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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#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 a story named after, and inspired by, one of Shakespeare's plays. Think modern retellings, metanarratives, subversions, etc.

Narrative – 72 stories

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 – 29 stories

Stories

“Romeo and Juliet” by Abby Nanus

Submitted to Contest #257

"Hey, Julie, what would your older sister think of what happened last night?" Romy, my secret boyfriend, smugly asked me as we strolled through the mall. "First off, Emmie's on vacation with her boyfriend. Second, she'd take that as the reason as to why we can't date. Third of all, she'd most likely laugh her butt off at us. Once again, WHY is it that our parents won't let us be a couple?!" I angrily sneered. "You might not want to hear this, Julie, but, I think it's because ... uh, to make this conversation a long story somewhat short ... i...

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“The Janitor” by Zeeshan Mahmud

Submitted to Contest #257

[Note: Contains themes of gore, violence, inappropriate language, and substance abuse]Bus stopMario Perez always takes the 9:30 bus at 9 South down Prairie Blvd to work. He is a janitor at St. Ambrose Middle School and has been working for seven years without any raise or promotion. He makes minimum wage and manages to keep his nose above water. He waits for Rodriguez."You are late, man," Mario says as Rodriguez finally arrives.As he gets on the bus today, scans his bus pass from phone, and heads to the back, he notices three nuns on the sid...

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“The Tempest” by Ethan Kimm

Submitted to Contest #257

The water of the great Atlantic claws at the sides of The Conspiracy. Tense air circles and tugs at fabrics and hair. The nameless man crunches a letter in his hands--fueled by an emotion untouched by his soul for decades. This was before his beard turned salty and age stretched his face to be a water rippled version of his past-self. His eyes lay anchor to his maple eyes with a thought swirling below the depths of moments that passed him by. The splinter scarred hands wore rope burns for skin. Clothes hung loose like options rather than com...

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“Much Ado About Nada” by Emily Miles

Submitted to Contest #257

Text messages between Badia and Ben, part 1:Ben: everyone keeps looking at me.Badia: Wipe your nose then.Ben: nah it’s the people. they’re just too friendly. why did we come here again?? destination weddings are such a scam.Badia: Yeah right. You’re so totally hating this trip. That’s why you went to Taormina yesterday to see where The White Lotus was filmed.Ben: where did you hear that?Badia: Pedro told us. ;)Ben: Traitor.Badia: Haha..Well I’m getting ready for the bachelorette party. Nada said "casual but classy" so we shall see. Cya. xBen...

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“The rise and fall of Lear Magazine” by Natalie Haslam-Conroy

Submitted to Contest #257

CORDELIA I had been walking up the steps of the Park Place subway for the past twelve years, but today was different. Today, I was thinking about how I had climbed these steps all those years ago on my first day at Lear magazine. I had spent the three years prior working four jobs while living in a coffin room in Bushwick. Eventually, I summoned the courage to submit a feature idea to Editor-in-Chief Margaret Lear, who read it and hired me on the spot. Working at Lear had been my dream—the reason I moved to New York—and the reality of it was...

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“Much Ado About Nothing” by Noah Graham

Submitted to Contest #257

“Your haircut is an act of cultural appropriation against the retard community” Betty said as Ben walked into theschool cafeteria with Klaus. Hera missed the days when Betty would use a funny tone of voice for her insults. Back then she was sure it was a game, now more and more of her was starting to wonder if it was something more… but what? Ben and Betty had no reason to hate each other did they? “Nah. It ain’t cultural appropriation. Only a genuine retard would put up with you” Ben replied “Wow it’s like you to are both trying to fl...

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“RNJ” by William Riling

Submitted to Contest #257

Newsflash – June 16th, 2024, Dateline: Verona, Wisconsin—16-year-old Romeo Montague and 14-year-old Juliet Capulet were found dead today in the parking lot of Verona High School, the result of an apparent suicide pact. Texts of their final moments were found on the star-crossed lover’s iPhones but not released to the public. Funeral services are pending. In lieu of flowers the families are asking donations to be made to Suicide Prevention Hotline of Verona.---------------------------------------------------------------- (Transcript from...

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“Oh, My Dear Juliet” by Kenzie Ramirez

Submitted to Contest #257

The rain poured hard over the men's black cloaks, soaking them to the bone as they made their way through the dark and winding streets. The three men walked briskly towards the entrance of the vampire ball. The full moon hung high in the sky, casting an iridescent shadow on their figures. "So how exactly do you plan on sneaking our way in here, Romeo?" Malichi asked, his voice barely audible over the pounding rain."Just because we're wearing masks doesn't mean we will actually fit in," Julius remarked, his tone laced with skepticism as ...

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“Lark's Tongue” by Max Gurevich

Submitted to Contest #257

On a humid day in northern Italy, Wold sat in his shop, calling out to passerby. His apprentice, Hornberg, meticulously organized the potions on his shelves, polishing them with a handkerchief and spit and sorting them by size. The shop was a small room, separated from the outside street by a small counter. From behind the counter, Wold cried out to every man, woman, and child who walked by, rich or poor, and attributed his commercial success to this tactic. Many came to Wold’s shop, seeking medicines and potions. He was known as a trustwort...

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“Hamlet, A Supernatural Modern Retelling” by Anna Salieva

Submitted to Contest #257

“So what are we gonna do, kid?” Hamlet brought the phone screen closer to his eyes, all but ignoring Yorick. His thumb scrolled through his daily feed of quirky TikToks. There’s that one cheese-making video he’s seen everywhere lately. “Ignoring it, sure, sure…” Yorick plopped himself next to Hamlet on the couch, bones poking uncomfortably into Hamlet’s knees. Hamlet landed on a video of a tiny kitten. A calm voiceover drifted out of the speakers. “Sometimes, when we aren’t sure of ourselves, we second-guess facts we definitely know ar...

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“The Third Cesario” by Branko Harp

Submitted to Contest #257

When I wanted inspiration for my Shakespearean illustration assignment, being mistaken for an actor and shoved onto the stage was not what I had in mind. The incident sounds absurd even to me, and I wish it were a bad dream, but I think the bruise on my knee, where I scraped the stage floor, will serve as a painful reminder of that freakish situation, the most mortifying moment of my life.I was already irritated that day. The deadline for my art project was creeping closer, and here I was, working another weekend shift at the Shipwreck Bar, ...

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“Misprinted Identity” by Lauren Normac

Submitted to Contest #257

"The name I have here is Aris.""That clearly says Avic, you hear? Av-ik.""You could be lying about that.""And so could she."Like the rest of the small crowd, Mercia was drawn to the front steps of the mage school because she heard a commotion. Those were the first words she'd actually managed to make out, between the headmaster and a boy, about her age. Another professor was holding his elbow, but he pulled away with the slightest tug, and straightened his shirt."Did you look into your students at all before letting them into a dorm? Or did ...

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“Fooling Fate” by Nina H

Submitted to Contest #257

I sat in my car staring at the time. It was 8:47am, so I had 18 minutes until my interview. No, not 18, 13 minutes! Dang it, math was my downfall. Would always be. I gathered my folder, purse, and keys as I stepped from my car into the mostly empty parking lot of Dodson High School. During the summer months, it was mostly administration that had to continue showing up while the students and teachers enjoyed their summer vacations. This was my first job interview after staying home for a ye...

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“Julius Caesar: Portia’s Jab Leads to Brutus’s Stab” by Kristy Schnabel

Submitted to Contest #257

Julius Caesar: Portia’s Jab Leads to Brutus’s Stab March 2023 When I entered our kitchen, I saw Brett hunched over his coffee cup with a worried look. “You’re up early. Are you okay?” “No.” I'd never seen him look so defeated. “Your Mom?” “Yes. What am I going to do?” asked Brett. He looked tired and disheveled, and the bags under his eyes were more pronounced than usual. “I’m so sorry, hon.” “She wants to die. She’s in such pain. They won’t give her any more pain medication because they’re afraid it’ll kill her. Ironic, right?” “No li...

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“You May Find Yourself” by Maria Wickens

Submitted to Contest #257

When I hear that song Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads, I think of Thrax. Very few manage to extract themselves from our business, but Thrax got out and I reckon every day he must ask himself, “Well how did I get here?”Round about now he will be feeling the days are getting longer. Maybe he feels like he’s drowning at the bottom of an ocean of suburban mediocrity. Initially he’ll welcome that feeling. He’ll call it penance for the past life we led together. But Thrax is plenty smart. He knows people in our line of business are not owed be...

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$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!

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