning sexuality mentioned.@@@######@@@#########@@@It was Perfect, well maybe- perhaps- possibly- it was perfect! To Claire, the environment was at equilibrium. Looked in her mirror, it swung in a two-and-fro rhythm on a solid gold chain; it was sort of hypnotic? IF you believe in that? Do you believe in that??? Perhaps you better say NO? YOU'RE MINDS TOO STRONG HUH? No, don't answer me, as far as I'm concerned it's forgotten, I've paper shredded it!Out the back yard, Claire's cl...

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“The Bizarre Case of The Murder of Marcus Thompson” by Alexey Dirigo

Submitted to Contest #225

“I must warn you, Detective Sean,” Officer Serena said, “this case might shock you. He has shown not a sign of regret.” “He is either cold-blooded or a nutcase, I’ve interrogated a lot of people like him,” Detective Sean replied. “It’s probably the latter. All evidence pointed towards him, and he didn’t refute any of it. Well, technically. You’ll see for yourself. Also, there was an odd sense of merriment in him during the arrest.” Officer Serena adjusted her beret before shutting the door. “Good luck with the interrogation.” Detec...

5 comments 5
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“Brocken John” by Sean McDonnell

Submitted to Contest #225

This story has some violence (not gory) and a scene where someone commits suicide (also not gory). 2002:Hidden among the wreckage of winter were hints of spring, clues leading to a thriving landscape where warm days and abundance would soon heal the landscape. Big John thought this lost on Jenny. But she saw it, and she appreciated it. The truth was, she enjoyed nature more than she let on. Her father didn’t know she and her friends would drive up the winding Santa Cruz mountain to Castle Rock on the weekends; during the day, they would expl...

4 comments 4
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“The Elder Huntress” by Sahoor Qanit

Submitted to Contest #225

Listen, if you’re a hunter or a huntress, I need you to run. Run as far away as you can. If you’re one of us, you’re not considered to be a human anymore. They’ll come for you. They’ll crush you. If you think you’re one of us, I need you to stop everything you’re doing and I need to cross the Hunters Bridge. That’s the only place where you’ll be safe. It will be too late for you once you realize who you really are. Ignoring the signs is pointless. They’ll turn you to dust. Do you want that?I never chose to be like this. I didn’t choose to be...

2 comments 2
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$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

106

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 24, 2023 EST

Won by Olivier Breuleux 🏆

Title: The Day Alfred Googled Himself

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!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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