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!

#28: Narratively Takeover

This week is a special edition of the Reedsy Prompts contest because our friends at Narratively are taking it over with their own theme and prompts! We'll let them take it from here...

Narratively is a media platform that celebrates the diversity of humanity through authentic storytelling. At Narratively, we know that truth is sometimes stranger (and more interesting!) than fiction, so we’re switching things up this week and asking for your TRUE stories. For this week’s prompts, we’re looking for your very best creative nonfiction — the fascinating true story that only you can tell, the one incredible tale you just have to share with the world.

We like stories that surprise and delight us, and that are full of dramatic, active scenes with lots of colorful moments.

To that end, each of our prompts for this week takes on an issue that never goes out of style… love.

The winning story will be considered for publication on Narratively.

This week's prompts

Write about someone (or something) you loved that you shouldn’t have.

Nonfiction – 90 stories

Write about a date that was so terrible you’ll never forget it.

Nonfiction – 46 stories

Write about your most unique experience at, or in, a wedding.

Nonfiction – 34 stories

Write about a time when a broken heart led to something you’d never have expected.

Nonfiction – 58 stories

Write about a secret that you’ve never told to the person you love.

Nonfiction – 41 stories

Stories

“Unheard Story” by NSHIMIYIMANA Evode

Submitted to Contest #28

Friday morning, Muhire went to their local defense station. He was called that his identity cards were found and are submitted at Mubuga local defense station. The day was sunny and everyone was quite busy with work. He entered the office where he found a brown woman in the office. She was looking in red mirror smearing the solid lotion on her lips. She was in a scholastic black suit and white shirt inner. She appeared ill at ease in her suits. Her hair was combed as if she was going to the wedding ceremony, and she had a negligence face. He...

Read story

“Secret Love” by Said Y

Submitted to Contest #28

To Whom I Loved, There are a lot of days where I regret that I loved you. There are some days where our memories bring the biggest smile on my face, but my heart hurts and my eyes are burning because of the aching pain in my heart; yet no tears. When I see tears there is a smile on my face. I fell in love with a girl and I’m a girl myself. It is forbidden in my religion and looked frowned upon by my culture. Although our love is forbidden it never stopped me from loving you. Your fake love uplifted me. &nbsp...

Read story

“Friday Night Lights ” by Mary Lombardi

Submitted to Contest #28

My breath puffs out in front of me. I jump from foot to foot, trying to gain blood flow back to my frozen limbs. It’s the last game this year, but it’s also the first time in almost ten years that Traip’s football team has made it to the playoffs. Despite being well aware that we will not be taking home a win, we are overjoyed that we get to play once more against our rivals, Old Orchard Beach. The Rangers, lovingly called the Boats, against the Seagulls, not so lovingly called Bird Shit. I stand on the sidelines of this Friday night g...

Read story

“Parrot ” by Nina Wishnat

Submitted to Contest #28

When I was in college I didn’t have a very high opinion of myself. I had created a profile on a dating site, and while all of the pictures I uploaded were of me, none of them looked like me.After flirting for a while online with a guy named Terrance, we decided to meet. There weren’t too many options around my school, but we settled on a Burger King.When I waited for him there I remember feeling self conscious about my jacket. I had gotten it at a Goodwill. Was I worried about the color or that I hadn’t washed it? I don’t know. Terrance walk...

Read story

“We Are Crew, Not Passengers” by Ay Jay

Submitted to Contest #28

“Ok, now Logan. What is the first moment we remember with Logan?” I leaned into the table, my elbows digging into the polished, glossy wood. The giggles coming from around me were punctuated with glances over at a short boy with light skin and shaved hair that sat at the opposite end of the table from myself, pursing his lips at the attention as he had done for years. There were ten of us, all seated around the table on benches, in a cabin nestled in the middle of Jawbone Flats, Opal Creek Forest. It was the last field trip for us as a...

Read story

“The Greatest Heartbreak” by Chad Cawson

Submitted to Contest #28

Heartbreak; humans are the only creatures to feel it, or at least aware that they are feeling it.That shattering feeling of despair, depression, often accompanied with loneliness, isolation and hopelessness, are the threads woven into the fabric of the human condition.I’m no stranger to women breaking my heart; in fact, I’m rather intimate with it. My mother, many girls, and women I loved, spoiled, and gave my all to. But it was my little sister and best friend Jeni that shattered it beyond repair. It was on the day she passed away fro...

Read story

“MY STAR, FOREVER AND FOR ALWAYS” by Annie Ruhangakiza

Submitted to Contest #28

Journal entry. 31.12.2019 Today's my 20th birthday. I know I should be happy but I am thinking about her today. I have grown since the last time she saw me 15 years ago.I am writing about her looking outside the window under the one star and moon in the sky today. For a minute or more I was just staring at my phone screen wondering what on earth I am going to write about her. Apart from my dad. She's the next person I love or loved most. Its been 15 years since she left us. All the memories I have of her are scanted. I even ha...

Read story

“My Shotgun Date” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #28

It’s been over half a century, but I still can remember my worst date. I had met her at a dance at her high school. I saw her, liked what I saw and asked her to dance. She smiled and put out her hand. We danced, we talked (well I did), and she wrote down her phone number and gave it to me. I called her the next day, and we had a date for the next Saturday. It was another dance, with a band playing that I particularly liked. That wasn’t the bad date, but set things up for the horror show that was to fol...

Read story

“ Way Back ” by Tom Kottackal

Submitted to Contest #28

Word count:1,300 This short story is based on the Prompt No: 2. Write about a date that was so terrible you’ll never forget it. &n...

Read story

“The Bride's Name Is Always Holly” by Mike Garrigan

Submitted to Contest #28

From the inner recesses of the utility closet where I had been hiding for the past half hour, I heard the wedding party enter the reception hall. The jocund din of family, friends, and guests rattled the closet door. I forgot to tune my guitar before I climbed into this coffin. But Red stayed in tune all night last night at the country club cover gig. She would probably be in tune when I popped out of the closet, plugged her into the DJ’s sound system, and slid onto the upper corner of the dance floor for the couple’s first dance. The bride’...

Read story

“The Hidden Eden” by Heidi Hoard

Submitted to Contest #28

It was January 2013, when I boarded a plane, and flew to North Idaho to be a caretaker for a small homestead. As the airplane made it's way more north, the landscape started showing me my possible future.Looking out of the window from my seat, beautiful log cabins, and barns, and many recreation vehicles, for snow, and for trail riding came into view. I started seeing snow, and lakes, and beautiful trees. As I watched all of this, I was very sad. I longed to have something like that in my life. Then hope filled me about new possibilities. I ...

Read story

“Family Ties” by Robyn Welborne

Submitted to Contest #28

I’m always getting myself into awkward situations—I can’t help it, it’s just my personality—and yet, somehow making it out in one piece. The tale I’m about to reveal deals with a not-so-complicated lover’s triangle between me and an unknowingly pair of brothers. No, I did not date them both at once, but the timeline sure came close. Here’s the story of how I dated my boyfriend’s brother. So, it began back in high school with me meeting a guy through social media. That’s how most people do it nowadays, right? He...

Read story

“A Day Late and a Dollar Short” by Esther Andrews

Submitted to Contest #28

I married a dumbass. Unfortunately, I’d become acutely aware of how much of a dumbass he was several months before the nuptials, but please don’t judge me too harshly. The ball was rolling down hill and there didn’t seem to be any way to stop the wedding. Relatives from my side had already booked their transcontinental flights and my fiancé’s father was a public figure, so scores of people whose social status eclipsed ours by thousands of miles made the final cut of our invite list. My mother was having the time of her life planning the cere...

Read story

“A Deadly Dinner” by Randi W

Submitted to Contest #28

Gwen checked her make up once more in visor mirror; this was the first date she'd had in a year. Her career as an emergency nurse kept her busy and by the time her shift was over, Gwen felt too tired to out afterwards. Her sister Alice had urged her to take Friday night off, Alice had even set up her up on a blind date.She looked at the door to the restaurant, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered furiously at the thought of having to come up with conversation.6:58 pm"Well, I guess it's show time...I just really hope this works out." mutt...

Read story

“Remember Me as Inscrutable ” by Tilly Tiason

Submitted to Contest #28

The air was crisp, with ice frosting around the curved edges of grave stones. I staggered far into the graveyard, losing myself in the depression state of what impacted on the life of people. I remember the sound of crumbling leaves beneath my soles as I pattered through the cemetery. I wandered aimlessly through, purposely getting lost. The funeral was a yard away; my feet were weighing me down like two bars of cement chained to my ankles. I never stopped to give a speech of our time together; I had lost my scribbled note at a cafe, forgett...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

269

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 14, 2020 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

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 ⭢