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!

#57: Legacies

Everybody hopes they’ll be remembered. It’s a big part of why writers write, artists paint, and singers sing. It drives some to rise to great heights in politics or business. It’s part of why people have children.

But whether you hope to build a legacy through words, kind deeds, grand ambition, or a strong familial line, the truth is, we don’t always know how history will look back on us. All we can do is put our best selves forward, and hope that our integrity and values will resonate long after we’re gone.

This week’s prompts invite you to delve into people’s hopes for the future — and the legacies that may or may not be what they dreamed of.

This week's prompts

Write a humorous story about the descendant of someone remembered for an insignificant act.

Funny – 73 stories

Write a story about someone who’s famous for something they never actually did.

Character – 119 stories

Write a story about someone breaking a long family tradition.

Angst – 170 stories

Write a story about someone who travels to the future, and isn’t happy about how they’ve been remembered.

Science Fiction – 131 stories

Write a story that starts with someone writing their will — one they know people won’t like.

Dramatic – 183 stories

Stories

“The Conditional Will” by Barbara Eustace

Submitted to Contest #57

There they are, gathering, like vultures round a carcase. Well, let them gather. I’m not dead yet. And I’ve got a few surprises for the lot of them. I’ll watch them dance to my tune, hoping for some scraps from the table, but I’ve made my will and it’s too late to change it now. I must say though I’d like to be around to see their faces when they see what’s in it. I made my will to divide the estate between all progeny that fulfil certain criteria. If they fail, if they all fail, what then? What if none of ...

Read story

“The Pool Noodles Granddaughter” by Jordan Wright

Submitted to Contest #57

The pool noodle. Yup, that’s me, granddaughter of the man who invented the pool noodle. And you’re right, it’s as glamourous as it sounds. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with being related to the guy, it’s just that, well, the family now is pretty well off. Which is great! I get to go to the best schools, go on family holidays and if we ever get sick, we know that we’re lucky enough to be taken care of. But when people come round and see our house, the cars we drive and the other fancy things we own… well… they expect we’re famou...

Read story

“INSIGNIFICANT ACT OF A CAT – DESCENDANT OF A LEOPARD” by K V CHIDAMBARAM

Submitted to Contest #57

Insignificant it may be the Friday morning’s in the Middle East for many, but for someone like me, I anxiously long for it. I am steadfast in sticking to the routine and head to have my breakfast at the nearest cafe. It was not just a Friday but the one after the Booker Prize for 2018 are announced in the month of October when winter season has set in, in its coolest, in its figurative sense and not in the literal sense of the term. This time around the Irish author made it to the top. Anna Burns, the author whose book Milkman with a pin...

Read story

“The Greatest Ever Shit Show” by Cynthia Cronan

Submitted to Contest #57

REEDSY.COM 04SEP2020 Writing prompt #57 Write a humorous story about the descendant of someone remembered for an insignificant act. The Greatest Ever Shit Show by clcronan 2020 “Listen up, losers, cuz this is gonna be the best story you ever heard. It’s about poop!” “Frankie, straighten up or sit down,” said Mrs. Foster. It was shorthand for, “You and I both know that I’ll be calling your mother later, don’t make it worse than it already is.” “But Mrs. F, it’s a real true story about my great-grea...

Read story

“The Medium is the Message” by Kevin Leonard

Submitted to Contest #57

August 31, 1977 In an empty room deep in the belly of the Physics department at Cornell University, a coffee mug balances precariously above a panel of electronics. The panel is at least as twice as complicated as it looks, whereas the mug is quite the opposite: a relatively ordinary thing. It is a small, blue mug with a large NASA insignia across the side. Earlier this morning the mug contained its usual contents - coffee, black, eight sugars - but now it is empty. The cup belongs to one Phillip Baumgartner, astrophysicist extraordinaire...

Read story

“The Unshorn Valley” by Uma Chandrasekar

Submitted to Contest #57

The Unshorn Valley The emerald green farms soothed Ramon’s eyes as he prepared to touch down at his hometown, Unshorn Valley, a small town in the famed hill station Ooty. The train slowly hiked up soaking him in the cold breezy clime. For reasons unknown, Ramon didn’t know much about the town. Neither was he allowed to visit this place by his parents. Whenever his relatives used to show up and talk about Unshorn valley, his parents would send him away. They wouldn’t talk about the place to him. Once he even expressed his desire...

Read story

“Truck” by TheCritic Boy

Submitted to Contest #57

In the whole village Arya was the sole person who had ever actually expressed her desire to leave the village in front of all the people in the village.She did that cause, as she explained much later after her speach at the independence day, "I don't have it in myself to continue to fake laugh any longer at the terribly unfunny jokes of these people". She alo said something like that in her speach too but there was too much of it for the people of the village to remember the whole thing.Arya would tell this story to anyone who would care to ...

Read story

“Unfortunate Descendants ” by Brett Ray

Submitted to Contest #57

The metallic pot had been sitting on a small portable heater all afternoon. It’s coffee toasted, roasted, and then crisped some more. A forgotten token from the day’s events. A lanky man walked into the room and beelined it to the coffee. He approached it as though the coffee pot was a porch light and he a moth drawn toward it. His name was Roberto. There wasn’t anything particularly distinguishing about him. He likely was a face you forgot moments after seeing it. He may have been in his early forties, but still appeared young without the o...

Read story

“Hide and Seek” by Shea K

Submitted to Contest #57

Usually, Crista loved the rain, the cleanness of the world after the smog was washed away, the crisp scent of the air. She’d used to lean out of her apartment window until she felt like she might tumble out, and take long, deep breaths of the humid air. Even in the concrete heart of the city, she felt like she could smell new things growing. But it was a different story now that she was on the run. Crista ducked into a narrow alley beside an abandoned nightclub, pulling the hood of her rain jacket low over her face. Mud squelched ben...

Read story

“Shooting for the Moon” by Jᴇʀᴇᴍʏ Rᴏᴢᴇɴ ✍

Submitted to Contest #57

“Frank,” Arn shouted into the phone, “come on, God dammit, I’ve left you six messages, stop avoiding me.” Gone were the days when he could slam down the receiver, how he missed the satisfying smash and the sound of it pounding onto the receiver. Arn would have to settle for pressing the end button really vigorously and then putting his phone back down on his desk, gently. His fists were clenched and he was shaking with rage. “Renowned Astrophysicist, Frank Berner has proven, for the first time, that extraterrestrial life does exist,” the...

Read story

“Dropping the Torch” by Debora Cutshall

Submitted to Contest #57

“What?” Came an incredulous response from behind the partially closed bathroom door. “She...” the rest of Paul’s question was drowned out by the running water as he finished brushing his teeth and rinsed his mouth. “Paul, please.” Lilly coaxed through the door. “I didn’t say she won’t go, I said she doesn’t want to.” Looking up she mouthed I could use some help here! Exiting the bathroom in his work pants and t-shirt Paul sat on the edge of the bed putting on his shoes. “Our kids are the fourth generation that have had the privilege of ...

Read story

“Upheaval” by Vishakh Padmakumar

Submitted to Contest #57

Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken. It was handed down from generation to generation since time immemorial. Whatever the circumstances, we stand together and we stand free. But today I made a choice. One that will forever alter the fate of my family and a choice that will be synonymous with my name for the rest of time. Tomorrow, for the first time in as far as any of us can remember, the leader of the Pride will decline the Blood Oath. Would my father and grandfather understand my decision? In my heart of hearts I know the answer and that slowly g...

Read story

“Godslayer” by Ari .

Submitted to Contest #57

There was a warrior house in Coyo’an whose only daughter was chosen to pay the debt of blood we owed to the gods. Her name was Quetzalin, meaning Plume, and all were willing to give her up but for her elder brother. He was a bitter man, selfish and spiteful and not so fair to look upon. A blow from a nightsaw had cleaved off half his face, reducing it to rough meat and half-grinning teeth. His name was Huitzilin, meaning Hummingbird, and behind his back he was called Ghoul. When they had reached the Red Temple, Quetzalin accept...

Read story

“Damaged” by Miss Kandulna

Submitted to Contest #57

When I opened my eyes, I saw myself standing infront of someone's backyard. For the near view, I went close to look upon that apartment. The gate automatically opened and robo welcomed me and asked for my entry, whom I'm going to visit in the apartment such formalities. I was so amazed by seeing a robo because till now I haven't seen any human figure so I concluded that this is a robo world for sure.I donno what to answer so I anonymously answered the robot's questions. I was uplifting by the elevated floor which was taking me to my stop. Su...

Read story

“Hard work and its rewards” by Milja Luomala

Submitted to Contest #57

I had a good feeling about this one. All the tests so far had gone as they should. This might be it. As exhausted as I was after the long day of work, I couldn’t wait to tell my husband about my day. He was a biochemist too, but he focused mainly on bacterial diseases. Even if the clock was nearing 11 pm, I knew he would still be up watching breaking bad. “Frank!” I yelled as soon as I stepped in through the front door. “Geez, Lydia, my heart nearly jumped out of my throat!” he screamed in shock. “Sorry!” I yelled back as I took off my c...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

676

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 04, 2020 EST

Won by Iona Cottle 🏆

Title: Et Tu?

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 ⭢