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!

#262: Turn Up the Heat

What’s not to love about summer? There's something so wonderful about spending lazy afternoons taking a stroll in the sunshine or cooling off with an ice-cold drink by a pool. I can still remember how excited I would feel on the last day of school, just hours away from barbecues, beach days, and family picnics.

With summer in full swing for many of us, let’s write some stories that center around long, sweltering days. Will your tale take place at a fancy resort or a crowded park? How about a county fair or an island getaway? No matter what you choose, make sure to bring on the heat!

This week's prompts

Write about a summer vacation gone wrong.

Summer – 66 stories

Start or end your story with a heatwave announcement.

Summer – 34 stories

Write about a character who is allergic to heat.

Summer – 26 stories

Center your story around an unexpected summer fling.

Summer – 53 stories

Set your story during the hottest day of the year.

Summer – 88 stories

Stories

“Allergic to heat? ” by Mo Chit Chan

Submitted to Contest #262

Jo didn’t want to come to the resort.He dislikes crowded places. The constant throng of people pushing past each other in the shops. The piles of half naked bodies lying in the sand by the sea.He went to the rocks by himself at the edge of the beach. The sun casted long shadows, created pockets of space here he sat, hidden from the world. He stared at the ocean stretching endlessly from his place. This was where he spent his time for a good 3 hours of the vacation. Away from the sun’s heat, away from the people.When the sun was setting halfw...

Read story

“Charles and Camilla” by Mikey Van Mourik

Submitted to Contest #262

It was a cool, dark and still night, illuminated slightly by the half-moon occasionally showing its shy, wrinkled face from between the passing clouds. Crickets could be heard rubbing their leathery front wings together in excited unison and gusts of wind whipped through the long grass, creating a soothing wash of sound. Just above, a woosh of shadow whizzed by in a flash before elegantly landing in a small tree next to a road: a long-eared owl. Just beyond the tree lay some sleeping striped zebras and peaceful gazelles, nestled together in ...

Read story

“Out of the Frying Pan.....” by Even Andrews

Submitted to Contest #262

Sven rolls over to click the alarm. The clock reads 5:58 am. The alarm is scheduled for 6:00 am. He sits up with a little stretch. Standing up, he puts the bed back together. Sven opens the curtains to the sun cresting the horizon. He looks over to see the outside temperature reads 62º. Sven changes into his overalls, “Need to get started, today is going to be a scorcher.” Sven grabs his gardening gloves and a couple of Ziplock bags that he puts inside his basket. He checks the temperature one more time before walking outside. The thermomete...

Read story

“Summer serenade” by Kirstie Anders

Submitted to Contest #262

He navigated chopsticks beautifully. I was always in awe of people who used chopsticks like they were born with them at the end of their hands. I usually ended up roughly stabbing the food with one end of a singular chopstick and getting a bare minimum, cussing at their existence but persevering anyway. But here he was, doing the chopstick dance from bowl to mouth with an aptitude I could only respect. Just then something awful happened. He laid the sticks down and looked up directly at me. My mouth agape, still mesmerised. He smiled at me. ...

Read story

“Fantasy Island” by Cassin Villa-Lobos

Submitted to Contest #262

Content Warning: Language, Mature Content "Say I do. I do, I do, I do...." I have to laugh, if I don't I may burst into tears. The universe just had to dig the thorn a little deeper. Here I am, on my honeymoon. Well, what should've been my honeymoon. Now, I suppose, it's just a vacation, a definitely needed vacation. I was left at the altar by my now ex fiancee. He ran off with, you guessed it, my now ex best friend. It was a total cliche, something you only see in a movie, but never actually think it could happen to you. Until it does, exa...

Read story

“Unusual Summer” by Zachary Seda

Submitted to Contest #262

Warmth wrapped around my skin like a cozy blanket. I glanced at my friends who were in all stages of tanning. Summer started, and the ultimate way to enjoy it was by lounging on a beach under the sun. Not to mention the other best part to the whole experience, the people watching. Laying on my back, I observed the other beachgoers as they went about their activities. Some also tanned like me. Others were playing beach games such as volleyball. Surfers were catching decent waves, while others floated peacefully off to the side. Regardless of ...

Read story

“Summer” by Sun Jay

Submitted to Contest #262

The first time he laid eyes on her she was sitting in the lobby, furrowed brow and set jaw, exuding determination. He would get to know that expression intimately over the next few weeks. As he would also soon discover, the almost imperceptible nervous energy he thought he had noticed was completely out of character for one with such a blithe and capricious nature. Maybe it was that sliver of vulnerability, real or imagined, which made the moment memorable for him. It was the briefest of exchanges: a walk across the room, a half curious side...

Read story

“And There She Was” by A. McClelland

Submitted to Contest #262

And There She Was As my junior year of college was nearing its end, the barrage of endless phone calls, text messages, and e-mails from my parents was unrelenting. What was I going to do this summer to prepare for my future? Messages with the names of contacts who might have a job opportunity for me, e-mails with links to summer internships, and texts reminding me to follow up on each one, signed with an “I love you” and a heart or smiley face emoji. My response was always a heavy sigh and dramatic eye roll. I had finals to study for, projec...

Read story

“She's a Beast” by Michael McKean

Submitted to Contest #262

Warning: Sexual References, Light Gore Riley paddled down Silver River in Shadowhead. It was colder now since the day had transformed into night. A thick fog hung over the water. He stopped rowing for a moment and zipped up his jacket. In the distance, tree leaves rustled, and a branch snapped. "Hello?" Riley rowed toward the source of the noise.His red canoe bit into a soft patch of earth, and he climbed out, turning on his flashlight. He searched the shore. In the mud were fresh footprints. Someone had been walking around barefoo...

Read story

“The Layover” by Anna Stasko

Submitted to Contest #262

(This story contains mature topics as well as mild physical violence where one of the characters hits the other one with a pillow.)I don’t know who screams first, if it’s him or me. I think it’s me. Luckily I have already pulled up my underwear (and my jeans, I think), but unfortunately I didn’t lock the bathroom door before I sat down to pee. The screams go something like this:“Ah” (very high pitched by me), followed by a scream and a “sorry” (him), a bump into the wall (him), and sorry (me) and then more sorry (him). His name is ...

Read story

“A Day at The Range” by Ruben Fontes

Submitted to Contest #262

*Harsh Language “Alright,” his voice droned on, swiping at the sweat beneath his boonie cover, which was sliding down over his brow. The scorching desert sun beat down mercilessly. “For your next course of fire in the pre-qual, you’ll fire 5 shots standing, 5 kneeling, and 5 prone. Shooter ready?” He looked up to see the Private swaying in the oppressive heat, his face beet-red and slick with sweat beneath his kevlar. The Private clung desperately to his rifle, his legs trembling under the relentless weight of the heat. “Hey fucker, you sle...

Read story

“No one will hear you call” by Joanna N.

Submitted to Contest #262

It was stuffy since the dawn. The heat was rising every hour, and by noon the air was almost aflame, almost burning his lungs. It was buzzing in the tall, dry bushes as if charged with electricity – what was making this sound? Bees, probably. Or cicadas? The noise made him feel like he was about to boil, black spots multiplied in the sunlight, and the heat condensed and ran down his face and chest, tickling. It was driving him crazy. Anyway, maybe it was his fault, after all, he knew it would be hot. The hottest day of the summer, they’d sai...

Read story

$250

Prize money

267

Contest entries

91

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 09, 2024 EST

Won by Tess Ross-Callahan 🏆

Title: Hair-Dryer Day

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 ⭢