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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#29: Bildungsroman

Often, the stories we read in our youth end up sticking with us well beyond adolescence. We vividly remember our first encounter with imaginative Anne Shirley, the nail-biting rumble between the greasers and Socs in The Outsiders, the fierce camaraderie shared by the Harry, Ron, and Hermione trio, among many other memorable moments from the young adult books we read in our formative years.

This week, all five prompts feature popular elements that are frequently at play in coming-of-age novels. While you are certainly free to write a short young adult story, you can also choose to incorporate these prompts into any other type of fiction.

If you want to revisit some classic YA fiction to get your creative wheels spinning, check out our freshly published list of some of our favorite young adult books!

This week's prompts

Write a story about someone dealing with family conflict.

Nonfiction – 82 stories

Write a story about someone discovering something new about themselves.

Nonfiction – 52 stories

Write a story about two best friends.

Teens – 73 stories

Write a story about someone falling in love for the first time.

Romance – 80 stories

Write a story about a character struggling to decide how to handle a problem that is morally gray.

Short Story – 41 stories

Stories

“DAUGHTER REBELS Contest #29” by RADIUS HAVWAALA

Submitted to Contest #29

“I curse the day I was born to a sucker like you,” a young girl named Cheelo shouted in real rage. She swirled her eyes about like some angry actress she had seen in Telemundo.Twisting her eyeballs into tiny slits she glared at her father with a face burning hot with passion; while allowing her rumpled hair to bristle like grass in a strong gale. Her left hand stuck majestically on her waist, as she stabbed her right forefinger into the big man’s face. Jutting her mouth out like the beak of a chicken, she poured out her ang...

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“A Regretful Need to Forget” by Michaella Hynes

Submitted to Contest #29

I lie on the damp grass, slowly waking with the rising sun. Head throbbing, I stumble to my feet, wobbly at first, but then I gain my balance. Bare foot, in next to no clothes my body trembles from the cool wind brushing against my exposed skin. Memories from the night before are as vague as the earliest years of my existence. The very few things that I do remember fill me with an endless sorrow that I want nothing other than to once again forget. I am not too far away from my home in a neighborhood my new friends refer to as a nightmare of ...

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“Jake takes a Stand” by AR Corson

Submitted to Contest #29

Jake Harvey climbed up the rusted fire escape to the rooftop of Ol’ Fisherman’s Wharf. He pulled out a six-pack of beer that he had purchased with a fake I.D from his backpack and took a seat on the ledge, letting his legs dangle over. This was his quiet time, a place where he could escape all the chaos in his life; his only piece of heaven in his very own private hell. The sunset lit up the sky in fiery hues of orange and purple and he knew he‘d have to return home soon. He hated it there. After he swung back a couple of beers he star...

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“Glitter in my veins” by Ruth Owota

Submitted to Contest #29

My mother and my elder sister were arguing about something again. Most of the things they argued about were very insignificant but probably as a result of the emotional stress inflicted on us by the economy, coupled with deaply seated anger and frustration, temper easily fled across the walls of our small bungalow, tantrums were blown at the slightest chances and before you say Jack Robinson, something that started out as a harmless banter had turned into a full fledged argument. I wondered what they were arguing about this time as I pulled ...

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“YOU an I” by Jena Pisani

Submitted to Contest #29

YOU AND I I scream.you cry. We are lost in these lies. Sometimes we try, but it’s never for life. I might dream at night, but it all lacks light. The darkest of skies, keeping us tied. A shiver down my spine, as I meet your eyes.Words go &nb...

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“Self-Preservation” by Nolen Thornton

Submitted to Contest #29

Self-PreservationBy Nolen Thornton March, 1995Metairie, Louisiana Annnnd…so I kicked him out. Here’s how it worked. Jeff had finally come downstairs and I was sitting at the kitchen table, when he walked in and sat down across from me. We looked at each other for a few minutes, me wondering how the hell this had happened. What had I missed? I thought we were happy, and I was struggling to believe that he was having an affair with a woman in Las Vegas. I searched his face. Oh, please, L...

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“Forgotten and Tired” by Reyvin Marie

Submitted to Contest #29

The touch of his skin on mine gently woke me, his fingers sending shivers up and down my back. I tried to fight the sensation, forcing my eyelids to stay shut and my arms to stay still. All I wanted to do was move with his touch and find one more moment as we lay in the tent, free and calm. He had to work for my affection though, or he would never truly appreciate it. I don't know if it was a hitch in my breathing or the connection between us, but he heard my unspoken challenge and moved his lips across mine. The soft pressure was too ...

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“Two Among Billions” by Rebekah Lee

Submitted to Contest #29

Oh my darling. You were my whole world and I was yours. The things I had planned for us to do together, they spanned years, decades, our own little eternity of just you and me. All that lost time is what kills me the most. You and I were going to do so many great things together. I say great, you and I were never going to make headlines, we were just two among billions, going about our daily lives, but even daily ...

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“I'm Glad You got to See Me” by Savaria Marshall

Submitted to Contest #29

It was a warm summer day, and my grandpa was outside mowing the lawn. he had his button down shirt and work jeans on, and he was as happy as he could be outside.I was inside, with a cup of cool, clear lemonade in my hand, watching for lack of anything better to do.I turned away from the window in the cool, air-conditioned room and took a sip of my lemonade. it was scorching hot outside, I didn't know how he could stand it. Later that evening, as my mother was pulling into the driveway, my grandpa pulled me in for a sweaty hug, but ...

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“Aunt Kim” by Indra Maxwell

Submitted to Contest #29

"Kimberly Rainwater?" "Yes...?""Hello, Ma'am. My name is Detective Spice Miller, TCPD. How are you this evening?" "I'm doing fine, sir. May I ask why you're here?" "This may be hard for you, madame, but I'm here to talk to you about your nephew." "Mercer?" "Kumara. Kumara Deveraux?" "Oh, him! ....is he well?" "...may I come in?""...alright. Come on in." "Thank you." "Watch out - the kids leave out their things too often, I apologize." "It's no problem." "Follow me - over here. Can I get ...

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“A father's dilemma” by Prema Sankaran

Submitted to Contest #29

John was restless and rightly so. Next morning was the court hearing when he had to tell the court of his decision to keep his daughter or let go of her custody. Susie was his world, how could he let her go with her maternal grand mother? After Liz died a year ago, he had been single handedly taking care of his five year old daughter. Of course he had to struggle at times when she was cranky, sick or angry. Obviously she missed her mother who had been always there for her. And now she was not. How much the child understood this, he did not k...

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“The Lonely Dog” by Alvin Campbell

Submitted to Contest #29

The Lonely DOG by Alvin CampbellRoanoke Rapids, NCI once was happy, living with my family. Well things happen, Ok! I made several mistakes and I’ve been punished for all of them. But there comes a time, when a dog can take but so much. The first chance I got. I broke free. Yes, I was afraid, and I didn’t know where to go. I just kept running, looking for someone to love me and appreciate who I am. My owners didn’t like it when I became too excited; because I would bark and jump on people near me, leaving my paw prints on them. They didn’t ap...

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“Descendants of love” by Kasuni Gomes

Submitted to Contest #29

“Marriage?, At this age? Why is he doing this? A year ago he surprised us with a divorce, now he’s going to marry?” I was furious but Mom looked calm as always.“What is this life, Can’t he understand that I am going through a lot because of him, How hard was it for me to recover after he divorced you. This is insane and humiliating.” I didn’t know how to handle the frustration, except showing it to the only person who was by my side.“Mom this is crazy, are you going to stay silent, while he’s going to happily remarry some gold digg...

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“Untitled” by Fred Aiken

Submitted to Contest #29

“I don’t think I like you.” “Unfortunately, you don’t have a choice about who your parents are.” “But that doesn’t mean I have to listen to you drone on about whatever it is you’re going on about.” “No, I think it does. It’s either listen to me or stay grounded.” “You don’t have that sort of power over me.” The child stabbed at the food on her plate. She flicked a few pieces of broccoli that landed on the table. Her head began to hurt and she knew a headache was coming on. “I need to go.” “You can’t.” “I would disagree.” “I know you would di...

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“Unaccounted Diseases” by Selene Marin

Submitted to Contest #29

My brother is an addict. But that is just one of the many things that he is. On top of his addiction, he is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental illness sometimes referred to as a manic depression. But although my friends and family may assume that he is nothing other than this addiction and illness, he is or was much more. He was valedictorian in high school, he was accepted to John Hopkins University, he made it to CIF for Track and Field all four years of high school, and he was president of who knows how many clubs. But on his ...

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$50

Prize money

328

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 21, 2020 EST

Won by Megan Dang 🏆

Title: Time Bomb

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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