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!

#54: Second Chances

"Third time's the charm."

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

"Rome wasn't built in a day."

The English language is full of aphorisms that get at a universal truth: human beings aren't perfect, and oftentimes we need to keep trying (and trying again) in order to get something right.

This week's prompts all revolve around the theme of second chances. Whether your characters are circling back to something from their past, getting a start on something they put off for a long time, or simply in the process of learning after a swing and a miss, we're looking forward to the 'second acts' you come up with!

And speaking of layered characters, 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 a story about high school sweethearts coming across one another after many, many years apart.

Romance – 283 stories

Write a story about someone going back to school as a mature student.

High School – 88 stories

Write a story about someone looking to make amends for a mistake.

Adults – 223 stories

Write a story about someone struggling to learn a skill that in no way comes naturally to them.

Funny – 154 stories

Write a story about a TV show called "Second Chances."

Novel – 108 stories

Stories

“Ambitions (Part 1?)” by Akshat .

Submitted to Contest #54

Power. Cunning. Resourcefulness. Those were the words that described my family’s life. My name is Jake Lawrenson, and my family is a part of FEAR. Now, you might be thinking “What does FEAR mean?” Well, it means “Federation of Arsonists.” My parents and grandparents are all a part of this group. They go around the world, setting fires to buildings, in exchange for money. FEAR also had a school, called SCAR, or “School of Arsonists.” SCAR’s job was to train cadets in incendiarism, or as my father calls it, “The wonderful art of ar...

Read story

“WHAT IS A SECOND CHANCE ?” by Amogh Kasat

Submitted to Contest #54

What is second chance ? To know what is it read it ahead.Once there was boy named Charlie. He lived in Florida, U.S.A . He was in 3rd standard in Canterbury School. He was hard-working, intelligent and good in athletics. His Goal was he wanted to become a scientist. His mother is a doctor and his father is a police.But he used to come second every time. He questioned himself that “Why I should do hard-work because I am not coming first ?” His body replied “You should not do har...

Read story

“The Colorado Caravan (An Afrassi Addition) ” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #54

Afra and Gervassi sat across from each other, watching the waters roll into the sandy shores of Lake Granby. A few towels away sat Muzical and the other wild high schoolers in the Colorado Caravan, as Gervassi had come to call their group over the last few days. He held Afra’s hand, heads resting close together, and sang softly. He could carry a tune okay, though Afra wouldn’t say she'd vote for him on American Idol. It had been a delightful trip; they still had a little over two days left in the cabin before Afra went back home with Muzical...

Read story

“A Familiar Tale” by Elle Clark

Submitted to Contest #54

Failing his final year at Harlington’s Magical Academy was the worst thing that had ever happened to Jon. His entire family, from his parents to his eighth cousin twice removed, were magicians. At this point, it wasn’t a hope he would qualify; it was a base expectation. The moment his father found out that he would not be graduating was a moment that would be forever burned into the corners of his mind.He was, however, uniquely privileged in that his father was a High Sorcerer and a golf buddy of the headmaster. Where hard work and determina...

Read story

“Desert Mistakes (part two to Ash Called Oscar, Lina, Beba Maria) ” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #54

The sun was back with a vendetta, only it held rays like fire over the earth instead of a machete. It wore a mask of radiating, pulsating heat and Beba Maria felt like she was going to pass out. The day had been long, the road hard, and the undertaking of their task was proving more difficult than they had expected. They’d missed the boat because Oscar had fallen down, scraped a knee, chipped a tooth, cried for ages. There was now a stretch of desert between them and the spaceships that would shoot them towards a literal new ...

Read story

“Am I...? (Part 1)” by Authoring Studio

Submitted to Contest #54

I inhaled deeply and looked up at the starlit night.I was running away from home.The deep sky, the shivering wind, the vast, empty forest welcomed me as if I was one of them. Well, I really was one of them.Hi, I am Iris, the daughter of the leader of the most influential werewolf clan in the city. The forests are our home during the nights. All nights are dangerous for the common humans, because we tend to turn occasionally into werewolves, although it is mostly at our own will. But we have to tuck ourselves away from sight into the deep woo...

Read story

“Unsure Love- A Never-Ending Tale” by Pooja Khanna

Submitted to Contest #54

"I kept on trying, struggling, years after years", still a sign of no success. Deep down in my thoughts, "Will I ever be able to decipher"? Upon getting no answers but numbness all over. I stared out of the window and watched the waves of the sea. It was calm, composed, and balanced as if assuaging after a long battle. The sun was tranquilizing with its golden shadows subsiding on the water surface. I was dead sure that the miracle will happen one day but the surroundings were quiet. I sat down on the couch and started watching the televisio...

109 comments 109

Read story

“Little Steps” by BRoOkE HAs A COwBoY HAt

Submitted to Contest #54

“Ready, Ida? One, two, three!” Louk and I grabbed each of fourteen-month-old Ida’s hands and lifted her off the ground, onto her feet. Ida stuck her right foot out but fell right away.“Ow! Mama!” Ida rubbed her bottom, and Louk and I laughed. I crouched down and picked her up, putting her on my hip.“We’ve been trying for an hour already. Let’s just try again tomorrow.” Louk rubbed his back from bending down so much, and I nodded in agreement. We plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. I moved Ida to my lap, facing me.“Do you want to ...

120 comments 120

Read story

“Scars” by Thom With An H

Submitted to Contest #54

Brian had lived in Fairbanks for less than a month when the “accident” happened and, just like most accidents caused by 13 year old boys, this one was never intended to hurt anyone. He called it an accident because it was the only way to ease the guilt he was feeling. He couldn’t say he was sorry, not without admitting he was responsible. He couldn’t do anything but wallow in his self induced misery. Brian’s dad, Brian Sr, was a sergeant in the Army who was now stationed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The elder Brian ha...

Read story

“Second Chances” by Raquel Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #54

A tall woman with a small head pokes her ugly blond wig into the room. “Are you ready?” She asks, her eyes pointed at the ground so that our eyes don't meet. “I'm never going to be ready to see my ex again,” - I seethe, inwardly laughing at her stupid wig - "but you don't really care, so go ahead." The woman nods, whispering into her headset. She motions for me to come towards her. The woman nods again, and opens the door of my room, glaring at me as I pass. “You better behave out there, or ELSE.” She sa...

Read story

“ On the Stage” by Charles Stucker

Submitted to Contest #54

Although the sun shines as brightly as ever, the dark cloud in my heart leaves my world awash in gray. As typical for August, oppressive heat beats down with as little mercy as a vigilante crowd. I have just retrieved a parcel from the post when I hear his voice, an echo from the past nearly forgotten over the years, but the memories it brings up... I stood in line with the other young ladies, each in a fancy dress purchased for the occasion. Across the room, young gentlemen, clad in suits befitting their station, formed a row. One in par...

Read story

“Second Chance” by Vicky S

Submitted to Contest #54

Bright lights filled the studio. Willow blinked but could still see nothing except for a blur as the game show host leapt in front of the cameras. “And action!” a man holding a clapper board yelled. She couldn’t see him or the audience but she knew they were there as they started cheering and clapping. “Welcome, welcome everyone!’ the host was yelling over the noise until it slowly died down,’ nice to see you!” The audience clapped and cheered again. Willow squinted and looked around her. The other contestants standing around looked as bewi...

Read story

“On the ferry” by Marte Van Der Linden

Submitted to Contest #54

Sigrid hasn’t been back to the island for twelve years and she’s not sure why she’s going there now. The ferry chugs through the waves and she leans on the railing, watching the familiar shoreline grow closer. For a moment she feels like she’s stepped inside a memory. She closes her eyes and breathes deeply, filling her lungs with the scent of diesel and salt water. There’s something metallic too, and a faint whiff of rotting seaweed. It smells like all of her childhood summers rolled into one, like going for the same walk every day, swim...

Read story

“Never meant to be” by Authoring Studio

Submitted to Contest #54

The snow was raining down on her. She still couldn’t believe what she was doing.“Bronwen, maybe, you ought to take a vacation,” her colleague had told her the previous week. “Look at the dark circles under your eyes. You might as well go get a job in a horror movie.”Bronwen flinched. “Don’t talk to me about a vacation. You know I’m married.”“Yeah… to work,” her colleague rolled her eyes. “Get realistic. You live alone.”Bronwen snickered. “Caught me there,” she sighed. “But seriously, if taking a vacation is good for me, where should I go? It...

Read story

“Guilt Trip” by Aditya Pillai

Submitted to Contest #54

Guilt is a curious thing, isn't it? I think so. I watch it on the television every night. Yesterday it was the millionaire who touched kids. The day before yesterday was the politician who took money that wasn't his. Before that—was it a murderer? Or another rapist? I forget. There are just too many faces. I change the channel and watch a person on a unicycle get the big shiny buzzer. I clap.Tonight I walk through the streets. It's dark and everything is very still. I see a bird flying overhead. Alone, while the whole world is asleep. I feel...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

856

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 14, 2020 EST

Won by Mollie Rodgers 🏆

Title: Where the Water Meets the Sand

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 ⭢