#257: Shakespeare
He's the writer who requires no introduction. Probably the world's most famous playwright and poet, Shakespeare's tragedies, comedies, and sonnets have been studied and performed for the last 400 years. You'll be hard pressed to find someone who wasn't forced to read 'Sonnet 18' in English class, or to appear in a regrettable high school production of Romeo and Juliet. But he's a mainstay of our literary education for a reason. His writing is ubiquitous and seminal, and there's really no overstating the influence Shakespeare has had on art, literature, and even our day-to-day speech.
It's almost unbelievable that, in the hundreds of short story contests we've hosted, we've never dedicated one to the Bard himself — and so, this week is the week...
This week's prompts
Write your story in the form of a script, complete with stage directions.
Narrative
–
33 stories
Write a story in which a case of mistaken identity plays a pivotal role.
Funny
–
24 stories
Write a story about a tragic hero.
Dramatic
–
57 stories
Set your story during rehearsals for a production of a Shakespeare play.
High School
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29 stories
Stories
“Shattered Trust” by Steven Nimocks
Submitted to Contest #257
“Day 1 on the Grissom Case” by Danni Money
Submitted to Contest #257
“Her Juliet” by Isabella Hightower
Submitted to Contest #257
“Undoing: A Gallery” by David Lontok
Submitted to Contest #257
“Tragedy of the Dead” by Conner Matthams
Submitted to Contest #257
$250
Prize money
215
Contest entries
79
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Jul 05, 2024 EST
Won by Keba Ghardt 🏆
Title: Your Animal Side
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!
Join our weekly contest
Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.
