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!

#32: This Magic Moment

Last week, we challenged you to write stories about life's ordinary moments. This week, we're thinking along the same lines... but with a twist. And that twist is: magical realism.

Magical realism is a literary style that weaves threads of fantasy into depictions of everyday life. For instance, a story might be about someone sitting on their couch and channel-surfing — that's the "realism." Then they might walk up to their TV and step right through it like a portal into a fantasy land. That's the "magical."

An important distinction of magical realism is that it doesn't explain the fantastical elements or occurrences. The magic that's woven into the story just is: a character turning off the rain with the snap of a finger is as commonplace as another character opening an umbrella.We hope you enjoy the prompts — and if you're looking for a more in-depth explanation of magical realism, as well as some of the genres best reads, check out this blog post!

This week's prompts

Write about someone who works an average job — but incorporate elements of magic into it.

Fantasy – 76 stories

Write about a person who meets with the ghost of an old friend for tea every so often.

Fantasy – 111 stories

Write about two people in a relationship. One of them has special powers, the other does not.

Fantasy – 77 stories

Write a story that includes characters who are aware they are a work of fiction.

Fantasy – 74 stories

Write a story about someone who can pause time or re-live old memories at will.

High School – 65 stories

Stories

“Tina's coffee shop.” by Marta Miralles

Submitted to Contest #32

“An expresso with three shots of charisma for Fred!”. He comes and picks up the small cup, takes one of the ices in the buckets and swallows down the cup in one huge gulp. He places the ice in his mouth and smiles at me.“Wish me good luck.”“Only one pound for a shot of it.” He laughs and leaves the coffee shop, smiling at the people in the line. The keys on the door frame jingles constantly as customers come in and out.“Hey Tina, can I get a shot of positivity in a frothy hot chocolate please?”“Sure thing, is your uncle giving you trouble ag...

Read story

“The Johnson Girl” by Kellie Green

Submitted to Contest #32

Rya Avery Johnson has always been the town’s weirdest residence and it wasn’t until I was turning eighteen that I had wondered why? I assume you can call it curiosity but to me it was an itch that I needed to scratch. I feel kind of drawn to her as I hand her her library books. Her large blue eyes look me over with caution and attentiveness. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. My name is Dominic. You’re Rya Johnson, aren’t you?” I hold my hand out to her. She doesn’t shake it. She looks at it in shock then looks at me. Her blue eyes ...

Read story

“The Decree” by Aeris Royal

Submitted to Contest #32

I watched her lay in bed and struggle to roll over as the weight of her pregnant belly fought to stay in it's warmed nest among our sheets. Slowly, on her back, slowly, to her left. A groan scratched at her sleepy throat.I shuffled down to be nose to button with her belly. I whispered, "Be nice to your mom and let her sleep."The tension of a stiff leg pushing against her skin released. I heard her sigh and her own tensed muscles eased.Pleased with my child's obedience, I moved back to my pillow and watched her tranquil face.My mind wandered....

Read story

“Memory” by Jared Murphy

Submitted to Contest #32

Memory was my Gift. We all had one— gifts, I mean, but mine was on the rarer side. As far as I knew, I was the only person in the whole world who had it. It made me feel special, and needed, but in the end I had grown to hate it. You see, when my parents found out what my Gift was, they had hatched a plan to make it suit their own goal, and it turned out their goal was money. So they spent what little savings they had on a tiny little building on Main Street, and set up shop. “Marie’s Memory shoppe,” they said, tricking my naive little ...

Read story

“Love is Our Superpower” by Claudia Gollini

Submitted to Contest #32

Your mission this week, should you choose to accept it, is to practice these two superpower relationship skills. Every day, stretch a little.Put some extra thought and energy into what questions you ask. And, while the other person is answering, practice listening with your full attention and with an attitude of curiosity, patience, encouragement, and respect.We have been taught to use one of the four ways based on personality assessment results; however, I have found that we all have all four ways and can combine them to make highest good c...

Read story

“And She's All Smiles” by Mellie Alethea

Submitted to Contest #32

“What are you smiling at?”“You,” she says in a way that sounds like smiles and it makes me sick.“Ok then, why are you smiling?” I look her in the eyes and bop her lightly on the nose with my thumb.Her loving yet mischievous smile spreads to every crevice of her face and she sticks her tongue out at me. “I can’t tell you, now can I? It’s for our anniversary.” I push her shoulder and stick my tongue out at her. “Good relationships are based on communication,” I muse.She tuts me. “You tricky boy. I’m not telling you.” She starts pushing al...

Read story

“Some Things Aren't Meant to Last” by Chantel Chamonix

Submitted to Contest #32

Miranda scanned the carpeted floor of her kindergarten classroom. Someone, or several someones, had been playing with the Barrel of Monkeys and had made an impressive chain that connected the backs of two unused classroom chairs together. She smiled despite herself. It took a lot of time and patience to carefully connect each plastic monkey’s arms together to form a chain of that length. She’d been working with the kids on putting the toys away where they’d found them. At the beginning of the school year, she’d painstakingly labeled al...

Read story

“A Certain Magical Quality” by Macy Farmer

Submitted to Contest #32

Plastic bag handles pulled taut against my fingers as I lugged the grocery bags upstairs. My insistence on doing it all in one trip and carrying as many as I could on my own had gotten the best of me. My girlfriend, on the other hand, effortlessly levitated the other eight in the air around her as she trailed behind me, a smirk on her lips.“Sure you don’t want me to take those?” Faye asked. “Your fingers look like they’re gonna fall off, babe.”“Are you questioning my abilities?”“Nooo, not at all. I’m questioning the sturdiness of your hands....

Read story

“Shattered Memories” by Larisa Matias Toro

Submitted to Contest #32

“It’s exhausting!” The words kept haunting Juliet. Her words. She sat on the hood of her car with her arms wrapped around her legs, overlooking the woods that spread out below her. The setting sun painted everything the eyes could see with soft, golden tones, and a cool breeze caressed her exposed arms; fall would arrive soon. A scenery such as this should’ve been comforting. Letting out a breath, she pulled her cellphone from her pocket. There were nine missed calls. “Shit...” Juliet wanted to talk to him, to apologize for what she’d said, ...

Read story

“What's wrong with being weird?” by Liza Tibbetts

Submitted to Contest #32

The morning came upon the couple quicker then they'd thought. They had been up all night trying to figure out why their bathroom door couldn't close all the way. They had figured it out eventually, after relentless cutting and sanding the sides of the door. They had clumsily climbed into bed together, not even bothering with saying their "good nights". The mustiness and blankness of the new house didn't bother them, since they knew they could fill it up with many memories and make it be their sanctuary. They enjoyed the problem solving. The ...

Read story

“The Human Condition” by Salma Abdussalam

Submitted to Contest #32

He turned to look at her, paused for a moment as if to rethink what he had said and then shook his hand and closed the door behind him.She stared at the shut door from where she sat on the sofa, it seemed so far away and yet it was not. The door was right there, 4, maybe 5 feet from her. She could very easily cross it, put her slippers on and run out the door after him. He would not have gone very far, most likely pacing back and forth in the lobby of the building. She could take the lift down, anxious but very well sure that he would be fur...

Read story

“Real” by Sara Waldman

Submitted to Contest #32

It was an average Tuesday afternoon just after lunch. She glances up unconsciously in the moment between greeting families. The lights and camera flashes distort her vision, but she can see the queue line wrapped around the pillars. It winds out of the doors into the world beyond. She can hear muffled whispers as families wait to see her.“Look at her dress, Mommy. It’s just like mine. Well, almost. Do you think she really has glass slippers?”“Ask her when it’s your turn, Annie."“Mom, can we go ride Pirates of the Caribbean next?”“Yes Timmy, ...

Read story

“The Story that was Never Yours” by Alanna N

Submitted to Contest #32

She was a pretty thing, you thought, but sometimes you thought it hard to know what pretty was. You only had a small range of knowledge and descriptive words. You only had the words she gave you. You had intoxicating blue eyes; which didn’t make sense because your friend was often getting intoxicated with alcohol. Eyes don’t drink alcohol, so how could they be intoxicating.Her eyes were brown, and you’re not sure what that meant. Brown wasn't a common colour, blue and green turned up a lot though. Maybe they were stimulating brown eyes, that...

Read story

“Coauthor Catastrophe” by Kaycee Johnson

Submitted to Contest #32

"For the last three chapters, the Coauthors have been at war. They have ripped the pages of our lives apart, erased loved ones completely, and considered unbearable plot twists! Never before have the characters of a book with such potential been so abused by their masters. It is time to take matters into our own hands. They have provided us with the means and the matter to change our story, to ensure our happy ending! We must take action, before they finish this final chapter, and stop the pen from pillaging our purpose!" The crowd screamed ...

Read story

“Real world panels ” by Onica Bobo

Submitted to Contest #32

The mysterious dark figure who always gave life to new creations stood in front of their desk ready to create once again. They prepared for another night of work, to create the fantasy world so many people loved to watch. With every stroke of their pen they brought life to yet another world, they had know idea what would come out of their attempt. Every time they began they let the world guide them, telling them what to create, what to draw. They set their pen down for the night, closing the door for the night. ...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

403

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 13, 2020 EST

Won by Thiago Loriggio 🏆

Title: The Tragedy of the Trainee

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 ⭢