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!

#44: Just the Beginning

Two weeks ago, our theme was story endings. This week, we're circling back to the starting line and focusing on story beginnings.

From Zora Neale Hurston's "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board." To Jane Austen's "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." And George Orwell's "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." Memorable lines stick with us because they're what propel us into the world of the story in the first place.

For more inspiration, check out our tips for crafting intriguing opening lines, and then dive into our beginning-themed prompts below!

This week's prompts

Write a story that starts with two characters saying goodbye.

Character – 248 stories

Write a story that starts with a life-changing event.

Novel – 175 stories

Write a story that starts with someone returning from a trip.

Character – 111 stories

Write a story that starts with a character-revealing something unusual about themselves.

Character – 142 stories

Write a story that starts by establishing its setting in a different time period — without explicitly stating what that period is.

Historical Fiction – 114 stories

Stories

“My Last Goodbye was Just the Beginning” by Kathryn Collins

Submitted to Contest #44

I held my mom’s hand tightly, tears glistening on my cheeks. The slow steady beeping of the heart-rate monitor and the hum of the instruments keeping her alive haunted me. I heard shallow, ridgid breaths and saw her chest gently rise and fall. One nod from the doctor and I knew it was time. I crouched near the hospital bed and stroked my Mom’s hair, for the last time. Her eyes slowly opened revealing her bloodshot, deep blue eyes that I inherited. She spoke quietly, barely a whisper. “Rachel”, she barely managed. “Remember I love you, a...

Read story

“Gone” by Ellie Isabel

Submitted to Contest #44

"So, I guess this is goodbye, then." I stood there, staring at the gravestone in front of me, waiting for a response I knew I would never get. The world around me was silent, still, as if paused on this moment. Even the wind has stopped blowing, the sun beating down on my neck, shining on the words of the stone in front of me: Daniel Cuttings, beloved brother. The silence seemed to echo around me, swallowing me in a bubble of awkwardness and guilt. I stuffed my hands in my pockets, leaning forward onto my toes. "I don't know why I thou...

Read story

“A Night Out” by Inna J

Submitted to Contest #44

Tammy’s shift at the Mac counter was over.“I’ll see you on Monday, girl!” she yelled cheerfully before exiting the store. Fiona looked at her quickly and waved, then diverted her attention back to a slender woman debating between two shades of red lipstick. It might seem like shades of red are all the same, but Tammy understood the dilemma. There are cool undertones and warm undertones, date night shades, and work shades, high gloss and matte, the choices are endless. Tammy had the weekend off. A rare thing. She could f...

Read story

“The Moment Time Stopped” by Kat T

Submitted to Contest #44

“I’m sorry, but this is goodbye.” Some say the flow of time has a drawling beat, like the heartbeat of some giant fantastical beast. A beast that once encompassed the whole universe in one hand, and is now fading into black. Stuck in the dreary medium of inevitable death, but yet life, slow and fading. Memories, forgotten by the mind to have room for what needs to be remembered are as fleeting as the life this creature, as the beat of its heart grows farther and farther between. However, time is not as simp...

Read story

“Goodbye…Good Day” by Ted Villamarzo

Submitted to Contest #44

What do you say in the face of death? She was lying on the hospital bed. Her white hospital gown blended with the white sheet drawn just above her waist. Her left hand was clasping at both his hands. He was sitting on the chair besides her bed. They were looking at each other with intensity. As if to make sure that their faces would be imprinted permanently in their minds. The w...

Read story

“The Sum of Little Things” by Ryan Dimalanta

Submitted to Contest #44

The Sum of Little ThingsNever have I seen a greater, or more beautiful, or a calmer or more noble thing than you, brother. It is good that we do not have to try to kill the sun or the moon or the stars. It is enough to live on the sea and kill our true brothers. — Ernest Hemingway The extended family is there. They sit around the kitchen table biding the time: chewing nails, tugging hair, gnawing lips. The air is tense, brittle to the touch, and everyone is on edge. The food is gone. Dakota sits on the far side of the room, ...

Read story

“GOODBYE” by Mohammed Ismaeel

Submitted to Contest #44

“Goodbye Bro! Good luck," Ahmad whispered....It was a bright sunny morning and the gargantuan, yet strikingly golden sun was majestically shining, revealing its lofty status to the cosmos. Pearl white clouds started journeying the universe as a chilly, invigorating breeze awakened the slumberous trees.Colourful nightingales chattered in a melodious tone. Bumble bees droned in pursuit of sticky honey. Meanwhile, the old farmer Ahmad Tembo aroused with a startle, for his younger brother Salim touched him gently with his large scarred hand.Toda...

Read story

“A story without her. ” by Julia Windley

Submitted to Contest #44

Goodbye. I never liked that word. I think I've said it far too many times. I'll probably have to say it again. Now I was sitting in a cold, isolate waiting room at three in the morning, desperately waiting for someone to say my best friend was going to be okay. She was going to survive this, because that's just who she is. She always got though it.I thought back to first grade when she broke her arm right before field day, and her mom didn't want her to do any of the field day activities, but of course, she did every single one of ...

Read story

“Just the Beginning” by Josephine Nolan

Submitted to Contest #44

Reedsy (story starts with 2 characters saying ‘goodbye’ 4th June 2020 Just the Beginning by Josephine Nolan“You will understand some day and thank me”. Who was she kidding? She would never forget the strained ...

Read story

“Leaving and Back Again” by Christina Melusine

Submitted to Contest #44

“So is this goodbye?”Lyra quivered to the man standing in front of her. They were both just behind the gates of her manor, autumn leaves swiftly falling from the trees towering over them. Just three mornings before, Mattheus, her companion in her home, had broken the news to her he was leaving the place to be on his own, a concept which Lyra had a hard time grasping since after all everything has gone smoothly for the both of them. To be honest, it had been the most major fight they had ever since he lived in with her. “I’m leaving the ...

Read story

“Good-bye” by Neil Naft

Submitted to Contest #44

“Good-bye,” he said, turning toward the door.“Good-bye? That’s it?”The tremor in her voice slowed his hand as he reached for the doorknob.“Three years and you can only muster one word?”He turned back to face her. Her eyes glistened with tears.“You knew this day would come.”“No, I didn’t ‘know’. What you said back then was…. But I didn’t….” Her voice was cracking, her breathing ragged as she tried to keep from sobbing. “A lot has happened since we met. Three years have happened.”He put his suitcase down and he said, “I warned you about this d...

Read story

“Of Farewells and Revenge” by Elizabeth Sanchez

Submitted to Contest #44

There’s a boy who lives in a blue house down the street, with two trees and a tire swing in the yard. I used to love going to his house and seeing him, and if I squinted I could still see the younger person I used to be, smiling as she hid in the bushes and tried to climb the trees that didn’t have any branches. They were good memories, and I was fond of them, but at the moment I would have done anything to get rid of them. I stood at the end of the driveway, trying to pretend that I was anywhere else. My hands were sh...

Read story

“Promise to Forget Me” by Ray Shields

Submitted to Contest #44

"Promise me one thing before I go, Aya: promise to forget me," Marie whispered these last words into a barren, loveless room. Aya nodded absently, looking through the wardrobe while she waited for her grandmother to pass."I will, Marie. In my memory, you will be nothing more to me than my first kill." Aya looked back, tearless, at the bed that was no longer occupied by anyone living. Suddenly, the room seemed to smell of rot and death, the sensation causing Aya to gag. The room had transformed from a bedroom to nothing but a giant coffin in ...

Read story

“Enveloped Boundaries” by Katie Eagan Schenck

Submitted to Contest #44

“So, this is it, then?” Danielle nodded. “This has been it. We just want different things.” “Well, I can’t say that I’m surprised,” Sam responded. He ran his hand through his dark hair. “It’s always felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, like you were always trying to find a way to end it.” He stood and stepped away from the bench, adding physical distance to the emotional distance he felt. They were both silent for a moment. Sam felt a charge in the air between them, tension on her part, desire on his. There seemed to be...

Read story

“GOD PROMISE” by SHYAMALA BHUVANACHANDRAN

Submitted to Contest #44

“Baba, I have a news to share with you. It may be disturbing.” Sudhanshu told his father. Dash Babu replied, “Never mind that. I am so hardened by fate that nothing disturbs me, now. From the time Protima left us, I am half dead. Without knowing that she was the real culprit. I had gone mad with rage and unnecessarily banged my friend Panigrahi. How rude I was that day! I simply lost control over my tongue. To say ‘Get out and do not show your face again’ was too much. Words are like arrows shot. Gone means gone. Once uttered, cannot be take...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

790

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 05, 2020 EST

Won by D. Holmes 🏆

Title: A Gamble

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 ⭢