Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

Menu

✕

CONNECT

Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites

BLOG

Success Stories

APPS

TOOLS

Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships

ABOUT

About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#232: Polar Night & Northern Lights

Winter solstice has come and gone here in the northern hemisphere and we’re slowly heading towards brighter days. Above the arctic circle, however, inhabitants will have to wait a bit longer to see the sun. There, polar night — where the sun doesn’t rise for months — still keeps its grip. Inhospitable as this may seem, entire communities have adapted to the long night, and the northern lights playing across the sky provide a reminder that light will eventually return.

This week's prompts are inspired by polar nights, human resilience, and, most of all, the glimmers of hope that make it all worthwhile.

This week's prompts

Set your story during polar night.

Winter – 37 stories

Write a story set in a world with a dying sun, or where light is a scarce resource.

Science Fiction – 65 stories

Write a story about someone witnessing — or trying to witness — a celestial phenomenon.

Adventure – 38 stories

Write a story about someone who has been tasked to keep a flame burning, surrounded by total darkness.

Character – 84 stories

Write a story about someone looking for a sign in a dark sky.

Angst – 56 stories

Stories

“Crashing Sun” by Allan Bernal

Submitted to Contest #232

“What’s going to happen when the sun falls out of the sky Mommy?” Olivia asked as she walked hand in hand with her mother down a cotton candy pink road. “Don’t think about that sweetie,” her mother replied calmly, eyes straight forward but still smiling. “Now didn’t you say you wanted to find a unicorn today?” Olivia’s eyes went wide with excitement as she jumped up. “Yes! Do you think I could ride one too?”...

Read story

“Ghosted” by Alex's Bermudez

Submitted to Contest #232

“Every singer's heart has an angel, waiting for the doubt, to transform its light into their alter ego.” -Fred!!!!!! It’s not the first time, it’s not the second I’ve heard that voice before. Almost always in the deepest and darker hours of the night. I haven’t noticed it, but, b… But it usually comes when things are tense, or when I’m being challenged or about to give up. I don’t know where it comes from. I don’t know who programmed it, but it looks like it’s not comfortable watching me in pain or crying. I could swear I felt ...

Read story

“The End of Light” by Christina Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #232

As a child, you told your mom that you were afraid of ghosts, but you are pretty sure she knew you were lying. It wasn't ghosts that you feared as a child—it was the dark and the unknown terrors it concealed. You don't remember what she said to you that night, but you’ll never forget what your mother did. In the electrical socket beside your bed, she plugged a little night light, just bright enough to scare away your fears or any ghosts that wanted to do you harm. You think about your childhood more often than you used to. Yo...

Read story

“Dying Sun” by Kayla Anderson

Submitted to Contest #232

The world lay cloaked in a perpetual twilight, its landscape etched in shades of gray and somber indigo. The sun, once a fiery orb that danced across the sky with a brilliance that could blind, now hung low and listless—a pale imitation of its former glory. Its light was a mere whisper, gasping against the encroaching darkness that sought to swallow what little remained of the day. "Another day, another ration," muttered Apollo Winters under her breath, the words hanging in the frigid air like a personal mantra. Her voice was as raspy and m...

Read story

“In the Land of the Blind” by Chip Kirkpatrick

Submitted to Contest #232

IN THE LAND OF THE BLIND TAP! Tap-Tap! Tap! “In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is King!” That proverb, written in 1500 by Erasmus, keeps running through my mind. I don’t have one good eye, but two very poor eyes. I’ve suffered with near-sightedness, cataracts and macular degeneration for all of my life! For decades my vision has been somewhere between being almost able to drive a car and needing a dog and white cane! Tap! Tap! I can’t resist smiling. Once I was a freak. The kid and later the man with all of the vision ...

Read story

“the Darkness in the Sky” by PSI Rockin Films

Submitted to Contest #232

Years ago when I was a kid, my grandfather and I would sit out on the porch during those long January nights. He'd whip up some hot cocoa and we'd get all bundled up in our winter gear. It's still the best damn cocoa I've ever had. We'd sit out there for what felt like hours. He'd point out and explain constellations, and if we were really lucky - we'd witness the beauty that was the Northern Borealis; I loved every second of it. My grandfather was a man of science, a professor at the city's college. He loved talking about the stars and ever...

Read story

“The Encounter” by Michaela Beth

Submitted to Contest #232

It was colder than usual. I could feel the icy wind nipping at my skin. I shivered, then wrapped my fur coat tightly around my waist. Looking down the valley, I could see the faint glow of the village lights shimmering in the distance. The evening sun was setting to the west, where the peak of Mount Absard soared, casting a dark shadow across the valley like a blanket. We weren't allowed outside after nightfall - especially in the mountains. That's what my mother had told me. As I lay down on the dusty ground to gaze at the twili...

Read story

“Polor Opposites” by Christine LW

Submitted to Contest #232

You could say that Aunt Fran and I Mary Louise Stoker were polar opposites. Fran was straight to the point how blunt her words may sound. She was also mothers sister. Out living all her siblings. Looking at old photos of Fran in her heyday former model and actress. You could not imagine her as the old woman sitting in the arm chair. Tonight I had come to walk her terrier Rufus all white with brown over his left eye a trait with Jack Russels. At least Rufus was pleased to see me. Getting the lead we headed for the park opposite Thorn Cottage....

Read story

“The Heavens Above” by Phil Browne

Submitted to Contest #232

The coldness ran through his body. His hands were balled into fists and shoved deep into the pockets of his coat. Jacob glanced around the crowd of people waiting in the evacuation area. Puffs of mist appeared from their mouths as they exhaled the ice cold air. He stamped his feet a few times hoping that the added circulation would create some warmth. He was still numb to the idea that he would be leaving this place. It was all he ever knew. Jacob was born in the settlement of ...

Read story

“Reedrascal's Astrolabe” by Cajek Veilwinter

Submitted to Contest #232

The court astronomer of Vulane - Reedrascal the Calculating - was a distracted old ferret with a long white beard and goggles that his young student thought made his eyes look ridiculous. Vulane itself was not ideal for an astronomer, as the ever-present, rain-filled clouds that filled the sky had themselves been... altered somehow. Reedrascal was going to get to the bottom of that: perhaps with tonight’s astronomical event. “I-I do not precisely understand, Professor,” a little voice said behind the ferret as he went from one huge...

Read story

“Candle Flame” by Rose Lind

Submitted to Contest #232

Warning Swearing and Violence.Mention of death and stillborn.The sky was an electrical mishmash. I felt satisfied as I veiwed, from the patio, at the freshly mowed yard, "Just in time," I thought. Hot clouds behaved like a low, hoovering helicopter. The atmosphere stuck to my arms; It felt- sinister! My thoughts hurried, "I better go inside! A flash of lightning, immediately followed by a BANG, affirmed my observation. I exclaimed, "Hell, that was close!" My hair floated out and up from airborne static. The Australian Mother Nature's li...

Read story

“Protectors of the Light ” by Nancy Dalle

Submitted to Contest #232

As she sat on the rock looking out to the water’s edge, she was not sure if she was able to complete her task. She, like many before her, was sent on this quest, a quest to decide if she carried the magic which would make her worthy of the light. She was born on the island of Niue, a tiny island, miles off the coast of New Zealand. Her clan was a subset of the Māori, the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. She was iwi, one of the oldest hapu groups from the islands. Many moons ago her people were given the responsibility for the lig...

Read story

“He Promised His Grandfather” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #232

He Promised his Grandfather Eighteen-year old Fred promised his grandfather that he would do this. The promise he made was to keep the fire going all night, from roughly eight o’clock at night to six o’clock in the morning. Now part of his mind was wishing that he had not done so. The sky was totally dark, and he had seen enough scary movies that he worried that his often active imagination might run a little wild on him, with vampires, trolls and the like appearing out of nowhere. And it was a cold winter’s night.&nb...

Read story

“Whispers of Love and Flame” by Nathaniel Stiles

Submitted to Contest #232

Whispers of Love and Flame By: Nathaniel Stiles Mom said she would be right back. She said that grownups were unaffected by the darkness. Kids, she would say, were eaten alive. Mashew sat by a dwindling fire, his body cold in the back and warm in the front. How much longer would she take, he wondered, huddling nearer the flame. The darkness was closing in as the fire died. It was his only protection. He scooted closer, practically touching the charred coals. Off to the side of him, a small stack of wood marked the only life r...

Read story

“Divinity in Darkness ” by Gabi Alves

Submitted to Contest #232

I awoke with complete clarity for the task at hand. I was not told what I needed to do, no one forced this job upon me. I somehow knew. This was my purpose and I accepted it. The coals in front of me were surrounded by smooth stones so meticulously placed into a ring about the width of my knees as I sat cross legged. They were still hot and the fire very much alive inside, begging to be released from it’s sedimentary prison. A small gift from my lungs drew the flames outward and they wildly danced once again. The heat kissed my face as I re...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

106

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 12, 2024 EST

Won by Jonathan Page 🏆

Title: The Lantern of Kaamos

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!

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢