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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#70: To Err Is Human

The other day I realized I’d made a pretty big mistake in the book I’m writing. This isn’t anything new. Writers of all skills levels make plenty of mistakes — if we didn’t, editors would be out of a job — but it’s still frustrating when you realize you’re going to have to throw out a few thousand words.

But writers aren’t the only ones who make mistakes, or at least we shouldn’t be. In order for your characters to grow and be interesting as people, they’re going to need to make some bad choices of their own.

This week, let’s dig deep into all the things your characters can mess up, whether it’s because of a deep-seated character flaw or just a really bad stroke of luck. The sort of thing that will haunt them for years to come, fuel their deepest regrets, and form a cornerstone of their personality going forward. It may be tough to put them through the emotional wringer, but I promise your story will be better for it.

This week's prompts

Write about someone who’s so obsessed with a goal that it leads to the destruction of their closest relationship.

Sad – 154 stories

Write about a character who everyone thinks is guilty of something terrible, but isn’t.

Thriller and Suspense – 179 stories

Write about someone trying to atone for a mistake they’ll never be able to fix.

Angst – 192 stories

Write about two people who know they’ve made a mistake, and one of them wants to tell the truth but the other wants to lie about it.

Kids – 120 stories

Write about a character who’s so afraid of making the wrong choice that their indecision ruins the very thing they were hoping to keep safe.

Sad – 85 stories

Stories

“Under My Wings” by Kate M

Submitted to Contest #70

Author’s note: For every mother (or father) who has ever watched their child drift, and for every child who has ever flown away.You were soft and safe here, under my wings. My feathers shielded you from the bitter cold, my lips caressed your forehead. You had nothing to worry about, nothing to fear. You were just smiles and big green eyes, a perfect child, happy as can be. You slept in my nest, the nest he and I built, the nest he left, the nest he never came back to. He flew overseas on strong, powerful wings, but he was lost somewhere, a p...

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“Tenacious” by Tim Law

Submitted to Contest #70

It was Ben’s inability to give up that led to the incident at the Staff Christmas Show. Tenacity was often considered a strong characteristic at Foots Sports, the sports shoe design company and Ben had tenacity in spades. Ben was picked first by managers and team mates alike when a big project was underway. It was tenacity that led (eventually) to Ben and Sally going out on their first date. As one date led to another and one big project followed on from the next Ben was sitting pretty at work and away. “I am so sure that Employee of the Y...

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“Kind of Embarrassing” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #70

“Maybe it’s a WITSEC family,” said Kevin, Jimmy’s friend from two doors down.Jimmy shook his head. “A wit what?”“You know. Witness protection? Run by the government? You haven’t seen the movies?”“Movies?”“The one with Steve Martin is fuh-nee! Maybe he’s in there.” Kevin pointed at the house in question. They watched from the curb across the street, leaning on the fire plug. Jimmy pulled his hood over his knit cap.“I don’t think Steve Martin... Why would he need…?”“He played a guy the mob was after, ‘cause he snitched.”“Oh, you mean…”“Yeah. O...

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“If Two People Were Hanging Off A Ledge..” by Trinity Womack

Submitted to Contest #70

Have you ever heard of the scenario where two people are hanging off a ledge, and you can only save one person and you have to decide who to save? Well Molly Lovel wondered how she had come to be in that very situation, in real life. One second, she, her boyfriend Hayden, and her mother, had been climbing a mountain, but the next second Hayden and her mother were sliding down. They barely managed to hang on before they fell over the edge and died. Molly froze, unsure of what to do. Then her brain woke up and she rushed over to them. She tr...

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“Box People” by Piper H

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #70

Trigger warning: domestic abuse The streetlight casts a dismal halo above the slumped figure, catching sharp glints of light in the misting rain. His coat clings to thin shoulders, the collar flopped in damp resignation on his neck. The evening November rain is so fine as to be invisible, present as only a chilly mist, but soaking all the same. Home, always tinged in his mind with a slight tang of bitterness he feels guilty about, but couldn’t prevent, is a few blocks down, past the nice part of town, but at least out of the rain. Ber...

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“I Fly Away” by ℤ ℍ☮️

Submitted to Contest #70

The smoke makes my eyes smoggy. I cough up a ball of grey air and light the head in red flame.I hear a click and turn backwards. Her dark brown hair brushes past her eyes. Her large eyes are now the perfect size, fitting her face perfectly. She's wearing a pink barbie dress that goes just past her knees. I try to avoid eye contact, balling the cigarette in my fist."So- you must be my mommy." Her voice is so sweet and smooth like honey. It sounds happy and mocking at the same time."Of course I am." I cough. Who else could I be? For a second m...

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“Broken Heart” by F. A.

Submitted to Contest #70

“Pam, could you come over to my house?” I pleaded.“Why?” the phone muffled back.“Just come over! Your surprise is waiting; ask no more.” I responded.“Okay, then.” Pamela hesitated, exactly as the doorbell rang.Down the stairs, I went, and to the door, I ran. “Here too soon, Ash?” my friend grinned.“What and how? Never mind! It’s freezing out there. Come in!” I panted.“Look, Ashley. You’ve got to accept the fact that I’m -”Finishing her sentence, I murmured, “More talented, more organized, more educated, and more trusted.” Pam raves abo...

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“Like a Box of Chocolate” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #70

I was given no choice when you stop to think about it. The person who sold the most chocolate in the state of Idaho would receive a trip to Busch Gardens in Tampa, and once I heard what was on the line, things like “friendship” and “camaraderie” became antiquated notions of the Before Times, when you could afford kindness because chocolate was free and handed out to you by strangers on Halloween. Matty, I’m sure, disagrees, and that’s why he’s destined to be the employee and not the employer one day. He’ll most likely be my employee, sin...

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“Small Acts” by Lily Joseph

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #70

Small Acts The milkman always leaves the bottles right in front of the door, right where Esther could trip over them, so I make it my job every delivery day to move them to the side of the step. I leave the house at six every Monday morning so that I can do this, sliding the basket carefully to the side so that the bottles don't clink together. Today I notice that the hanging basket above the door looks a bit dry. I'll come back later and sort that out. One thing less for Philip to do. ...

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“Worthless Pride” by Phoebe DeNeve

Submitted to Contest #70

"I can't believe you!" Miriam yelled, tears streaming down her already red face. "Miriam, this job could settle up the debt we owe." Caleb argued back, slamming his fist on the counter. "Or it could could fail completely and we would have a guarantee of becoming homeless! Think about the children for once and not just about yourself!" Miriam screamed, which startled the son and daughter who were listening behind the corner wall. "Who do you think about? This is the only chance we got and I'm going to take it whether you like it or not!" Cal...

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“Don't Tell” by Carrie O'Keefe

Submitted to Contest #70

“Sit and Start at the beginning.” The Inspector pointed at a pad of paper and a pencil setting on the table. Mathew picked up the pencil and began to write. It was a hot midsummer day. I meet up with Trevor and Bob over on Bray Berry Trail. At the end of the trail past the thicket of bushes and trees you’ll find a cliff. There is a nice small lake hidden away about 25 feet down. It is a steep decline but I bet we made the trip a dozen times or more. Once we reached the bottom, we decided to take a swim in the refreshing cool water of the lak...

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“A Hopeless Step Forward” by Cassandra Durnin

Submitted to Contest #70

“No! I can’t- I won’t let you do this to yourself!” She stared at him, some part of her brain vaguely wondering why he was so upset. They’d worked toward a cure their whole lives, hours spent in school, then university, then their lab. Every waking hour had been dedicated to finding a solution to a problem that could not be solved, and here he was, stopping her from taking the last little step. It was something so small, so insignificant, but Alec looked afraid. Terrified, even. But why? Death himself was knocking on her door, coming to r...

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“Cold sweat” by Eric Standlee

Submitted to Contest #70

Despite the bright sun and the cloudless day coming in through the two-story high windows, cold sweat trickled quickly as they heard said “Lord, my King, you know my loyalty. I have never stopped loving King and Kingdom. All I do brings honor and glory to my Lord. Your Majesty, I must take my leave.” As soon as the words came out, the lower stomach ached and butterflies raced up inside. What if they found out? Similar phrases rattled about silently. Surely small expressions betrayed the doubt. The heavy outer doors shut hard just after...

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“Professor.” by Marsha Webb

Submitted to Contest #70

Professor Patterson was hunched over his laboratory bench scribbling numbers and figures on the page like his life depended on it, in actual fact it very much might. For weeks he had been working twelve hour shifts, forgetting to eat, struggling to sleep, cut off from friends and family and any sort of reality, but he was determined to get the answer to this. He knew he could do it, thirty years in the field of virology this thing was not going to beat him. He had total faith in himself, he knew he had the skills, he just needed the time. T...

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“Afeared” by Tim Law

Submitted to Contest #70

“King Otto Battleblade you must listen to me!” implored General Hammer MacOrcbane. The two stout figures sat across from each other in the Great Drinking Hall, a grand table between spread with maps of the Twin Peaks Pass. Scouts had reported that The White Fang goblin clan had been sighted gathering forces in the pass. “We must close the Mountain Gates and defend whom of our people have managed to reach safety,” the General continued to argue. “But what of the pony farmers here and here, further south of the pass?” the King argued back. “Th...

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$50

Prize money

731

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 04, 2020 EST

Won by Irene Rebello 🏆

Title: What you made me.

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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