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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

“Diary Entry” by Felicity Edwards

Submitted to Contest #29

Thursday 12 November 1966 Today I was about to write my usual tedious entry. Nothing happened, but it did. Just after prep, I needed to borrow some Ancient History notes from Rosemary, she wasn’t in the Library or her cubicle so I went to the top of the stairs to the bathroom and called in case she was in the shower. She wasn’t, so I swung around and nearly knocked over that sneaky weasel Sister Moira who had crept into the dorm. I think she was hoping to catch us talking about something juicy, but we were all getting ready for bed. Anyway, ...

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“THE OUTCAST” by Oliadia Honey F

Submitted to Contest #29

The word out cast is a scary word,that I couldn't understand the meaning and feelings around it fully until the second year at high School.My name is Nana,the story today is all about my life.it all started during second year in high school.life is nothing but ups and down,the world do not have all it's side glittering ,I never understand that saying until now.Nana is a care free girl born into the family of General Kim, Yes that my father the pride of Kim's family the pride of Korea that the little me boasting , and here comes mother the pr...

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“Tar” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #29

The way my dogs look when they creep so carefully into my bedroom, paws touching the echoey floor so painfully lightly to not be heard, that almost breaks my heart more than the profanities I have no choice but to listen to. My parents lost the respect to care what their child hears through these paper walls a long time ago. I crouch down, taking their fluffy, taught figures into my arms, and together on the carpet, I rock the two of them back and forth, letting my tears roll into their softness. I had a good childhood, I remind myself, as ...

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“My Dad is a Serial Killer” by Adelia Marsa Calista

Submitted to Contest #29

My dad is a serial killer.It started when I kept getting new moms every month. I remembered some of them, mainly because they were kind, or super rude to me. I couldn’t remember my real mom, but the first three women that I could recognize weren’t easy to forget. They had beautiful blonde hair with bright blue eyes and they usually baked for me. Jen promised me that we would get ice cream on Sunday, but she disappeared on Saturday. Lora had the best cooking ever and when I told dad I wanted to eat her cook again, he sat me on his lap and sai...

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“Damn Hippie Vans” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #29

While this is not about a family conflict per ce, it was a real event in my life that has a special meaning to me and those who shared it with me... If I were to mention New York, what comes to your mind? Skyscrapers, traffic jams, too many people living in such a small place, bridges connecting the Boroughs, harbor filled with garbage and refuse turning the blue water into an ugly shade of brown, images that are not flattering in anyway despite being home to some of the most famous landmarks in the world. But the New York I know...

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“Fight Until it's Won” by Maddie Logemann

Submitted to Contest #29

To a Vonn, horses were everything, because horses were business. Lilah understood that, maybe too well. But she learned from the best, trailing her father’s footsteps and sipping mint julep in the winner’s circle until she outgrew his footprints and stepped into her own. She learned to breed, to train, to race, to pick the very top prospects and push their talents into something special that would bring her family millions. But she also learned to lie, to manipulate, to peruse the shadows as a socialite and make a home for herself there. In ...

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“Five Years Old” by Marianne Wieland

Submitted to Contest #29

Five Years Old She sat at the table for the seventh time this week refusing to eat. It was going on three weeks of this and her mother was at her wit’s end. She said nothing, but refused to eat or drink anything for hours on end. Her mother would wait it out, but nothing changed. Her father never said much about any of it, after all, she was only five years old. She would eat sooner or later. They would scream at each other over why she would not eat, not realizing ...

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“Nails” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #29

Her back is perfectly straight, perched on a small black leather stool, her neck curved over the thin table in front of her. The fine bones of her shoulders are pinned back and her hands reach across the table, to hold a stranger’s hand in her own, working fast. She has a white surgical mask stretched across her nose and mouth, elastic bands keeping it taught, tucked behind her ears.The salon is full, with customers milling around the counter and spilling out the door, impatiently waiting. It is Saturday afternoon, the busiest time of the we...

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“The Vivisection of Edith ” by A. L. V.

Submitted to Contest #29

I peeked outside my bedroom window, a chill running up my spine as the thought of another person present made me tremble. It was dark outside, making it impossible to see anything besides the street lights and the scarce traffic below. It surprised me that even the city goes to sleep at night. You’re being paranoid. Stop being stupid. I thought, closing the curtains and turning away from the window, trying to collect my thoughts and keep my mind straight. To get my mind off things, I walked to my living room and sat down on the c...

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“When everything changed for a daughter, twice” by Viney Kirpal

Submitted to Contest #29

“Mamta, you will not go to College from this June”, declared my Stepmother at breakfast, the day I turned 17. The dhokla I had enthusiastically made for the family now tasted like sand. My tongue was leached dry. I had just finished writing my Grade 12 final examination and was on vacation. I had two more years to graduate when this Fatwa was pronounced. I was stunned. Father looked at Stepmother questioningly while she went on like a road roller. “She should be married off in a year’s time.” Nikhil my brother, olde...

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“Coming Home” by Leah Paulson

Submitted to Contest #29

Jack struggled to breathe as he slowly limped towards the castle that many believed was his home. The war with king Carric had been getting much worse, and this last battle had been dangerously close. He and the others had managed a victory but at a deadly cost. Mia was with the healer and had been unconscious for days with no way of knowing if she was going to be OK. Ray, who was already torn up about Mia's injuries tried to play down the fact that he may never again be able to walk without a painful limp. Thank The Elements Aiden had...

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“An Angel Gets His Wings” by Fenrir Elder

Submitted to Contest #29

The day I learned something new was anything but happy. I was both astonished and aghast and the memory will forever haunt me. Father always told me that when a bell rings, a solider is created and blood is unleashed.People always tell me about the possibilities. About the good that can come from becoming me, my destiny. But I can't help but feel that all is in vain. How could I possibly be happy when I'm always in pain?I'd do anything to take back the day, that horrific ghastly night. The moment I lost all I had, my shining knight. The day ...

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“Dragon Blood” by Kylie Loren

Submitted to Contest #29

As I sat down for English, my partner seemed really disturbed. I mean, ok. We were doing Story writing today. I guess he knew how much I sucked at that. He was probably wishing that I had been dead or something, the look of disgust on his face reaching to a frightening level. "Look, can you just spit out whatever the hell you have to say?" I asked irritably. "This indecision is killing me."He rolled his eyes. "Don't show me that attitude, ok? You're gonna fail if you don't have my help on this thing."I looked at my own blank paper....

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“I Will Say Their Names, Now” by Tyler Duggan

Submitted to Contest #29

The Droid knew of a list of names that came before Death and it was the first thing the Droid recalled when Death suddenly appeared in the canyon. The Droid knew it was unlikely, but it was going to try to escape. It ran as fast as it could, it’s metal foot-like structures ping-ing and pang-ing against the rocky base of the canyon, echoing off the canyon walls. The sound of metal banging against ore and graphite repeatedly would have been an unnerving sound to most, but to Death it was familiar. This sound had b...

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“Pants” by Martin Leigh

Submitted to Contest #29

One day there were seven pairs of underpants. They were not ordinary. They were evil. At least that was the impression Gary wanted to give to anyone who dared venture near our den. He said any of the boys from the other gang would be terrified at seeing one pair of pants nailed to a tree, let alone seven. ‘They would be shit scared’, he said at our meeting. ‘The Wileys will wonder what happened to the kids who wore the pants and steer clear.’ The Wileys were the kids from the other estate, the Wiles Estate, which backed onto the woods. ...

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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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