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!

#233: Dry January

Like many of my friends, I'm participating in Dry January this year. After the end-of-year indulgences (which, alongside many enjoyable beverages, included far too many forms of potato), spending a month abstaining from drinking feels well overdue. May as well slay one dragon at a time, right?

With that in mind, this week's prompts are inspired by Dry January, and other challenges of endurance — whether taken on by choice, or by chance.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a character participating in Dry January.

Character – 33 stories

Your character, having abstained from their worst vice (big or small), finds new clarity.

Character – 49 stories

Write a story in the form of diary entries, written by someone who has set themselves a month-long challenge.

Narrative – 49 stories

Set your story in a bar that doesn’t serve alcohol.

Fluff – 61 stories

Set your story during a month of drought — whether literal, or metaphorical.

Dramatic – 38 stories

Stories

“The Weight” by Oscar Lozano

Submitted to Contest #233

For three days, I wanted nothing more than to get out of bed, but I couldn’t. It was a long weekend off from college because of MLK Day. I hadn’t brushed my teeth, eaten, showered, and had only had a sip of water from my bedstand. A dull, hollow lethargy immobilized me, trapping me in my body. It had been weeks since I had written anything, and I called myself a writer. I didn’t sleep much, either. Mostly, I just stared at the ceiling, my brain coursing through every mistake I’ve made, bathing in misery, picking me apart, coming up with exam...

Read story

“Promises, Promises, Promises . . . ” by Edward Brown

Submitted to Contest #233

“Drink coming up,” the barkeep stated. “That’s got to hurt,” nodding his head in Roger’s face’s direction. Roger wasn’t sure if he was talking about the shiner, or his hang-dog hangover draped on him like a damp bedspread. A cold draft slapped the bar, a thin layer of ice crusted on the mug. He nodded at the barkeep, a man he’d talked to once before in one of those states where he couldn’t remember what they talked about. Roger took a healthy slug. The beer burned his stomach, and he gagged. The second gulp was smoother and by the fifth, t...

Read story

“Trials and Tribulations” by Trina Hayes

Submitted to Contest #233

Dear Diary, Day One I know I haven’t written in a pretty long time, but I’m gonna write more because that is kind of part of my new years goal! Today is the first and my main goal is to eat healthier and workout more. I definitely need to workout and actually stick to it this time lol! I want to do this because I’m not gonna lie, I've been wanting this for a long time and I haven’t put enough effort into it. My friends all eat super healthy and workout and are just super on top of things and that’s what I want. So the plan is to ...

Read story

“To Pee or Not to Pee” by Brittany Bennett

Submitted to Contest #233

Content warning: Pregnancy/Conception | Miscarriage | Blood January 1 Raspberry seltzer tastes just like Beaujolais when poured into a wine glass. Which makes me wonder if I ever actually enjoyed the taste of wine. Turns out, it’s hard to get pregnant. I don’t need Beaujolais to complicate matters. Did you know some doctors recommend taking your temperature to best guess when you’re ovulating? But those thermometers, the ones with results you can rely on, cost at least, like, $50. My budget for my new hobby of predicting reproduction h...

Read story

“Diary to Derrick's Dog” by Anna Moore

Submitted to Contest #233

Entry One - September 7 Dear Daisy, I once read in a book somewhere that if an owner outlives their dog, it’s important to allow the dog to see and smell the corpse. Animals understand death, and this way, they have an opportunity to know they have not been abandoned by their best friend. You’re the most loyal dog in the world, Daisy. I would never, ever want you to feel abandoned, but this does put me in a predicament. I don’t know when I’ll be able to look at that body again. As much as it would bring pe...

Read story

$250

Prize money

230

Contest entries

78

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 19, 2024 EST

Won by Ariana Tibi 🏆

Title: Vegan Hamburgers

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 ⭢