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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#69: Ties That Bind

We’re entering the season where families normally gather together in gratitude and celebration — and though many traditions will be taking a different shape this year, staying connected with those we love will remain just as important and meaningful as ever.

This week we’re going to explore the many ways that families influence our characters. Like it or not, our childhoods and the people who raised us have a strong influence on who we become as adults, which makes families a wonderful avenue for exploring backstory and building a strong character.

While writing your stories this week, try to think not just about the events taking place in your story, but the many years of family ties that preceded it. How do longstanding feelings, old wounds, and past events impact the conversations your characters are having now? And how will these events impact their relationship in the future? After all, your characters will be seeing these people for many years to come… Or will they?

This week's prompts

Write about a family adapting a holiday tradition to take place over video chat.

Holiday – 59 stories

Write about someone who falls back into childish behaviors whenever they’re around their family.

Kids – 66 stories

Write about someone who didn’t get along with their family as a child, but has since found an appreciation for them.

Teens – 112 stories

Write about a family’s first holiday after a parent has gotten remarried, and now there are new faces at the table and new traditions to be honored.

Holiday – 98 stories

Write about someone telling their family they won’t be continuing the long-standing family business.

Sad – 175 stories

Stories

“Elephant Day” by Amiable Sorceress

Submitted to Contest #69

Cleaning up confetti sucks. It sticks to everything; the fold-out couch, ancient desk drawers, and the neatly stacked boxes by the front door. Bits of chocolate is smeared on the tabletop, and plastic cups lie in disarray all over the tiled floor. “Martha Jean, you are late for school; again.” The moody teenager stalked out of the room, a raspberry tart still wedged halfway out of her mouth. After she slammed the door, I had finally picked up the last of the striped paper, wiping a towel across my sweaty face. “Hon...

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“Grief and Grandma” by . .

Submitted to Contest #69

"Hi!! How're you guys doing?" I said, struggling to make my voice heard over the sounds of everyone else. My words echoed through my aunt's audio, and I could hear her saying "What? What'd she say?" to my baby cousin George. I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen her in person, a year or two ago. It had been at grandpa's funeral, and she had been very drunk. "Hey Maisie, come on over here. Come on!" she'd yelled over from across the field. She was on her fifth martini, but I didn't stop her. No one did, because she'd just lost her fat...

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“Bye bye Sweet 'n' Treats!” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Submitted to Contest #69

Title: Bye bye Sweet 'n' Treats! Author: Haripriya Author's note: Hello everyone! I hope you're all having a happy Tuesday! This story is a bit more sad and depressing. Though I still enjoyed writing such a dramatic story about a family who won't be continuing their business. I hope you have a lot of fun reading it as much as I enjoyed writing this story! Darkness, everywhere I turn. It used to be such a lively place. Filled with people, lights, and smiling faces. That is what I loved about our bakery. Until my mother and father told me ...

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“Destinies Aren't Set in Stone (Backstory of Adira's Father)” by Kate Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #69

Authors note: This is the backstory of Adira's Father in Flawless Imperfection, so I would suggest you read that (if you haven't already) before you read this story. Thank you! :)Destiny. It’s your destiny. The words swirled around my head, making me want to scream. But I refrained, knowing that my parents would be downstairs. All my life, my parents told me that someday, I will be the next great Equal, that it was my destiny. That I would do things no human has ever done before. And I used to dream about that day, the day I become an E...

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“Two Faced” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Submitted to Contest #69

Title: Two Faced Author: Haripriya Authors Note: Hello everyone! I hope you are having a great Friday! I just want to say that the reason I picked this prompt was because it sounded a bit interesting, and at the same time a little funny to me. I wrote a very simple story, and hope this will give you a good laugh! Diary Entry: #68 Question of the day: How do people view you as a person? Many people might call me two-faced, because in a slight way... I am. Sometimes I am a little "bossy", or "mean" as others may define me. But other tim...

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“The Kid's Table” by Maya -

Submitted to Contest #69

Every Thanksgiving there were two tables. One was long and rectangular with a white table cloth draped over it. Knives, spoons, and forks were wrapped in lace napkins. They were held together with strings of seashells and bells that jingled when touched. The chairs had tall, elaborate backrests and feet shaped like the paws of lions. There was a carpet with a mandala design beneath the table that caught on the chairs when they were pulled out. The other table was in the kitchen. It was small and square-shaped with four chairs place...

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“Repairing Relationships” by Writer Maniac

Submitted to Contest #69

“No.” “What do you mean ‘no’?” “I mean that it isn’t worth it. Spending that much money isn’t worth it.” “How come when it’s something you both need, spending money is worth it? Whenever I need something is when the money is too much.” “Stop talking to your mother like that.” “Okay then, I’ll just shut up. That’s what is best for everyone, isn’t it?” Mom slaps me. My cheek is throbbing with pain, and I’m pretty sure it left a mark. But that isn’t going to stop me. “Whenever Madilyn needs something, the entire world wi...

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“Family Dinner” by Vicky S

Submitted to Contest #69

Cool water splashed against the sides of the goblet as it was poured from the jug, dampening the crisp cloth. “Oops, I’m such a butter fingers! Never mind,” Aunt Daisy giggles, patting one of my cheeks. I sniff as subtly as I can as the smell of moth balls reaches me. My cousins, seated around me, grin. They know I have an announcement to make. I have their support at least, even though they won’t stand next to me. If I can make a change, so can they, but if it all goes wrong, they’ll still be okay. The golden children of the family. I can f...

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“Weird” by Kathleen Doidge

Submitted to Contest #69

“This feels weird,” Stephanie mumbled, yanking her pudgy hand out of the mayonnaise jar.Mom chuckled, the red recording light of her camera blinking off. She leaned back, watching the footage over and over.Stephanie rolled her eyes and stretched the gooey arm as far away from her as possible. Mayonnaise sticks to everything. Nothing is sacred to that slimy white spread.She waltzed over to the sink, standing on her tippy toes to throw the water on full blast. Mom glanced up, daggers in her gaze. Stephanie quickly cleaned h...

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“Turkey Day Planning” by Mustang Patty

Submitted to Contest #69

At least once a week, Heather called her mother so they could chat. The tradition was long-standing, and sometimes they talked for almost an hour, and other weeks, it was just fifteen or twenty minutes, but it was the best they could do. And Heather knew that for her mother, it was a lifeline. Heather and her husband, JC, were career airmen in the Air Force. Heather only had a few more years left, but she and her mother always planned at least one get-together during the holiday season since she joined, back when she was eighteen. And wh...

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“Divorce Dangers” by ✨Abby ✨

Submitted to Contest #69

Holidays weren’t always this hard. I used to have fun with them, but this Christmas was different. Usually, both my parents were here. we’d gather around the table while we opened presents and laughed as my dog ran around, attempting to eat the wrapping paper as it fell from our laps. After the divorce, my whole life changed. I was happy; I thought our whole family was. That is until the shouting coming from my parent's room grew louder and more often. As I smoothed down my new, green satin dress, I knew this Christmas would be m...

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“To Be Loved” by Scout Tahoe

Submitted to Contest #69

You used to take pictures of the women you slept with. Every one of them had a forgettable face and some name that was on the first pages of dictionaries. They were always foggy-eyed when they woke up, whispering through unpainted lips and gathering their bag. The pictures were taken on your Polaroid camera. Those were the ones that came in muted colors and lived at the drugstore. Teenagers used them but you were twenty-seven. The film was expensive but the pictures were worth it. After they rolled out of the camera, you pasted them in ...

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“The Last Stage” by Itay Frenkel

Submitted to Contest #69

“Why is there an extra chair?” Mildred asked. I didn’t like Mildred, she was loud. Sometimes when I tried talking to her she would change the topic really quickly. When we were little, she took my toys before I could finish playing with them. It was like living with an alien. “That’s where mom used to sit,” I said. “Oh,” Mildred said, “then we don’t need that seat anymore.” “Yes, but we’re going to leave it there for a little while, alright sweetie?” My dad said. “Sure, I guess there’s nothing else to do with it anyway,” she ...

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“New Traditions” by 🕊 🎀 𝒱𝒶𝓇𝓈𝒽𝒶 𝒱𝒾𝓂𝒶𝓁 🎀 🕊

Submitted to Contest #69

Author’s note- This is not a backstory but the main character Isabella is Rachel’s grandmother mentioned in Regret, Rachel named her daughter ‘Bella’ after Isabella.“Isabella, this is my new fiance...your soon to be mother.” My father announced, I noticed he had his hand clasped around hers affectionately.“What about mum?” I whined. How could he even think about marrying someone else?“She’ll be in my heart but...” He looked at his new love. “So will she.” They exchanged a smile at each other.“We are to get married this month... in two weeks....

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“Out With The Regular, In With The New” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈 (inactive For The Summer)

Submitted to Contest #69

I stared at the door to my closet, anxiety eating its way into my throat as I gathered my courage to go face my new family.“Oakley!” My mother calls. “Come out of your room!”I take a deep breath and emerge from my closet.The crisp winter light seeps through my window as the sun sets. It's only four in the afternoon, but still, we are going to be completely dark by four-thirty.I look down at what I am wearing, a nice red dress that Mom and I went shopping for. It’s a little bit dirty from my time in the closet, but that’s good.I have been dre...

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$50

Prize money

510

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 27, 2020 EST

Won by Kate Le Roux 🏆

Title: To the Lowly Dove

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.

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