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!

#266: The Write Stuff

Hello, fellow writers! Before diving into this week’s contest, I have an exciting announcement to make: the Reedsy Book Editor, our beloved (and free) writing app, is now Reedsy Studio! This cozy space is designed to be your creative haven, where you can make boards to sketch out your wildest character ideas, set goals to help you reach the finish line, export your stories with beautiful, customized typesetting, and so much more.

Studio is a gorgeous, functional book editor where your creativity can truly flourish… which brings me to the focus of this week’s contest. If you’re an aspiring author like me, you’ve probably experienced writer’s block at least once in your life — not to mention all the distractions life seems to perpetually throw at you. So, this week, let’s write stories inspired by artists and the creative process. Whether you’re the world’s biggest procrastinator or have been waiting for inspiration to strike, there’s bound to be a prompt below that speaks to you!

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone who wants to give up on their career right before their big break.

Short Story – 39 stories

Your protagonist discovers that everything they type comes true. What happens next?

Short Story – 54 stories

Write from the POV of a character in a story who keeps getting re-written by their second-guessing author.

Short Story – 92 stories

Your protagonist has the perfect day scheduled — but things don’t go according to plan.

Short Story – 40 stories

Write about someone who summons the creative muse through a convoluted ritual or method.

Short Story – 56 stories

Stories

“Second Guesses and Sunsets” by R.S. Daniels

Submitted to Contest #266

Waves crashed against the rocks hundreds of feet below him. Daring a brief glance, Bishop held the rope tight. White tips formed in the interminable blackness wrought by the coming storm. Poseidon still hungers for me, he thought. “Not then, nor now. No second chances for you, you old bastard.” The flicker of light against the window ledge led his way down the stone parapet. Peering inside the circular room lit by oil lamps, at first appearances, it was empty. As Bishop craned his head, first left then right, a ribbon of sky blue material ca...

Read story

“Lance & God” by Carrie Shemanski

Submitted to Contest #266

I do what God tells me to do and try not to ask questions. After all, She created me. Without God, there’d be no Lance Sheldrake. That’s me. Sometimes, God can’t make up her mind. She had me try several careers in rapid succession. Stockboy at an organic grocery store. Drive-thru window at a vegan fast food restaurant. I even worked at a makeup counter at a high-end department store for about a week, but it didn’t stick. (God doesn’t know much about makeup, I don’t think.) Each job was a bit too on-the-nose if you ask me. Wow, a gay guy who ...

Read story

“Token Best Friend” by Grace Penton

Submitted to Contest #266

It's never fun to realize that you aren't actually in control of your own life. Its even less fun when you discover you aren't actually even a real person at all - you're just a person created by some other bigger person and jerked around on marionette strings to their bidding of the plot. The absolute least fun thing about the whole scenario is there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. I am confined to the restraints of the world given to me by the author, which itself wasn't that bad before I managed to develop what is called "free wi...

Read story

“Oh, Come on, Not again!” by Pete Gautchier

Submitted to Contest #266

Prompt: Write from the point of view of a character in a story who keeps getting re-written by their second-guessing author. Oh, come on, not again! “Hey man, I am no Pinocchio and you are no Geppetto, so loosen up the puppet strings on my story, stop this madness,” as I shouted from the pages of my author’s tablet journal. There was silence. Outside the realm of the journal pages an introduction began. “My name is Buddy and I am a figment of my author’s imagination who calls himself Harry. But I know differently. If given the chan...

Read story

“A Million Different Ways” by Sophie Goldstein

Submitted to Contest #266

My name is Joanna-Joan-Jacob-Rory-I have no name-They call me Bernard-Barbara-Barbara.My name is Barbara.If you were to have told me yesterday that I’d be dead-That I’d be married-That I’d be standing on the edge of a cliff-That I’d be erased from the universe because I can’t complete a sentence-That I’d be dead.Dead.Dead as a doornail.Dead as Jacob Marley-If you were to have told me yesterday that I’d be standing over Marley Jacobson’s dead body, I honestly wouldn’t have been surprised.Marley was a piece of shit.I don’t mean to be crass or ...

Read story

“ABRACADABRA” by Rose Lind

Submitted to Contest #266

Warning: Sexual References, Cussing, Swearing and Drug use and Mental Health referenced.I have always steered clear of Romance writing. I mean, the mushy, sentimental kind that some writers – mostly myself - shy away from. However, this week's writer's prompt happened to be that theme - Romance! It seemed pretty straightforward - boy meets girl, they fall in love, have some tension and conflicts then ultimately tie the knot - right?The recorded announcement at the train station stated, "The Brisbane City and Caboolture Train will arrive in a...

Read story

“The Infinite Phantasm” by Jay Dillon

Submitted to Contest #266

The day started like any other. I woke to the sound of Steve Miller’s "The Joker," the opening drumbeat sending a jolt through my spine. I jumped out of bed, ready to tackle the day. I’m a writer, a damn good one, and this damn good writer has deadlines.After going through the usual routine of bathroom, breakfast, teeth and shower, I sat down to return to the chapter I’d left unfinished. It gnawed at me all night and I was eager to dive back in. Writing was my passion, my religion. It wasn’t easy and it sure as hell didn’t pay well but this ...

Read story

“It's Her Birthday” by Elena Balaguer

Submitted to Contest #266

My eyes snap open. It’s her birthday. The sun is barely rising as the early morning dew starts to eviscerate from our fogged-up bedroom window. I glance askew and see her, still fast asleep. She is the living example of an oxymoron—such a spunky firecracker when awake and such a beatific creature when asleep. Everything about her is a stark contrast. Just on cue, she wakes up. “Happy birthday hun. Thirty-two!”, as I give her a flurry of kisses, counting up to thirty-two. “Huh? Oh… thanks,” rubbing her eyes and still visibly in her realm of d...

Read story

“What makes a person happy?” by Katya Worton

Submitted to Contest #266

I’ve always had the habit of trying to figure out if people are happy. Not through conversations, but purely by examining a person’s mannerisms or hints of expression. Sometimes it can just be from looking at someone’s face, scanning each detail and wrinkle for a twitch of truth. Or tuning into a sigh and waiting for a little whisper of help to seep through. Its not usually someone close to me either. I’ve crossed paths with people on a street, or served a customer at some meaningless retail job, and tried figuring out what or whose fingers ...

Read story

“Ring of Love” by Brigid Hanes

Submitted to Contest #266

Brian stood at the altar awaiting his bride’s arrival with his 5 groomsmen behind him; Jason, Michael, Jaxson, Lennon, and Craig. They all had several drinks before the wedding rooting on Brian and giving him courage. He was occasionally swaying slightly but still managed to hold himself straight. On the opposite side, in the Bridesmaid area, there were Jenna, Alyssa, Terese, Belinda and Christine. Of course Jenna, Brittany’s sister, had to be the maid of honor. She threw a fit until Brittany agreed, but this was supposed to be Brittany...

Read story

“The Couch” by Delsin Jagr

Submitted to Contest #266

Chuck sat in his car. Lost in thought. Enjoying the cool breeze coming from the vents. Then his phone rang. A quick look at the caller ID. Ignore. With a sigh, he exited the car, trading the air-conditioned comfort of his leased luxury SUV for the sweltering summertime heat of South Carolina. In an instant, sweat began to bead on his forehead. He hustled across the parking lot towards the cluster of condos.By the time he reached the front door, sweat had soaked through his t-shirt. He hurriedly looked through messages on his phone. Looking...

Read story

“Evil Dead, Witchcraft, and Georgia ” by Robin Greene

Submitted to Contest #266

"I can't believe I have writer's block again; that bitch owes me a freebie after what I gave her last time." Pulling out her athame, Georgia sighed; all she ever wanted to do was write and tell stories that enraptured the imagination. As soon as she graduated from Uni, her well went dry. She had won various writing contests; hell, she earned enough money to pay off her car by proofreading and editing everything from thesis papers to dissertations. Now, her mind went blank if she even looked at her laptop. The day she'd changed...

Read story

“Writer's Blockade” by K CT

Submitted to Contest #266

The smell of coffee beans, nestled into his mustache. Click-clack, click-clack, click-click-click-click. The, all-too-familiar, sound of the backspace key being pressed repeatedly. The early morning gray, the midnight black. Heavy eyes, aching fingers, growling stomach, jumbled head. A not-so-young, down-and-going, writer struggles to put his brain to his keyboard. His ideas are always amazing, in theory. His concepts have the potential to be fantastic stories but as soon as he begins to write, he can't figure out how to bring it together. T...

Read story

“Fairest of my Muses” by Ann Marie Kalus

Submitted to Contest #266

I had all of it laid out: my Phrygian cap, the Golden Fleece, the epic poetry tablets of Calliope, the sacred laurels of Apollo, fragrant incense, milk, and honey. Desperately, I chanted her name over and over, my words lost to the rustle of leaves. Everything I had, and everything they ever required, lay before me on the grass as my full offering.But she wouldn’t show up. Nobody had truly done it before, yes. But nobody who’s ever tried has ever been her son. Surely, she wouldn’t turn me down. Minutes passed, and I grew restless. Would a so...

Read story

“By the Book” by Rhiannon Lee

Submitted to Contest #266

I outline the circle in a thin line of chalk. Thin because this is the fifth time I’ve done this in this month alone. Note to self, go to Mike’s Friday for more. Mike’s, the only mom and pop hobby store in town, is the only place I’ll spend my money for something as important as this… Plus, the ten percent employee discount makes anything I buy at Mike's a steal. I write out the string of sigils along the outline in red paint. It’s too runny from the water I’ve added to the bottle, but it’s important to use every la...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

281

Contest entries

108

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 06, 2024 EST

Won by Derrick M Domican 🏆

Title: inspirAItion

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 ⭢