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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#46: Write It Down

Whether you've been composing stories for years, have a number of published books under your belt, or are just getting started on your craft, if you're here to write — you're a writer.

Like our community, our prompts this week are all about writers at different stages. Maybe you'll pick the one that most relates to you at this time, one that provides a retrospective into previous legs of your writing journey, or one that looks ahead to future goals. In any case, we're looking forward to reading your words, writers.

This week's prompts

Write a story about someone experiencing a lightbulb moment of writing inspiration.

Short Story – 140 stories

Write a story that takes place in a writer's circle.

Character – 72 stories

Write a story about an author who has just published a book.

Adults – 88 stories

Write a story about someone returning to their craft after a long hiatus.

Narrative – 185 stories

Write a story about someone who has just finished writing their first story/book.

Adults – 133 stories

Stories

“Lights, Camera, Action” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #46

Roy didn’t like them, not one iota, as his mother used to say. No, that wasn’t true. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them. He hated them. He despised them. He… he just didn’t want them in his life any more. The trouble was, he hadn’t a clue as to how to get rid of them. They were like little bugs, little beetles or cockroaches, and they were disgusting. It was up to him to rid the world of the plague they represented. They threatened the whole society, the whole world, maybe. They were repulsive. Downright hideous. He needed them to be gone. T...

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“Theo ” by Nayab Ahmar

Submitted to Contest #46

“They will hang you in the Gallows for this, Theo.”“Only if I get caught, Abitha.”“Must you always be this stubborn?”Not dignifying Abitha Mordough with a response, Theo continued counting the money she would need to publish her very first novel, The Wrongfully Accused. Perhaps her confidant was right; she was being stubborn. However, one simply could not expect her to sit around like a trussed-up turkey while women all over Salem were being accused of using the Devil’s Magic. Theodora Francis Priestley would have remained silent on the matt...

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“A New Way to Tell Your Story” by Alex Pilgrim

Submitted to Contest #46

They all came prepared: notebooks with dog ears, sticky notes, pens in different colors. Some of the girls had glitter on the covers. The boys had graphic stickers on theirs. Ben’s notebook was undecorated. He also used a crappy gel pen he had found in his sister’s room that smudged beyond belief. The ink stain on his shirt was in plain view of everyone in the room, including Mr. Smith with his thick glasses.Ben almost forgot about the meeting, but his mother wouldn’t let it go. Last night, over a plate of that horrid impossible burger and s...

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“Scent of a Woman” by Praveen Jagwani

Submitted to Contest #46

Year 76 CE“Ahha! Look who’s here,” mocked a shrill voice at the back.“Welcome bitch,” hissed another.Okayyy. Good to know what we are dealing with. I squinted to appraise my surroundings. The place reeked of rotting carpets and broken dreams. The metal gate slammed behind me and the key grated in the lock. The guard and his flaming torch retreated as I started to walk deeper into the cavern.Thhhhoooh. A gob of spit landed inches from me. It was Maja, the pretty Macedonian, sitting against the wall, resentment flaring in her eyes. She’d ...

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“Out of Hostility into Trust” by Elaina Goodnough

Submitted to Contest #46

My name is Jenny Saxe, I am thirty-three years old, and I didn't trust anyone. After three years of military training, numerous assignments ending in open fire and explosives, and watching my best friends die at the hands of traitors and enemies, I had no choice but to ignore seemingly acts of friendship or a simple comment. In my mind, any form of communication was hostile.When I came back to the States I was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. I was afraid that the person next to me in line at Costco was a third world te...

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“The Ending Was Just the Beginning” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #46

“With hardened hearts, they had parted ways, yet had never felt so close before…” Jeffrey read over his novel one last time before turning in for the night. It had taken him six months and twelve days to finish it and he was quite pleased with the results, however, the road to completion wasn’t quite as satisfying. Eleven months earlier: It had ...

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“bop to the top” by Masha Kurbatova

Submitted to Contest #46

You would think, after being on this Earth for, what, fifty, sixty years, people would be wise. They would be set in their ways, confident in their quirks, complete masters of their own ships. But going on date after date, Robert soon realized that was just not the case. His wife had been dead for nearly a decade then, and he figured Eugenia could forgive him. He wouldn’t marry again, he promised. He just didn’t want to die alone, and really, a nice little lady to just hang out with til then would be nice. &nbsp...

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“Half the Truth” by Harken Void

Submitted to Contest #46

It was on the day the stars began to die, when I first met him. He knew of my future yet I had no recollection of his past. Somehow, strangely, I knew him. Like one knows a reflection they see in the mirror, even though he looked nothing like me, I recognized a part of myself as I looked into his eyes… I sat by the fire gazing up at the fading stars. My mind wondered if I’ll ever find a solution to a spell I dedicated a lifetime to decipher. I let it wonder, listening to the silence. It spoke softly to me, giving me answers I so longed for...

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“To Feel Again” by Elaina Goodnough

Submitted to Contest #46

It had been a large walk in closet. Clothes were taken away, shelving was removed, and it was painted a deep sea blue color. The carpet was taken out and a small rug was bought and placed in the center of the room. A vintage wooden desk was placed in the far side of the room, with a small book shelf filling the other side.The last step was buying a computer to occupy the rolling top desk. Soon that was accomplished, it was a relatively undemanding task, but one that drained the buyers pocket immediately.I had my writing room. For if you didn...

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“A Book of Memories” by Kristine Murdock

Submitted to Contest #46

Pictures were important to Amy. They hung on every wall in careful proportion and taste, adding that sense of memory to the house. Her children would come in and look at them, appropriately laughing or standing in silence before them. But now she held her breath. She had a task set, but her mind raced with thoughts, distracting her from the computer screen that sat expectantly before her. She willed her gnarled fingers to move, but nothing happened. What was she supposed to write about? Fiction or nonfiction? A mix of both? What about her li...

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“Free-fall” by Peace Nakiyemba

Submitted to Contest #46

‘Just write.’ I repeat these words to myself. Because it is what she’s told me would be the cure. Like it’s easy! Even though it should be. I’ve told everyone I know that writing is like breathing to me. And it used to feel like that too, an extension of myself. I didn’t have to think too hard. Those were happier times. I had a time set aside for my writing, a routine I had broken in and was comfortable with. The only time of day I looked forward to eagerly. Now, I break out into a panic attack whenever I’m before an empty page. ...

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“A Musical Inspiration” by Mara C

Submitted to Contest #46

I was lying on my back, on my soft bed, listening to music. The words and beat were dancing in the air from my radio. I hummed the lyrics as I stared at my ceiling, feeling bored and well, lost. I didn’t have anything to write about, no original stories, no original ideas. Nothing. My foot tapped - in the air, to the beat, my body quite literally enjoying the relaxation as well as the music being played. This interested me, so for a while, I sat there thinking about how my body reacted the sounds, rhythm and words that were playing in m...

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“To F., in silence” by Ophelia S

Submitted to Contest #46

"I didn't want him, I wanted the impossibility of him", Louise tried to convince herself as soon she saw Fernand. When his imponent figure walked inside that delicate environment, she was awe itself. A smile was conceived in her mind but all that came to her lips was a clumsy stretch of her trembling lips over her teeth. He's here, she thought, he'll know. Fernand was older now, she could see it in his face and in the glimpse of wisdom that hid in his eyes; streaks of grey hair could be seen emerging in the midst of the thick ebony colored ...

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“Ashes, Ashes” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #46

Laurel was a member of a writing circle that met late every Thursday afternoon at the public library. In the winter months, that meant arriving when it was almost dark and leaving the meeting when it was pitch black. Evening comes so early in Maine, no matter what season it is, but in winter it seems as if the sun comes up and goes down in the space of an hour. No matter what the season, though, the members of the circle were very committed to their writing and so always brought stories or a chapter from a novel to read aloud. They had been ...

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“Laughing In The Darkness” by Kelly Vavala

Submitted to Contest #46

LAUGHING IN THE DARKNESS “Stop laughing at me, YOU big mouthed, red nosed, shiny partially bald headed, orange colored mangled haired, evil eyed creature from the darkest pits of hell! Were you misinformed, you ultimate entertainer of discomfort, YOU were supposed to make one laugh…NOT CRY? The aluminum façade of the zany architectural structure, advertised a giggling, chubby girl with chipped painted cobalt blue eyes, blonde pigtails and rosy red cheeks, palms held out inviting you in for fun! The red and white stripes of the billboard ...

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$50

Prize money

618

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 19, 2020 EST

Won by CMF Wright 🏆

Title: Turf Wars

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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