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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#231: A New Leaf

The year is almost over, and a new one begins in just a few days. With that comes the traditional time of reflection, and of projection. As well as looking back over the year that's just passed, we're looking ahead to a next — and even the most cynical among us have to admit there's something pretty exciting about that.

A new year is an opportunity for self-improvement, exploration, and even complete reinvention. This week's prompts are all in that vein; characters who are all looking for a fresh start, in one way or another.

This week's prompts

Write a story in the form of a list of New Year's resolutions.

Adults – 54 stories

Write about a character who has reinvented themselves, but realizes it's not always easy to outrun your past.

Character – 62 stories

Write a story about hope.

Short Story – 78 stories

Write about someone trying something completely new.

Character – 34 stories

Set your story on New Year's Day.

Holiday – 50 stories

Stories

“When Hope Dies” by Kimberlie Daylene

Submitted to Contest #231

When hope dies Small town life is considered to be an idyllic way to grow up. I disagree. Small towns are riddled with deep dark secrets that not only damage you when your young but the secrets follow you into adulthood and at some point they come bursting out of the closet you so carefully packed them in. Throw religion into the mix and you have a recipe for trauma, heartbreak and worst of all, the loss of your innocence when you’re supposed to not have a care in the world. My story begins in that small town full of lies, secrets and hear...

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“Never Lose Hope” by Richard Frohm

Submitted to Contest #231

It happened late in the third period during a game between our hometown hockey team, the Humboldt Mavericks and the Moose Jaw Lancers. Terry Anderson was a sixteen-year-old right winger and my son's best friend and teammate. With about five minutes left in the game and the Mavericks ahead by four goals. Terry tripped and fell awkwardly headfirst into the boards while going for the puck behind Moose Jaws' goal. The referee immediately stopped play and skated over to Terry, who lay motionless on the ice. He immediately told Terry to s...

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“A Victorian Dream” by Geraldine Ann Ford

Submitted to Contest #231

A Victorian Dream Sarah looked down at the beach and the horse drawn bathing machines lined up at the water’s edge on Main Bay in Broadstairs, a beautiful seaside town on the southeast coast of England. Listening to the screams from an occupant of a bathing machine, who had decided to take the plunge, made her smile. “Mmm. It must be cold in there,” Sarah observed. “Even though it’s a beautiful sunny day.” She loved to watch the happy scene before her when the family were out. Tearing her eyes away from the window s...

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“Answer The Call” by Jade Nichole

Submitted to Contest #231

Cot springs groaned as he rose from sleep. His dreams were always the same jagged pieced memories that left his body wracked with shakes and his ears pierced from ringing that would cause a headache later.The concrete floor was cold against his feet as he sat up, pressing his elbows to his knees and running his hands through his hair. He wondered what she might think if she saw the grey streaks that had slowly peppered themselves through his brown locks.He moved his hands from his hair and dragged them down his face, stopping at his jaw. The...

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“Amateur Book Society” by Emma P

Submitted to Contest #231

I was new to this whole book club thing. But I was fairly sure closed curtains and four Victorian-style chairs surrounding a wooden table with only potpourri-scented candles for light read more as “VSCO girl seance” than “Amateur Book Society” like their poster had advertised. It was just me, and three other girls who had obviously been doing this a lot longer than me: Lilith, Opal, and Leanne. They greeted me into the room like three separate heads on the same mom-jeans-ed, cardigan-ed mythical creature. “Welcome in, have ...

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“War in Space” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #231

It was a day like no other. January first, 2038. New year, new me. At least until the Incinerators came. Let me organize this story in a way that will be the most gratifying. I don’t get to tell stories often, and I don’t want to bore anyone. Space. The beginning and ending of the trudge of life. Life, that ever-expanding, ever-fruitful bending of a straitened reality. Never showing anything. Always learning. The science of space travel had just turned 10 years old. In our short jaunt through space, we colonized all the planets of our solar...

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“New Year's Bashed” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #231

On New Year’s Day, Wilson awoke at 7 am and tried to clear the throbbing pain from his head. He sat up in bed to find his old-timey pinball machine wrecked and laying destroyed in a corner of his room. After running over and over this strange turn of events in his mind he fell back into a deep sleep that led him into a nightmare that never seemed to stop replaying. In his dream he had gone to the same country club party to which one of his s...

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“George” by Rory Kilalea

Submitted to Contest #231

Rhodesia declared a unilateral declaration of Independence from Britain in 1965 to avoid black rule. A bush war erupted. Black freedom fighters attacked the white Rhodesian forces for control of the country which they called Zimbabwe. . Brady Barracks. Bulawayo. Rhodesia. Africa. 1973 “Why don’t they ever clean these shelves, George?” George shrugged. She expected musty smells and silverfish when she sorted through old files A comfortable feeling. “I suppose the dust must be antique now.” George giggled, clicked shut the mottl...

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“Draped in a Sari - for 31 days” by Soumya Ravi

Submitted to Contest #231

This was a challenge many, many years in the making. I first thought of doing it, when I read A Sari for a Month for Newsweek by Shoba Narayan. I loved the idea, and since then, it remained in my mind as something I would do one day. What’s the big deal for an Indian born and raised, 50-year-old woman to wear a saree for a month? It’s not a big deal for most women of my age, especially if they were raised in India, just as I was. Even today, I have cousins, both older and younger, who wear a saree and feel no constraint and are com...

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“A New Beginning: Rivers of Styx” by Pryor Rose

Submitted to Contest #231

TW: Verbal Abuse, Gaslighting, Kink Talk, Adult Language “If you cross that threshold you will not be welcomed back.”’ Shane’s voice echoed from the back bedroom where he laid in the bed acting like the arrogant prick that he was. “Really? That is your threat? I told you we are done, my bag is packed, Briar is picking me up in the next five minutes. I don’t want to come back Shane, this is it. Last night proved to me that I mean nothing to you.” Rhiannon shook her head shifting the weight of her back deeper on the curve of her shou...

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“First Day of the Decade” by Zack Herman

Submitted to Contest #231

This story is set in 1980. The characters are products of their times and may use words that will be considered insensitive and/or offensive to readers of 2023. Today, I got three plastic totes full of the things that I’d left behind at my ex-wife’s house. Her divorce attorney, who I’m guessing will be her next husband, had his paralegal bring them to my apartment. One tote was full of books. There were no John Grishams, one of the two things we agreed on. The other was mostly CDs and cassette tapes, with a few VHS tapes and DVDs. T...

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“Nighthawks” by Alyn Dobb

Submitted to Contest #231

It was 1:54 in the morning. The first 1:54 of the new year. The warm, social buzz that was once present had been replaced by a thick, salty haze of steam and butter. The haze was paired with a symphony of flickering ceiling lights. Marisa didn’t see the appeal of such a gaudy celebration. To her, work ethic was a necessity, not a privilege. The idea of a single day with the sole purpose of forgiving the lousy output of a person, for the exchange of a possible shot at redemption struck a chord with Marisa’s principles. State tuition in F...

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“The Last Day of the Worst Year of My Life” by Chris Riffle

Submitted to Contest #231

December 31st. Every year, the last day of the worst year of my life. A new chance to make the following rotation around the sun the one that turns things around. One single year marginally better than the last and I can tell – I know – the ones that follow will only get better and better until each year is the best year of my life.And so this year, rather than tell them to my mom on one of our maybe five phone calls for the year and then forgetting about them until the following December, I have decided to write down my New Year’s resolutio...

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“Twilight Promises” by Erika Darling

Submitted to Contest #231

Annie asks me if I want to go for a ride in the car. She should know by now she really doesn’t have to ask. I jump off the couch, sprint to the door, and look back at her. Annie laughs, which is by far my favorite sound. It’s even better than the sound of the fridge door opening and my dish being put on the counter. She opens the car door and straps me in. Annie likes to talk to me in the car. As she drives, she informs me the year is now “twenty twenty four” and it’s a good time to make our “reslooshuns” for the new year. Annie says for her...

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“Un-Resolutions” by Nivedita Shori

Submitted to Contest #231

Un-ResolutionsNumber 1. I will take a rain-check. Niya lifted her right eyebrow, making sure she had heard her grandma correctly. The petite, silver-haired woman continued speaking dreamily, her dainty, crinkly hands holding an aged journal, open on a page with fading, but still beautiful handwriting. The afternoon sun sneaked its rays onto the duo — showing itself, making it clear this was not just a party of two — and fell directly on the words “New Year Resolutions”. It was not a conversation. Niya knew it was a dictation. The once ...

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$250

Prize money

278

Contest entries

109

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 05, 2024 EST

Won by Mary Lynne Schuster 🏆

Title: No Junior League

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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