Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#63: Autumnal

It’s finally fall in the Northern Hemisphere. While the leaves are being slow to change out my window this year, the air is crisp and the pumpkin spice products are out in full force. Time to break out the sweaters!

Beyond all the colorful trappings, though, fall is by definition a season of change. So as you craft your stories this week, try to think about how the events you’re writing will change your characters' lives, whether fundamentally or just a little. After all, even a seemingly mundane afternoon can be the turning point of your entire life…

And if you want to drink some apple cider or a pumpkin spice latte while you write, more power to you!

This week's prompts:

Set your story in a coffee shop that’s just introduced a new line of autumnal drinks.

General – 184 stories

Start your story with the line, “By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.” (Whether this is a literal fire is up to you.)

General – 363 stories

Write about a character making fall decorations out of construction paper.

For Kids – 52 stories

Write a story from the perspective of a bird migrating for the winter.

General – 140 stories

Write about two characters going apple picking.

General – 276 stories

Stories

“Perfect as it Gets” by Julia Boddie

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I was too late.~~~~~~~~~~The day started when my alarm clock woke me up that morning. I got out of bed and went to go wake up my five-year-old daughter. I walked down the hallway and to the doorway of her room.“Good morning sleepyhead. It’s time to get up for school.”She sat up. Veronica stretched and yawned. I looked at her, looking at her light brown hair, which was a tangled mess. She started to get up and I w...

Read story

“The Will of the Wind” by Leo Greer

By Caden HillThe falcon peered downwards at his prey.He soared hundreds of feet in the air above a roiling Alaskan sea. The water steamed and bubbled, smashing against the dark rocks of the coast to produce titanic upthrusts of freezing liquid.But despite the turmoil below him, the old Peregrine was unfazed. He had braved winters cold enough that the blood began to still within him, and winds so strong that they reduced towering pines to little more than broken twigs.He flew through it all.For...

132 comments 132

Read story

“Leaves the Fire 🔥” by Vicky S

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.The air was thick with smoke and clumps of ash seemed to be falling from the sky. Not that the sky could be seen. It looked like it was midnight. The sun had been blocked by the smoke, great swirls of grey and black and the eerie glow of red as the fire came closer.“Come on Abby, don’t just stand there!”, my dad cried as he ran past, the garden hose clutched in his hands.A trickle of water squirted out of the end as he aimed it at the leaves.The water suppl...

Read story

“The Physics Professor and the Latte” by Deidra Lovegren

It wasn’t like Dr. Stevens to spend $4.38 for coffee. Not coffee—a latte. A latte was essentially a fancy espresso with a thin layer of foamed milk. Either way, $4.38 was an egregious amount of money to spend on a beverage for a young professor with crushing student loans. A young professor who would have been just as happy sipping the dregs from the burnt coffee pot in the faculty lounge. A young professor who wasn’t sure about his students' abilities, whether they would put in the hard work and dedication necessary ...

Read story

“King of Silver Stars” by Zilla Babbitt

Once when he was younger, Crispen visited the art museum downtown. Standing in the strange dark and purple lights, looking up at the painting of a young woman and her daughter, he felt a strange, silent peace come over him. The rosy lights hid his face from the other viewers and he felt as though he were invisible and powerful. He sat on the soft green couch and stared at a Monet until he memorized it. He liked the solitude, the feeling that no one was watching him and he didn’...

Read story

“Counting Stars” by Leo Greer

By Caden Hill, Dark sky, Bright moon, Bleeding starlight reflected off crimson apples. Smooth leaves, Rough bark, Gnarled trees bent with age. Short man, Tall woman, Ladders for both. Quiet night, Loud footsteps, &nbsp...

139 comments 139

Read story

“One Last Day” by Felicity Williams

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Brilliant ruby reds, bright golds, and fluorescent oranges danced across the trees, giving the illusion of flickering. It has been so long since I’ve smelled the fresh, clean air of autumn. A long time since I’ve smelled any fresh air, actually. “Are you alright, Eliza?” Noah asked, putting an arm around my shoulders to comfort me. He had been there through...

Read story

“Under the Apple Tree” by Felicity Williams

My old, fraying wicker basket swung freely from the crook of my elbow as I wandered down the rocky path, searching for the perfect apple tree. My pale brown dog, Bonnie, trotted faithfully by my side, attempting to keep up, despite her petite legs. The lush orchard tree branches hung heavily with the ripening red fruit. As I passed under them, I picked several apples and added them to my basket, which was beginning to grow heavy. As I neared the end of yet another row of trees, I saw it, the perfect apple tree. Its long, reaching branches...

Read story

“Chicken Lips ” by Rhondalise Mitza

Hurry up! It was Saturday morning and the chickens were arising, Feathers ruffled and beaks slapped with bright- Croissant, NO, Crescent, NO Cerulean? Certainly not, Oh! the word is- CRIMSON red lipstick Because these chickens were ready And they were ready to party. ...

362 comments 362

Read story

“Among Us” by ＳａｎｔａＣｌａｗｓ

By the time I stepped outside of my house, the leaves were on fire. Literally. It was so, super hot. The whole reason I even had to step outside was to get a break from that stupid party of my sister’s.She got into Oxford. So what? It doesn’t mean that you should get a whole party! (Alright fine, maybe she does deserve it, but still!)Mark my words, I’m going to be even better than her. I’m going to be one of the first astronauts to get into The Skeld, the first spaceship to Mars. Human...

Read story

“Drunk on Coffee” by Leo Greer

By Caden Hill, “Gimme the next one!” Tyler roared. He was on his fourth drink so far, and had vowed on #3 that he would get past seven.“Ok, I’ll give you this one, but ya gotta promise it’s the last one. Just quit the dare.” Louis was not so enthused about his friend’s caffeine high.“What are you talking about? Last one? I’m only just getting started!”Tyler snatched the latte from Louis’s hand and began pouring it into his mouth, promoting an “Eeeew!” from the third person at the tab...

Read story

“Rags to Riches” by ♡ 𝕂𝕪𝕝𝕚𝕖 ♡

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I heard screams, but the echo was swallowed by the crackling of fire and screams. Horrified screams, but the source was unknown. Fire was pouring out of me, immersing my entire body in flames. It quickly seared my thin clothing, burning the fabric with ease. But it didn’t burn me. I didn’t even feel the warmth of the flames whose mission was to devou...

210 comments 210

Read story

“Called” by Zilla Babbitt

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The whole ragged forest of maples, oaks, and pecans was soaked in flames, curling up into delicate black butterflies, drifting to the ground and flung to the sky to smear the gentle early morning with charcoal and ash. I stood for a second on the stone in front of the door, bewildered by cold morning wind mixed with roaring flames that poured in from the south and flickered their way north. This time of year the maples and...

Read story

“The Apple Orchard” by Julia Boddie

Fruit picking. One of my favorite things to do. Picking blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, anything. I don’t know why I like it so much, it’s just interesting.~~~~~~~~~~“So are you coming or not?” Michael asked me.“I already said no. There’s no way my mom will let me go with you. She’ll think we’re dating or something,” I said.“There has to be some way I can change your mind.”“There is none. I can’t come. Go invite someone else.”

Read story

“"The journey mate"” by Syed nasim Aejaz ashk

"The journey mate"By: Syed Nasim Aejaz AshkThey were about two hundred and fifty in number and constantly flying at high speeds towards the destination. The intensity of hunger and thirst had exhausted their body strength to a great extent, but ignoring their surroundings and fatigue they were flying at lightning speed. Though he was also tired, but in view of the fear that his companions might lose the courage, he was showing a little too much self-confidence, hence, he eventually increased his speed gradually, n...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

1065

Submissions

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 16, 2020 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

Winning stories will be featured on our website and in our weekly newsletter. For more information, please consult our terms of use.

Submissions will be approved and published within 7 days of the contest closing.

Please keep your submission between 1,000 - 3,000 words.

Any questions? Check out our FAQ

reedsybookeditor

Tired of MS Word?

Join the revolution and write your book in a tool designed for authors. 🙌

Includes FREE typesetting to print-ready PDF & EPUB files, track changes and collaborative editing.

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Comedy Writing Prompts ⭢

Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

For Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

General Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢