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!

#42: End of Story

Reaching the end of a story is a bittersweet thing. Upon reading the final word of a particularly good piece, you’re often hit with a sort of story-hangover: the ache of wanting to stay in the world of the tale, yet knowing there’s no more story to be read.

A truly excellent ending can mitigate that pain — which is why, as a writer, it’s crucial to nail the end of your own stories! Of course, this can mean different things for different pieces. A great ending might underscore a story's theme, or it might pose more questions than it answers; it all depends on context and execution. For more info, check out our tips for crafting a memorable ending here, and then dive into our ending-themed prompts below!

p.s. — We're hosting a Live Copyediting Workshop! On May 20th, Editors Tracy Gold and Julie Artz will take to YouTube to copyedit passages submitted by writers like you! For a chance to have your writing featured, click this link to register for the event and you'll receive submission instructions by email.

This week's prompts

Write a story that ends with the narrator revealing a secret.

Mystery – 162 stories

Write a story that ends in the past.

Teens – 68 stories

Write a story that ends with a character asking a question.

Narrative – 260 stories

Write a story that ends by circling back to the beginning.

Short Story – 214 stories

Write a story that ends with one character waiting for the arrival of another.

Kids – 199 stories

Stories

“The Prophecy” by Talia Vander

Submitted to Contest #42

The prophecy had surrounded everyone in a fog, like a monster lurking in the mist. It had yet to be discovered who was prophesied to save their world. For centuries, magical beings created their own rules and existed in secrecy. But not anymore. Only a few years before, the lives of magical beings became common knowledge. The taste of magic spread like wildfire, and human society wanted to know more. Individuals with magic were known, and liable to human courts or their own, depending on the crime at hand. The differences in the human’s unde...

Read story

“Flickering Strategy” by Jhumki R Vincent

Submitted to Contest #42

Ria and Krish commenced their second visit to the Dooars, this time by road. It was a drive of about 625 km from the state capital city, Kolkata (ne’ Calcutta). As they drove, Ria recalled incidents of their last trip to the Dooars in October 2017, which was a combination of a train and road journey. This time by road, Krish and Ria did not miss out on the changing facade of nature- the deciduous trees lining the highway gave way to the tall pine trees. Completely mesmerized they moved uphill.By about 4PM they reached their destination....

Read story

“Weathered, but giving” by Nitya Kamat

Submitted to Contest #42

Chapter OneHis Majesty Ananda Kumarasingha Thommandram Chettiarlooked out of his ornate Tanjore chariot and brushed invisible dust off his shoulders. His lips curved downward in the split second it took to roll out the red carpet. Even his shoes shouldn’t touch unworthy soil. The carpet rolled out like a giant red passport leading him right into the heart of his palatial mansion. Baby Sanath’s cradle.Baby Sanath gurgled and called out to granpa. The baby heard the chariot bells. He smelt the horses. His Majesty trotted down the carpet l...

Read story

“Clock watch & death” by Linh J

Submitted to Contest #42

Clock watch & deathBy: Milani JamesTo find more stories by me, go here: https://sites.google.com/unionsd.org/shortstoriesbymilanijames/homeMarie was walking down the street, head bowed, rain splattering, car lights blurred. She looked at her watch, the hands taking small steps on every tick. She tried not to think about the person who had given it to her. Her soft brown hair was getting drenched. I forgot my umbrella at home, she told herself. Home, what an unwarming word. She had no home. Just as she had no umbrella. 'Home is where the ...

Read story

“Hallucinations” by Edith B

Submitted to Contest #42

“Please…please stop.” The little boy was a mess. His bruises on his face light up like a neon sign, and his bottom lip quivers. He makes pathetic hiccuping sounds that echo louder in my ears than they should. He looked so helpless, so alone, so…vulnerable. But I know what’s really inside of him. And he’s not going to get away from me this time. I bend down and whisper in his ear, “If only mom and dad were here to stop me this time.” I sink my knife into his chest and he slumps to the floor, his head making a sickening thunk! against th...

Read story

“HEARTS ON THE RUNWAY. ” by Samuel Edward

Submitted to Contest #42

HEARTS ON THE RUNWAY“You got to be released today you know?” says the warden on duty“I’d hold a party just immediately I’m out of here” Mason replies with an aura of obvious excitement. The wardens on duty are busy frequenting each cell room holding segmented discussions with inmates. Ordinarily, the wardens are always tacit and formal in their relationships with the prisoners. Today is quite different because some prisoners are about to be released.Activity at the lupillian correctional facility is in full swing. There is even a new case th...

Read story

“Out of the Darkness” by Andrew B

Submitted to Contest #42

She is in the bathroom with both hands on the edge of the sink. Leaning forward, she stares at her reflection. Numb. Why do people call it a black eye? It’s much more of an eggplant purple with splotches of red and yellow. Like a waning sunset of pain and regret. The faucet dispenses a steady drip drip of water. Undetected. Her gaze moves down to her neck. Similar hues of purple. She slowly picks up her hand and gently glides her fingers across her collar bone. Images flash. Him. Stumbling through ...

Read story

“Life is a Roller Coaster” by Emma Mason

Submitted to Contest #42

Today is the first day of school. I just moved to a new town where I know not a single person. This is my first time moving schools and towns. Never in my life do I think I have ever been more nervous. As I walk in the doors of the school everything seems like a new world. Lately life has only shown me the downs. I would have thought that my mom would get time off to stay home with me after everything we have gone through the past month. The first quarter of school goes by in a blur. Every day I sit at lunch by myself. Nobody has tried to co...

Read story

“THE CRAZY KID” by Julieanna Zhang

Submitted to Contest #42

The Crazy KidOnce there was a kid, a crazy kid. His name was Apple. A little crazy for the name, but that's just like this kid. Apple thought crazy thoughts, and did even crazier things. Don’t believe me? Once Apple wanted to be a fairytale, so he took some fairy wings and a cat tale and told his mom that he was a fairytale, and another time Apple’s dad asked him if he wanted Strawberries, and he said that he’ll make them. So Apple took a straw and some blueberries let’s just say it didn’t turn out well. If you still don’t believe me (but yo...

Read story

“Fragile Things” by Autumn Peercy

Submitted to Contest #42

All this world is clear, and her present rolling tear evident to any that beholds it from the other side of the glass. Nowadays, their houses sit in a guideline, blocks of distance at least one mile away from the next. Inside of these sterile living spaces, there are wings sectioned off by glass but passing through together so that you can be in the same room, or the same hall without breathing the same air because, after the pandemic, they decided that they were fragile things. She smushed her tear, rubbing it into her cheek and scratc...

Read story

“The lost dimension” by Whitney Boyer

Submitted to Contest #42

Legend tells of a castle that is so big the rooms are basically in countable. Within this legend there is a rumored to be only 1 pair of siblings that can find and live in the castle, for only the pure of heart can enter and remain there. Sydney and Bobby were twins who through no fault of their own, had problems staying on one foster home for very long. See even though the children were adorable strange things always seemed to happen when they were around. The electricity went out, the animals ran away and things disappeared from time to ti...

Read story

“Grenade ” by Sarah Demary

Submitted to Contest #42

The skies were miraculous, with all the blends of pinks and blues and the distinct types of shapes that the clouds formed. The last time I was on a plane was five years ago, when I had been first recruited by the army. Every so often my fiancé would visit when she could. Though my fiancé was not at all happy with me having to departure and put myself in danger like that when we had just gotten engaged, and neither was I but I had too. It’s something I had always dreamed of doing when I was a kid. It wasn’t the fact that I’d be shooting peopl...

Read story

“QQ, Amy- By Anou Swami” by Anou S

Submitted to Contest #42

"LMAO, Bitch. You can't actually be serious," Amy smirked down at me. She's always had it out for me, and I don't know why. We were friends in Kindergarten and 1st grade, when we both joined Pierre Deaumont Charter. In 2nd grade, we had been put in separate classes, so we started to grow apart. I had never dreamt that we'd be enemies though! Yet it had happened. In 3rd grade, we were once again in different classes, but she went out of her way to find me and tease me. She had blossomed into a bully by 4th grade. Elsewhere, she'd b...

Read story

“Alone” by Anuj Bohra

Submitted to Contest #42

I am standing with a kitchen knife in my hand, which is all red with blood. I have committed a serious crime. Of murder. I don't know how I got to this point, how I lost control over myself. I am numb right now. Trying to feel my fingers, trying to feel the handle of the knife, just so that I can confirm it's a dream. I want it to be a dream. And to break my hopes, I listen to a loud honk. It came from the street, probably of a bike. But it was loud enough to break me out from the numbness. The knife was in my hand. And now, I can reme...

Read story

“War Wounds” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #42

A young man sat on a park bench, his eyes gray and dismal as the bleak March sky. “Move on,” someone had said. “Start over tomorrow.” But there were some things you couldn’t start over from. When you had completely lost and failed in everything, there came a time for calling it quits. No one could keep wringing themselves out like that. It didn’t work. When you were spent, you were spent. A sad and dramatic philosophy. But there it was.He listlessly watched the children play in the park. There was a whole crowd here today. All over the place...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

903

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 22, 2020 EST

Won by Phoebe Barr 🏆

Title: The Firebird's Answer

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 ⭢