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!

#53: Dog Days of Summer

"The dog days of summer" conjure images of dogs laying around, panting from the sweltering heat of mid to late summer.

But the saying itself stems from the ancient Romans who associated these hot and humid days with Sirius, the brightest star in the Canis Major constellation (or 'Large Dog' constellation). Sirius is so bright, the ancient Romans believed it contributed additional heat to the Sun, causing July and August temperatures to soar.

As we are currently in the midst of them, it only felt fitting for this week's prompts are inspired by the dog days summer (or diēs caniculārēs in Latin)!

p.s. — On August 12th, bestselling novelists Caroline Leavitt and Gina Sorell are hosting a free webinar on creating believable characters. RSVP here!

This week's prompts

Write about a few people spending a long-overdue weekend away at a cottage.

Summer – 124 stories

Write a story that begins with someone's popsicle melting.

Summer – 259 stories

Write a story about a teenager spending their final days at home before going away to college.

High School – 118 stories

Write a story about summer love — the quarantine edition.

Romance – 131 stories

Write a story about another day in a heatwave.

Summer – 178 stories

Stories

“Not Your Doctor!” by Peace Nakiyemba

Submitted to Contest #53

‘University, ah! I remember my days there. You know, wild days where…’‘Dad, you told me this story yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that. Really all I want…’‘So now, because you will be going off to university, you think you shouldn’t listen to your old man. If I have told you the story hundred times then you should be a good son and listen to it a thousand times. And don’t sigh out like that. I’m still your father.’‘Yes sir.’‘No girls! Don’t grin like that, I mean it. No drugs either. Your future is too important to me...

Read story

“Echoes of an Abandoned City” by Brandon Johnson

Submitted to Contest #53

That day was supposed to be like any other and my curiosity as a child created grand ideas of a magical adventure. Were there goblins hiding under the city well? When will I be able to learn magic? I picked up a stick with my right hand and started to wave it around like I saw in that one movie. I had hoped a spell would come out, but the only thing the stick did was make a swish noise through the air. I noticed another sound as well, the sound of dripping. I had my mind focused on a lot of things and didn’t notice my melting popsicle! It so...

Read story

“A Vacation Gone Wrong” by Maya Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #53

7/28/20 Dear Diary, I am so excited about vacation next week! Mom promised a nice beach and Dad promised to bring our bikes, so we’re going to have tons of fun! As long as Willie and Benny behave. I wish I could have convinced Mom to leave them home and have just her, me, and Dad go on vacation—just the three of us. That would have been nice. Sigh. Oh well. At least Alicia’s coming too. We’re going to have so much fun together! I can’t wait! 7/31/20 Dear Diary, I am SO ready for vacation. Work today was AWFUL! You know those days where eve...

Read story

“The Ouija Board” by Genevieve Taylor

Submitted to Contest #53

Phoebe leaned over the table, forearms pressed to the wood, to whisper to Maxon, “Don’t tell Julia, because I know it was hard for her to find this place, and I definitely need the vacation, but this house is creepy.” Maxon widened his eyes, leaning towards her, “I know. The ceiling creaks so much, and I swear I heard someone knock on my door and, like, rattle the doorknob at three a.m. this morning, but neither of you were up.” “Wait, really? I-” “Hey guys,” Julia pushed open the bedroom door with her toe, a large brown box w...

Read story

“Home Coming by KarLynn Erickson” by KarLynn Erickson

Submitted to Contest #53

“Hurry up and grab your bag Joe!” I want to get on the road and we still have to stop and get groceries.” “We can get groceries at Lucy’s general store. You need to stop being so frazzled or your going to ruin your own good time! Didn’t anyone ever tell you part of the fun is the journey to get there? So, relax I’m ready, let’s go!” “I am just so excited! I haven’t seen Christine face to face in 2 years. I can’t wait to catch up with her!” Jenny exclaimed! “She’s bringing her new boyfriend, right? Do you know anything ab...

Read story

“In The Heat of the Moment” by Eve Naden

Submitted to Contest #53

She’d stolen his headphones again. Aaron paused on the threshold, peering into the living room beyond the glass doors. Wafting his face with a comic book, he managed to loosen his collar. Even so, sweat pulsed through the pores of his skin, almost drowning his senses in the stench of ammonia. He really wasn’t built for this weather. Panting, he stepped toward the grand armchair which sat adjacent to the bookshelf on the far side of the room. The armchair where his sister, Martha, was typing on her bright pink laptop under the watchful ...

Read story

“A Dishonourable Profession.” by Len Mooring

Submitted to Contest #53

Not a story for the serious-minded and of a delicate disposition. -------------------------------------------------------- “Look, Lucinda, if you are going to persist in buying popsicles in a heat-wave, get the one’s coated in that chocolate that Hershey made for desert warfare. Or I should say chocolate for the troops sweltering in real heat. You’re dripping over the floor. Outside with you. You don’t leave evidence all over the place, you know that.” Tanny Worth was training Lucinda to be a serial killer, but her heart was not in...

Read story

“Withdraw” by Aneka Williams

Submitted to Contest #53

“Get out of my suitcase,” I ordered, crossing my arms and trying to appear mad to get my point across. My adopted 10-year-old sister, Elsie, laid in the fetal position inside my large brown suitcase. Her hair was spread out under her and she was wearing a pink summer dress. At some point during breakfast she had disappeared and this was the last place I expected to find her. “Daniel, I want to come with you,” She replied, giving me puppy dog eyes. I shook my head and smiled. Of course she’d think this is a trip. I gestu...

Read story

“Summer Time Travels” by Vanessa Marczan

Submitted to Contest #53

It's a Sunday in December 2018. In Sydney, it's a glorious early summer's day. The cloudless sky is vast and blue and bright. The afternoon air carries the scent of an early bushfire season, that unmistakable, menthol smell of burnt eucalypt. 'Your popsicle's melting,' my brother Adrian says. 'Huh?' We don't call them popsicles in Australia. It's one of those affectations Adrian's picked up since moving to the US. Like the way he pronounces 'r' like an American. Calls thongs flip flops. Seems disappointed when Christ...

Read story

“Hallucinogenics” by Esa Manley

Submitted to Contest #53

Summer is a natural aphrodisiac, isn’t that the way the saying goes? I have found it to be an outright lie. My girlfriend Jennifer has not had a desire for intimacy for weeks. Which has left me with blue balls akin to two sweaty Smurfs bundled into a sack. Her excuse is, “It is too hot.” This coupled with quarantine has left me in the rather uncomfortable predicament of having no alone time at home to crack one out and any alternative location like going down the park and slapping my pickle in the bushes has not been viable nor in truth wo...

Read story

“Heat or Hell?” by 𝕂𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕒 🏵 𝕧𝕒𝕟 ℕ𝕚𝕖𝕜𝕖𝕣𝕜 🏵

Submitted to Contest #53

Heatwave. Again.Ugh!!! Angela Windrow thought for the umpteenth time this summer. Everything was so hot and felt so heavy. She was sitting outside her grandparent’s mini market. Her parents had dumped her with them for the summer again, even though they knew it was practically the hottest place on earth, and that she HATED being hot and having to try and cool down. Her parents were pilots. Yes; both of them, which usually meant that she was over at a “friend” for most of the time. But this time, her parents were going to be away for quite a ...

Read story

“Once Home is Lost” by Ranya Navarez

Submitted to Contest #53

The soft wine-red satin folds of my gown’s skirt whispered past each other as I stepped from the Surrey taxi onto the pebble road, my silver and wine satin pumps sliding over the little stones smoothly as I approached the gate of Silver Wood Cottage. The cab driver shut the car door behind me, and with his polite British “good day, ma’am,” he took his seat, turned the cab around, and drove back to town. I watched him drive away through the arched tree branches of the Silver Wood, the cottage gate waiting behind ...

Read story

“Locked Down In Love” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #53

Gary and Lisa met online through one of the social media sites over a year ago. They spent several of those months getting more anxious to meet. Gary lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, while Lisa lived in Los Angeles, California in the United States of America so casually meeting up wasn’t an easy task to undertake. Lisa worked as a model and actress, so her career kept her traveling regularly from one State to ...

Read story

“August Heat!” by P. Jean

Submitted to Contest #53

(Write a story that begins with someone's popsicle melting.)August is sometimes just a bitch! My mother is forever saying, “Can’t you find something to do?” “You hang around the house too much, reading comics or doing those stupid video games!” I nod knowing if I don’t respond she will eventually wind down and shut up. She is rummaging around in the refrigerator and freezer looking for stuff to make for dinner. Finally she stuffs a popsicle in my hand and tells me to take the messy thing ...

Read story

“Toby’s Mood Journal” by Karen McDermott

Submitted to Contest #53

16/07/20Good: really hot day. Happier when the sun is shining.Good: found a popsicle I’d forgotten at the back of freezer when putting food delivery away.Bad: popsicle melted after I got it out and left it on the side while I hung laundry out to dry. It was my last one.17/07/20Bad: reading over yesterday’s entry and realizing something as innocuous as a melted popsicle can really negatively impact my mood.Good: at least Dr Simpson will be pleased I’ve finally started this journal.Bad: had the nightmares again.Good: I just wanted to end an en...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

810

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 07, 2020 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

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 ⭢