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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#261: Gratitude

Unfortunately, it's true what they say — all good things must come to an end! Today marks my last Friday at Reedsy, and my last week as the host of Prompts.

Before I get into this week's contest, I'd like to take a moment to thank this wonderful community, for sharing your creativity and enthusiasm with me over the past few years. I have been truly moved and inspired by your entries, and am consistently amazed by the talented, prolific writers who make up Prompts. It doesn't escape me how lucky I am to have read and enjoyed thousands of your stories, and to have been given a glimpse into the worlds of so many authors. It's been a great privilege.

With that in mind, this week's contest is all about gratitude. Whether your characters are thankful for a gift, a person, or a change in circumstance, I hope they find a way to express it.

You'll meet your wonderful new Prompts host Isabella next Friday; but for now, all that's left to say is — thank you!

This week's prompts

Write a story about a character trying to find a way to express their gratitude to someone.

Character – 62 stories

Write a creative nonfiction piece about something you're grateful for.

Nonfiction – 69 stories

Write a story about a cynic who has been told to start a "gratitude journal," and does so — begrudgingly.

Funny – 55 stories

Write a story about an unsung hero.

Character – 53 stories

Write a story in the form of a series of thank you cards.

Narrative – 64 stories

Stories

“Dear Unknown Hero” by Samantha Bull

Submitted to Contest #261

The following transcripts were retrieved from the comments section of a recently expired GoFundMe page. January 10Dear Unknown Hero,I wish I could call you by your name, but your generous donation only noted your name as “Anonymous.”I may never know who you are. For all I know, you’re just some random stranger who just happened across a really sad “GoFundMe” page and felt compelled to help. Maybe you’re someone I used to work with or go to school with; maybe you’re Mrs. Nichols, the elderly lady at church who’s always sharing her lemon bars ...

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“One Fine Place” by Fred Bickham

Submitted to Contest #261

The assistant director greeted her in the lobby and instructed one of the male ushers to show the young woman to the reception suite. It included a spacious sitting area furnished with several ornate chairs and love-seats, all pleasantly arranged but none as yet occupied. A black baby grand piano awaited her in the far corner between two sets of french doors. She peeked into the dining area. There stretched a long counter-top laden with food platters and bowls wrapped in cellophane. No concern on her part. Gillian had made sure to eat someth...

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“Sincere Gratitude ” by Destiny Barnes

Submitted to Contest #261

The following story includes testimonies of real life experiences dealing with but not limited to; drug addiction, alcoholism , and forgiveness . Contrary to the unfortunate circumstances, gratitude lacks no bearing whatsoever!Sincere Gratitude I should have done this sooner, I must admit. Sometimes I get so caught up in my ways I often forget. I become overwhelmed by all the things I feel like I have to do. I ask God for all these things but I never express my sincere gratitude. No wonder all my worldly hunger was of such high mag...

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“Of Greif and Greatfulness” by Roz Larson

Submitted to Contest #261

Trigger Warnings Include: Death of a mother during childbirth, death of a child The phone rang. I didn’t pick it up. The phone rang again and again. I never picked it up. Instead, I rolled over in bed and put pillows on my ears. I knew who it was. I knew why she was calling me. If I picked up the phone, I would be brought back into a life of pain I had escaped three years ago. I turned over in bed and looked at Daniel. His pack-and-play was too expensive to check with our luggage, so my little son had to sleep in the hotel’s king bed with m...

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“Because of You” by Angie Lucas

Submitted to Contest #261

Arthur Flannigan is fifty-nine years old and perpetually grumpy. He is currently sitting in the back pew of a church he hasn’t visited in a year, listening to a pastor talk about a God he doesn’t believe in. It started when his wife died, exactly one year ago today. Even if it wasn’t a holiday, an easy date to remember, Arthur would never forget the day he lost his best friend, maybe his only friend in the world. He finds it ironic that today is called Independence Day, a day to celebrate freedom, when the death of his wife tether...

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“A Stranger's Kindness” by Steven C.

Submitted to Contest #261

Liam, a traveler from Canada, wandered through Da Nang, captivated by the city’s vibrant chaos. The air was rich with the aroma of sizzling street food, the sounds of motorbikes weaving through narrow streets, and the laughter of locals enjoying their evening. The warm golden hue of the setting sun bathed the city in a soft glow, casting long shadows that danced with the rhythm of life around him. Each corner Liam turned revealed something new—a bustling market, an old temple, or a quiet alley—offering fre...

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“He got them back” by Joey Curtis

Submitted to Contest #261

“For the final time, I would now like to hear the defendant’s alibis for each and every one of these murders.” I suck a sharp breath in as a cold fear grasps hold of me. The defendant. Steven Gunnarson. Me. An indistinct, blue-eyed, blonde haired middle-aged man. Pretty much the spitting image of half of Iceland, which is exactly what my job requires. Seven children from my small, Icelandic town, Selfoss, were found dead; one on each day of last week. Since the overpopulation of mainland Europe decimated the international trade industr...

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“Gratitude Unbound: "A Quest for the Perfect Thank You"” by Omenda Musa

Submitted to Contest #261

The rhythmic tapping of keys filled the air in TechNova's open-plan office, a digital symphony of productivity. Amid the sea of focused developers, Alex sat rigid, his fingers hovering motionless over his keyboard. His mind wasn't on the code in front of him, but on a memory that refused to fade — a flash of steel, a cry of pain, and crimson spreading across a stranger's shirt. "Alex? Alex!" A voice snapped him back to reality. It was Sarah, his project manager, standing by his desk with a concerned look. "You okay? You've been staring at th...

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“Liftoff” by Tess Ross-Callahan

Submitted to Contest #261

She had always been early. Of course, she was already here. Jacy saw her faster than he wanted to, if he was being honest. Some part of him had, in rehearsing this moment in his head the night before, expected to have to search the room for her. But his eyes leapt to her as if magnetized. She was gnawing her thumbnail, wearing the jean cutoffs he had helped her make when the hole in the knee of those pants had torn so wide that she’d had to hold it together to walk up the stairs. Now they sat a little tighter on her hips, the zipper curving ...

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“Gratitude” by Pei Pei Lin

Submitted to Contest #261

I step out of my cozy shed and enjoy a big stretch. The wonderfully scrumptious fish dinner is still keeping my belly happy, and today, I'm going to venture out to the outskirts of my territory, where I last spotted a precious prey. I haven't been around there in a while, so I must be cautious. Strutting through my usual route, I start to recall on how I found myself in my lovely situation. It was not too long ago when my mother left my siblings and me, “Go explore this wonderful world now, my dear children,” she said. And so, one by one, ...

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“The Art of Gratitude” by Joseph Hare

Submitted to Contest #261

Daniel sat on a cushioned office chair, fingers interlaced and set before him as he stared at his friend—his annoying, non-stop-chattering friend. She—Sarah—talked for what seemed like hours about rubbish, saying dumb words like “gratitude” or “integrity.” Daniel couldn’t tell if he wanted to smash his face really hard into the table or fall asleep while she talked.“Come on, Daniel,” Sarah pleaded, brushing her dark hair from her face. “You’re such a…cynic. Can’t you try anything that involves others?”“Yep,” said Daniel dismissively, shuffli...

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“School days” by Amanda Stogsdill

Submitted to Contest #261

School Days by Amanda Stogsdill There have been a lot of people who have assisted me throughout my life. Family, friends, and teachers. In elementary school, I had wonderful teachers, who have unfortunately slipped from my memory.I recall one particular person from those early years. Ms. R was my aide in the classroom. She helped me with the sometimes difficult task of learning braille. (I also had a couple braille teachers who came weekly to teach me). As Ms. R was with me daily, we both learned and struggled together. I didn't find out ...

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“Angus. A Bushman's Dog. ” by Wade Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #261

I'd like to introduce my unsung hero, my loyal confidante, my personal trainer, and 'King of the Back Seat', Angus Daniels, my trusty K9 companion. I've heard him described as "a rather handsome mongrel", and despite his toolbox of adorable traits and extraordinary talents, I'll refrain from crediting him with the intelligence to comprehend the paradox. But he understands basic English quite well, doesn't speak it of course, but I'm sure he has a master's degree in human body language. With my splattering of dog code, we seem to have suffici...

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“A Reflection of Valor” by Chandler Wilson

Submitted to Contest #261

Victor Blackwood is a 60-year-old accountant who, until today, has lived a life filled with routine and predictability. Each day seemed to blend into the next, creating a monotonous blur of unfulfilled dreams. He sits in his Subaru Outback, staring at the sign in the yard outside his Aunt Ursula’s attorney’s house. The stark white lettering of the sign contrasted with the dull gray and blue of the one-and-a-half-story Cape Cod-style house. The rain peppered his windshield, the streaks slightly blurring his view. Peering up, he saw the s...

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“THE UNSUNG HERO” by Glenna Agnew

Submitted to Contest #261

THE UNSUNG HERO Jake Walsh slid down the fireman's pole at Fire Station # 5. It was a daily ritual that he performed to help keep his head in the game and a daily reminder of why he had become a fireman and what it meant to his family and the community. He could have taken the staircase like all the rest of his crew did, but that would defeat the purpose of the act. Jake stood at the bottom and ran his hand along the sturdy brass pole. As he did so, he remembered back to when he was eight years old and the tragedy that had occurred th...

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$250

Prize money

303

Contest entries

97

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 02, 2024 EST

Won by Sandrine Hu 🏆

Title: Dear Aunt Beth

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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