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#36: Dear Diary

"April 4th, 1984." So begins Winston Smith's first diary entry in the George Orwell novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Of course, this dystopian tale isn't the only one to involve diary entries. Bridget Jones's Diary, Gilead, The Yellow Wallpaper, Dracula, and I Capture the Castle are among a long list of other books told at least in part through diaries or journals.

This week's writing prompts challenge you to write a short story in the epistolary format.

P.S — On April 3rd we're hosting another LIVE Write-In on YouTube at 4pm EST! We'll guide you through a series of 20-minute writing sprints to give you the boost you need to stay productive. During the breaks, you can share your progress, talk about your struggles, and ask our hosts any questions you may have.

Join us on YouTube HERE at 4pm EST. We hope to see you there!

🥇 Winner

“Kiss of the Snake” by Zilla Babbitt

Yellow Day Today is a yellow day. The sunlight sneaks in through the window, writhing on the floor like a snake. Outside, the leafy pecan tree shakes in the wind. To be honest, I do not write. When I do, it is facts and information. In the city I did not have time for poetry or pretty words. No one wanted pretty words or expected it of me. But now, alone with the cold stone and cold yellow light and snakes made from the sun, I have time.

129 comments 129 WINNER 🏆

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⭐️ Shortlisted

“Dear Subconscious” by Harken Void

Date: June 2nd, 1991Time: 13:37;46Age: 39 seconds Dear Newborn I took the liberty of resetting your memories, knowledge, experiences, emotions, growth and all imprints or ‘stamps’ you might have received or collected prior to coming here. All your knobs have been dialed to zero, all scales calibrated, all bases for evaluation and differentiation erased. You are now a blank slate, clean and completely innocent. You are perfect.You may wonder why I have done this and who I am, and I...

11 comments 11 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“The Birds and the Stars” by Tanya M

Dear Diary: 3-18You’re brilliant teal-The color of the sea, right where it touches the sky. A leather band wraps tight around you,To hold your thoughts in, Mom said. I’ve never written in a diary before. But Mom thinks I should, she wants me to keep my feelings to myself. Like she does.I can’t-We all grieve differently. Dear Diary: 3-19You should expect these entries to be short.&n...

1 comment 1 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“Katie Milburn Is Alive” by Charlotte Poe

I, Katie Milburn, am alive. I’ve been awake nearly two days and I’m pretty sure I want to die, but I’m also pretty sure that right now, in this moment, I’m alive. So that’s terrifying. Lots of things are terrifying, I think. Which is kind of the problem. I mean, look at the universe. Nobody really understands the beginnings or the ends of it, or if it even has beginnings and ends, and I think, well, isn’t it kind of subjective?Like, before I was born, hell, even for several months after, nothing really exist...

1 comment 1 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“Brain Soup” by Nat Chapman

April 2, 2020I tried Adderall for the first time today.This morning, I couldn’t get out of bed until 8:30, but I was able to cook a full breakfast with eggs and (decaf) coffee, take a shower, and read 100 pages of a book by 11am. I haven’t been able to sit down and read a book in years. <...

1 comment 1 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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This week's prompts

In the form of diary/ journal entries, write about someone who's just decided to take up journaling.

Adults – 118 stories

In the form of diary/ journal entries, write about someone on a long-awaited trip.

Holiday – 56 stories

In the form of diary/ journal entries, write about someone who's just experienced a big "first."

High School – 94 stories

In the form of diary/ journal entries, write about someone who's up late at night because they're having trouble sleeping.

High School – 240 stories

In the form of diary/ journal entries, write a story that provides glimpses into a person's life at different ages.

Character – 138 stories

Stories

“Kiss of the Snake” by Zilla Babbitt

Yellow Day Today is a yellow day. The sunlight sneaks in through the window, writhing on the floor like a snake. Outside, the leafy pecan tree shakes in the wind. To be honest, I do not write. When I do, it is facts and information. In the city I did not have time for poetry or pretty words. No one wanted pretty words or expected it of me. But now, alone with the cold stone and cold yellow light and snakes made from the sun, I have time.

129 comments 129 WINNER 🏆

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“Forever” by 🆇🅰🆅🅸🅴🆁 🅶.🆂. 🅵🅴🆁🅶🆄🆂🅾🅽

ForeverBy Xávier G. S. FergusonJune 3 There comes a day when the stars which look down upon the people of the world must fall, as must I. If I die, time will keep going, just not for me. But one day, time itself must end. As everything mortal dies, so will time and space. The liars and blasphemers say that there is no forever, but they lie as we group them into their categories: liars and bla...

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“So This Is Love” by 💛🤍 L U N A N A 🤍💛

October 26th, 20219:26 P.M.Dear Diary,Oh my gosh! This is like my 8th time telling this story and each time it feels more unbelievable! I still can't wrap my finger around the fact that today, at 3:06 P.M. under the Buck Lodge bleachers, in Adelphi, Maryland, Jeremy Fyers kissed me!Ok, so kind of a confusing story, so I’ll try to tell it in as much detail as I can remember. It all started early this morning on one end Cherry Street, which is only .2 miles from the bus stop. It was raining ...

105 comments 105

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“From Princess to Doctor” by Amany Sayed

12/2/2009Dear Diary,Today is my 7th birthday!!! Im so happy! Mommy got me a diary for a gift. Thats you! The cover is very pretty, it's all sparkly and has pink polkadots on it! Daddy got me a teddy bear. Its really nice too. Its fluffy and brown, so Im naming him Mr. Fluffers. All my friends in my class are coming to my house tomorrow to have a party with me. Mommy says that they will all bring me gifts too!Yayyyyyyy! I will talk to you about it tomorow. Bye!-Princess Alex12/3...

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“Art” by Amany Sayed

Well. Hi? I don’t really know how something like this should start.I’m starting journaling per request of my therapist. So...Yeah. She said to just start writing about your feelings but I’m not really feeling anything right now. That’s starting to happen a lot lately. Where I just feel void of all emotions. Empty. It’s not exactly a bad thing, but I wouldn’t call it good either. It’s not sadness I guess. But, seeing as I have no feelings to write about, I’ll just end right now. Um. Bye?August 8, 2019Well, I talked to a ...

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“Tomorrow” by Riddhi Shedge

Dear Diary,Hi! I'm Amberly, and Mama just bought you from the store. I can't wait to write in you every day. Tomorrow is the first day of second grade, and I'm super excited. I'm in the same class as my best friend, Rose. Our teacher is Mrs. Laila. Everyone says she is very nice. Well, I'm going to sleep.Nighty night,AmberlyDear Diary,The first day of fourth grade was so amazing! Rose baked the whole class delicious strawberry cupcakes, and our new teacher, Ms. Eastland, bought these pretty ge...

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“We're going to Spain! Or are we?” by Niveeidha Palani

Dear Diary, FridayToday we had boring school again. But guess what!!!! Mum just told us that we were planning to visit Aunt Lynn in Spain! The last time since I saw Aunt Lynn was when I was seven. Nine years had already passed, and long be...

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“Odysseus” by Phoebe Barr

It’s been quiet here.I don’t mean the sounds. It’s just - all so clean,airtight,vacuum-packed and controlled.So careful.We with our treadmills, working our legs each dayso we don’t forget what it is to walkwhile we float through the star-drenched heavens -incredible thing, to land on rock againand know you’ve returned to a world that flows. ...

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“Mina's Diary” by Ruth Porritt

July 20th, 2019 (Saturday)I sigh, and throw the covers off of my second-hand bed. My body is slick with sweat, and it feels like I can’t breathe. I once read that the best cure for insomnia is to get out of bed and physically go somewhere else. (Easier said than done.) I stumble to the bathroom, turn on the sink, and splash my face with cold water. Glancing in the mirror, I see that one blue vein has popped out of my forehead a bit, but otherwise I don’t look too bad. I jog down the stairs, open the fridge, and select a carton of b...

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“Feeling Fine” by 𝔸. Triangle

Daily checklist:Brush teethGet changedBreakfast at 11 with LauraLunchGo for a walkDinnerMedicationJanuary 17, 1994 Dear diary, I woke up last night with a terrible pounding headache. It was one of the ones where you don't have to shut your eyes and focus on your heartbeat because it's already pounding in your ears anyway. I found my way to the medicine cabinet and took a couple of aspirins. And

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“Reign of a Supervillain as Told by His Sister's Journal” by Rhondalise Mitza

June 6thYear 2090 Miss Piggy stands from her position on the throne, her bouncing blonde hair towering and spilling across the television screen. I glance around my living room and take a deep breath. My family and I are all waiting for the biggest announcement we’ve yet t...

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“A Young Diary” by Rhondalise Mitza

February 11th 2075 Dear Diary (I wanted to write dear Diarrhea but mom said no, Jimmy), This is my first diary and I’d like to say that I...

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“Sienna Hotel” by Lee Mar

12:35 AMThe tapping on my window has kept me up past midnight. Of course, it’s probably just a tree swaying with the wind. But a fearful voice in my head is screaming at me to stay awake, begging me to. The dust-covered lamp beside me seems to be daring me to turn it off, to leave myself in utter darkness. The dirty Sienna hotel floor seems to be pressuring me into getti...

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“R15-EN” by Joseph Ahart

-scanning memory card- //beginning system operations/(Storage backup_COMPLETE)/(Neural connection_COMPLETE)/(CPU analysis_COMPLETE)

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“Land of the Luau” by Laurentz Baker

Hawaii, finally. Rainforests, volcanoes, powder-soft sand, palm trees, soft breeze. When I looked at the prices I thought, wow, the flight and the hotel are expensive by themselves with the added excursions it’s out of my price range.But it’s always hot in Hawaii so there’s always something to do. Or should I say the same things they do in the summer they do in the fall; or in the off-season. So I think I’ll combine my hotel and meals and simply go on a cruise. I’ll stop at every island: Maui, Oahu, Hawaii etc. And go on...

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$50

Prize money

646

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 10, 2020 EST

Won by Zilla Babbitt 🏆

Title: Kiss of the Snake

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.

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