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!

#247: The Great Unknown

Few pursuits ignite the imagination and spirit quite like exploration. From sailors discovering new countries and their inhabitants, to astronauts uncovering ancient civilisations on far away planets, we are as hungry to hear stories about exploration as we are to explore ourselves. We often feel the need to venture beyond the familiar confines of our lives, whether that’s simply exploring a new corner of your hometown, or embarking on a mission through forgotten tombs.

This week's prompts delve into the essence of exploration, inviting you to embark on a journey of discovery and adventure. So, ready your maps, steel your resolve, grab your pen, and prepare to explore the unknown...

This week's prompts

Write a story in the form of diary entries, written by an explorer as they make their way through what they thought was an untouched location.

Adventure – 66 stories

Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.

Science Fiction – 32 stories

Center your story around a character’s personal exploration, whether it's trying a new hobby, visiting an unfamiliar place, or learning something completely new.

Character – 88 stories

Imagine a world where exploration is forbidden, and write a story about a character who defies this rule to satisfy their innate curiosity.

Dystopian – 59 stories

Write a narrative about a group of scientists exploring the deepest parts of the ocean.

Adventure – 13 stories

Stories

“Moonstruck” by William Smith

Submitted to Contest #247

this stinking habitat already. Alright enough for now. I clearly need some sleep. 22.4.2101 Yes I did. Ten hours of sleep and a solid day’s repair work later I feel much more optimistic. We will be fine. I will be back on Earth this time next week and maybe next time I am rotated up to the LHabs there won’t be a potential catastrophic failure of life support systems to address. This is what you get when UNASA lets the lowest bidder build a structure on the moon apparently. Yay Capitalism. At least tomorrow is a Field Day. That always bright...

Read story

“A Place For Me?” by Kendra Thatcher

Submitted to Contest #247

March 15, 1963Dear Depths of My Heart, Red enveloped me today as I set foot in a land I have never known before. Though its contents are a mystery, I feel an excitement and eagerness to explore what gives this place life and interest! Perhaps, after all these years of searching, it will be the place I can call home. The ground beneath my feet is red. A fine-grained texture runs through it. Many thin streams rush by and the liquid that they hold is thick and red as well. Some streams run up a slope while others run down. As I take in my surro...

Read story

“A Disappointing Truth” by Benjamin Feig

Submitted to Contest #247

Stormday, Decæmon 13, 998th yearFinally, I have gathered a crew that is willing to fall off of the globe with me. Even from the highest point in any continent or from The Origin, the other side of the planet is obscured by the planet’s curvature. Most living things on this pathetic rock are too cowardly to risk their lives for the pursuit of understanding or even the childish ecstasy of exploration. However, these fifteen men around me possess at least one of these two qualities or are at least so stupid they have not yet realized the risk o...

Read story

“Leaving Only Darkness” by Arne Cambourne

Submitted to Contest #247

It had been months since there had been any hope on the ship. Each day awake was a struggle. He had begun to long for the cryo-tank. The nausea that came with waking from a long suspension was no longer a concern for him. He suspected the rest of the crew felt the same way. Being awake now was the worst part of waking from the long sleep.The display on the wall in front of his tank didn’t help. Its stark red numbers made it clear how long he had been asleep each time he woke up. It measured the actua...

Read story

“Virulent: Journey to Okron” by Ellie Northrop

Submitted to Contest #247

Journal Entry 7: September 21st, 2132 It has taken two years, but my team finally reached the dwarf planet Okron. Just as the Company had described: the air was breathable, water drinkable, and the land appeared habitable. Now, it is up to my team to create a colony to prepare for future generations. We landed our ship, the Virulent, in a large valley surrounded by mountain ridges. The valley provides plenty of protection from unknown predators lurking about. Also, it supplies acres of land perfect for agriculture. There isn't any water...

Read story

“Beyond our star” by Katy Heald

Submitted to Contest #247

I have to get it working. Four hours without life support and we'll all be dead, but that's not the main thing. I mean, it is. Obviously. None of us want to die out here, least of all me. But we've also got a point to prove. They said we weren't ready. The Council fought us every inch of the way, and I know it was only Ethan's intervention that got our expedition over the line. Ethan's name, really. There's only so much can be denied to the crown prince, even by the Council. And the reason Ethan fought them so hard? Me. So we're ...

Read story

“Chet Armstrong Almost Heroically Saves the World” by Eric Smith

Submitted to Contest #247

Stepping out of his Rocketship, Chet Armstrong waved to the crowd and flashed his trademarked smile (Patton number 9725). The Space Jock looked dashing in his bright red uniform and his dozen shiny medals. With perfect hair, the broad-chested rogue was hurried off the launch pad and into the general's offices. But not before blowing kisses to his fans. "Chet! What the hell happened up there? You have caused us a universe of problems!" barked General Flag. "How was I to know that their hands were also their eyes. I thought he was offeri...

Read story

“Adrift” by J.C. Vayda

Submitted to Contest #247

An alarm went off in the control center and the intercom voice system came to life. “Warning! Warning! Sudden Impact! Sudden Impact!” An asteroid the size of Manhattan came into view, and Space Viking I was about to crash. The only crewmember onboard never imagined she’d hear that alarm go off when she went through the academy. She treated it like the boogeyman—some fake, made-up terror that haunts you by manipulating your imagination. The boogeyman isn’t real, right? He’s not actually going to burst out of my closet, right? The sudden imp...

Read story

“The Last Voyage of Commander Jenkins” by Lawrence Bates

Submitted to Contest #247

The Last Voyage of Commander JenkinsLawrence M. Bates I open my eyes. It’s light out. Then something that sounds like a Chopin nocturne starts ever so softly to intrude upon my still half-awake, still half-asleep consciousness. I begin stretching to get the kinks out only to find my elbows banging against the side of my crypt. Oh, yeah. Right. I’m Joshua Jenkins, the captain of the starship Montmartre on a colony prep mission. All the hoses and med devices and such have been retracted from my body and the lid to my pod has been popped open b...

Read story

“Borealis” by Tzetze Fly

Submitted to Contest #247

The hatch of the Aurora groaned open, its edges scraping against the jagged terrain. Astrid’s boots thudded onto the alien soil, sending up a puff of purple dust. Miles followed slowly, his eyes flicking around their surroundings. "Stable ground," Astrid announced, her voice echoing slightly within the confines of her helmet. "Finally, after nineteen months! Atmosphere and temperature readings all within normal range. This planet might really be it." "Could be warmer," said Miles. Astrid laughed, drinking in the silent panorama of undu...

Read story

“Hoarders. ” by Ben Ebert

Submitted to Contest #247

Flashing red lights and a powerful echoing siren around the entire ship. Blood ran along their arm and down to their fingertips, and they looked at me with such hate. “ Are you weak?” “Absolutely, I am weak…” -Before. They looked at me for answers from their different control chairs. The vessel floated rather silently through space. The five of us have spent every day for the last eleven months together. sent on a mission to collect resources from around every corner of the universe. Eleven months reaping food, metal, water, and every minera...

Read story

“The Muddy Stick” by Joan Wright

Submitted to Contest #247

Roscoe burst through the doggie door, leaving muddy footprints across the brand-new hardwood floor. He was dragging a long muddy stick which left muddy prints of its own. "BOB, screamed Margo ,Call your dog!!! Roscoe wagged his tail as he placed his new treasure at Margo's feet."The patio door slowly slid open. Bob stuck his head in."Whats the problem? Oh shit, there's mud all over the new floor!""That's the problem. Your dog brought half the mud in the yard into our house along with a huge muddy stick. Could you please take him outside and ...

Read story

“Everywhere and nowhere” by Callie Messer

Submitted to Contest #247

Aden - 1508 A.D. The boards of the ship creak under my feet as I walk across the main deck. The old wood has sailed through hundreds of battles, but this will be its last. Water floods in as if there’s a hurricane surrounding us, sweeping away a few of my men. Their bodies bend and break as they hit the side railing, falling over the edge like small offerings to the ocean. My eyes don’t leave the window of the Captain’s Quarters as my body pushes forward. Screams ring out like a battle cry as men are ripped to shreds around me. Tentacles, a...

Read story

“River of Knowledge ” by Laura Craig

Submitted to Contest #247

River of Knowledge Wet, cold, tired, and hungry. These feeling I could name. They were solvable and temporary. The emotions swirling inside were less tamable. Embarrassed was just the base line. I was in way over my head, and being surrounded by other people only added to my misery. I’m not sure anything would have been different; it might have been a lot worst had I been alone. But I was used to being alone. It was how I preferred these times. Alas, the population for this adventure far exceeded solo, and I found myself struggling wi...

Read story

“From Solo Vacation to Friends’ Trip” by Sara Potter

Submitted to Contest #247

Elizabeth sighed and settled into her seat on the airplane. She put her book in the side compartment of her pod, alongside the bottle of water and the overnight kit provided by the airline. I can get used to flying business class, she thought. Just then, the flight attendant came up the aisle and offered her a glass of either champagne, orange juice, or water. She took a glass of champagne. “Thank you.”As she sipped her champagne, another flight attendant handed her a menu displaying the dinner food and wine options. It just keeps getting be...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

258

Contest entries

101

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 26, 2024 EST

Won by Madeline McCourt 🏆

Title: DANGER: UNSTABLE GROUND

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 ⭢