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

“Second Chances - Dreams Do Come True” by Cheryl H

Submitted to Contest #54

My palms are sweaty as if wearing a pair of gloves on a hot summer day. My heart is thumping, and it feels like it’s about to jump out of my chest and run away on its own.I need to do the breathing exercise that my speech pathologist taught me. “Breathe in for 4 seconds. Breathe out for 4. Breathe in for 4 more. Breathe out for 4.” Hmmm, well, that didn’t work. My nerves are still running all over the place.I’m super nervous today, because TODAY is the taping of the 1st episode of the new upcoming TV show “Second Chances”. This is going to b...

Read story

“All is Found” by Nayeli Aguilar

Submitted to Contest #54

When Ethan decided to return home, the last thing he expected was to see her again.The wounds were still fresh; they still stung. When he saw her, he felt as if he had been punched in the gut.The memories of their time together began to swirl around in his mind. The first time he had laid eyes on her. The first time he had spoken to her and had stuttered so much that she couldn't help but laugh. The quickening of his heart beat as he saw her.He remembered the day he had asked her out for the first time as if it was yesterday. How he had take...

Read story

“Lucky” by Alex Lebron

Submitted to Contest #54

The last time that I saw Freddy he was driving off in the back seat of his father’s old navy-blue pickup truck, on his was to New York city. My heart went right along with him in that truck, on that day 16 years ago. I couldn’t believe It when I saw him walk into that bar. He stood there with a beautiful blonde by his side, her head resting on his shoulder. I could not believe how much his face had not changed. He looked the same, with his big brown eyes, and dirty blonde hair, my heart started to melt, like back when I was 17 again. So many...

Read story

“Achy Bones” by Christian Harrison

Submitted to Contest #54

I’m awoken by the bleating of the alarm clock that has been a constant reminder of the world that robs me of the one comfort I’ve ever known: a good night’s rest. No matter what heartache or pain the world of the conscious brings, you can always find that same comfort hidden behind your eyelids. As I roll out of bed, I slap the top of the alarm clock in the same way as I always have, sending a warm tingling through my palm. When my legs touch the floor, I notice a sharp pain in my knee. These aren’t new. You wait for the feeling too dull s...

Read story

“Floating” by Tito Silva

Submitted to Contest #54

I was lying in bed, just spinning through social media to pass the time before my eyes got heavy, when she popped up on my feed as someone 'suggested for me'. My stomach dropped and a frog jumped into my throat. I sat up and clicked on the image of her smiling holding a handsome little boy. She was even more stunning than before. I scrolled through her page, recognizing friends and family members who I had met when we dated back in high school. Her dark brown hair still spiraled down her back. She traded in her jerseys and air forces for blo...

Read story

“Hope ” by Mia Fuller

Submitted to Contest #54

I blinked away the sleepiness as I continued to drive the well-worn road towards the town that held memories filled with everything from happiness to heartbreak. Soon I was pulling past the fading sign that read “Welcome to Little Birchwood.” I couldn’t help but sigh as I looked down at the ivory envelope with silvery loopy writing that said “Please Join Us for the Wedding Ceremony for Nina and Carlos at Ivory Park Gardens on July 18th at 5:00 p.m.” the names brought back now bittersweet memories of high school Those memories turned to bitte...

Read story

“The Dolphin Key chain” by Merlin Joseph

Submitted to Contest #54

Sunday morning ,a beautiful appartment in the city outskirts. The surrounding area of the appartment is decorated with greenery. The loud voice of children playing can be hear and some old age people are walking and exercing outside the appartment.A normal Sunday for everyone. From the the third floor a music is playing ,inside one room a girl is cleaning the floor while dancing. She is wearing a loose shirt and shorts. She is checking the cleaning work and observing with her brown eye for any dust .she let out a sign noticing everything...

Read story

“There's Still a Spark” by Robyn Jipp

Submitted to Contest #54

"Okay, okay. Yes, we're going, we're going. I know you wanna play with those doggies." I shut the car door with my left hand while my terrier tries his best to pull my right arm out of its socket tugging with all his might at his leash. For a small dog he is surprisingly strong. "Geez, calm down! You're gonna choke yourself!" Obi-Wan drags me down the slightly uneven steps to the outer gate of the dog park, whining impatiently. I shut the gate behind us before bending over to unfasten his leash from his collar and opening the inner gate. ...

Read story

“Let Go” by Rachel Bacon

Submitted to Contest #54

I didn’t recognize her at first. She had grown her hair out and wore makeup now, something she had sworn to never do. She had come up to the hostess stand and smiled at me with a charming smile. And for a second, I thought I was experiencing love at first sight. “Reservation for Sato,” she said. I realized that it was not in fact love at first sight, but a relighting of an old flame. Mai Soto had been in my chemistry class sophomore year of high school. We were both transfers and didn’t know anyone, so while everyone else partnered with the...

Read story

“Blossem Tree” by Britt Michielsen

Submitted to Contest #54

“Lena?”, I suddenly hear a faint whisper. I try to cut back my sobs as confusion creeps onto my face. It takes me a second to realize that someone’s actually talking to me. I quickly take the railing of the bridge I’ve been standing on since 7 a.m. this morning. I don’t know what time it is now and I don’t care. This has lasted more than long enough. “Lena! No!”, I hear that same voice, screaming this time, before two strong arms wrap around my fragile body and pull me back from the railing. “No, please! Let go of me! I just want to die! I...

Read story

“Rosanna” by Metaxia Tzimouli

Submitted to Contest #54

You just turned 40, and for some reason, you are ridiculously happy at the strand of silver nestled among your other stands of dark auburn. You are smiling; the sun is shining and you have just handed your complete manuscript to your editor. You push the double doors of the building and turn a corner, and there he is again, after so many years. You both speak at the same time, then pause, and then brush it off with a laugh. It feels like you have entered a romantic film… Then what? What happens afterwards? Do you fall in love again?...

Read story

“Time Capsule” by Akudo Nwabuikwu

Submitted to Contest #54

I stared into the cloudy brown broth in my bowl, my own disinterested face reflecting back at me. I half-heartedly attempted to disturb the liquid with my spoon and some of the half liquefied vegetables floated momentarily before returning to the bottom of the dish, like debris back down to the seabed. I sighed and took a long swig of my beer instead. It had been so many years and I still hadn’t gotten used to the food. I still longed for food served by a woman with leathery charcoal coloured skin, sitting on a plastic chair by the side of t...

Read story

“The Space between 1975 and 2005” by SplashVoices AKA

Submitted to Contest #54

Alderman Peel Secondary School, Wells-Next-The Sea, Norfolk, England. I attended this school for the final two years of my secondary school education. The first three years I attended Sheringham Secondary Modern School which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately when we moved a mile away, I had to change schools which is why I was moved to Alderman Peel School. I was extremely unhappy and I was bullied so my time there was not a good experience. It was my final year and in March 1975, the Headmaster called me into his office. He said, “You’ll neve...

Read story

“Through The Eyes Of A Changed Man” by Trinity Womack

Submitted to Contest #54

He was back. Jon surveyed the school that he had not seen in two years. Everything looked the same. The chipped paint near the front entrance that had never been fixed, the bench with students’ names etched on it, and the ever-familiar rush of students all heading somewhere. Everything was the same, and yet, everything was different. This did not feel like the school he had been in two years ago. The atmosphere seemed different, more carefree and happier. He wondered if this atmosphere was caused by his absence, or maybe it had always been ...

Read story

“Going back to school as a mature student” by K V CHIDAMBARAM

Submitted to Contest #54

The Principal, Mr. Yohanan, MA, M.ED., had assigned for himself the class on Geometry. The class was a mix of rich and poor students. However, Johnny came from a family who were at the subsistence level of existence and therefore, with great difficulty had got him admitted to an above average school of which Mr. Yohanan was the principal.Arguably, this was the only English medium school in the vicinity of over 10 miles from the Fertilizer Township.It is quite natural that the parents who s...

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 ⭢