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!

#72: Shocking Developments

Have you ever heard that there are only so many types of stories in the world? Some people say seven, some say three, some six… Regardless of the number, the idea is that you can boil down any narrative into universal templates.

While it’s true that many stories do follow familiar structures (and understanding them can help you learn how to craft a compelling narrative), there’s so much variety in how those structures unfold that the best stories still feel fresh and original.

One of the ways writers manage this is by filling their stories with unexpected details — so this week, our prompts are all about characters finding themselves in situations they’d never have imagined. But to really get something unique, don’t stop there: ask yourself what would happen if your characters made each of the possible choices before them, then write the one that surprised you the most!

This week's prompts

Write a mystery where the detective realizes at the last moment that they have the wrong suspect.

Mystery – 117 stories

Write a romance where your character falls in love with the last person they expected to.

Romance – 193 stories

Write about someone getting a job offer they never would have thought to apply for.

Adults – 94 stories

Write about someone who gets an inheritance from a relative they’ve never heard of, but they’ll need to do something completely outside their comfort zone in order to collect it.

Teens – 144 stories

Write a science fiction story where all human behavior can be predicted — until your character does something the algorithm did not expect.

Science Fiction – 139 stories

Stories

“No Way Cincy” by Christian Hinrichsen

Submitted to Contest #72

Chris Hinrichsen Reeds y Contest 221 jchinrichsen88a@gmail.com No Way Cincy Downtown Cincinnati Three hours ago. A brown tall and lank basketball player in a bellhop suit for the Hilton. Knocks hard on a hotel door on the twelfth floor. Knock Knock “Room Service, Mr. Jones. Your rib dinner is ready.” The young bellhop pushes the cart with a dinner covered in steel tray and covers along with a Sterno cup. He spots a white man lying on the ground naked and spread eagle lying face down in a robe. Suddenly a shadow smashes a vase o...

Read story

“Guilty or Innocent ” by Melia Mendoza

Submitted to Contest #72

My sister, my very own sister millions of thoughts were swimming through my mind never in a million years would I have thought it would have been her. I'm a detective I have been working for the Star city police force for two years now I was so excited when I the captain said that. I would be on the case of trying to find a killer but I never thought that the murder would be someone I knew let alone my own sister. She was the killer though she murdered Jack Evans a sixteen year old who had been her boyfriend for a few months now. I still ca...

Read story

“We Didn't Start The Fire” by Zander Downs

Submitted to Contest #72

Going into the station today felt weird, it felt wrong. James didn’t have his usual smile at the front desk, Detective Strode didn’t run up to me the second I walked through the door blabbering on about a juicy new case she got, it even rained on the bus ride down Eighth Avenue, Which is always somehow sunny. In the absence of Strode’s morning chat, I noticed Captain Kelley outside the door of his office looking smug which is pretty normal, the difference was usually he’d be the only one like that. “What’ve you got for me?” I said with...

Read story

“The Case of the Missing Machete” by Sreeparna Sen

Submitted to Contest #72

The rain is relentless. I hear it thrumming on the metal roof of the garage outside and running down the broken pipe into the mud. I moisten my cracked lips with my tongue. I wonder if they’ll bring me food. I wonder if they’re coming at all. What is taking them so long? They should have been here by now. I have to get out of here. Everything about this humid room was making me sick. The staunch smell of blood, like that of a slaughterhouse, is nauseating me. And my stomach! It just won't stop lurching. With each passing moment, it aches all...

Read story

“She trusted you, Peter.” by Avi Jain

Submitted to Contest #72

Harry. Hey Michael, I have received a call from Sarah, Mark is dead. Michael. Is she the daughter of Mark? Harry. Yes she is and she believes that his father was murdered by someone they knew and trusted for a long time and she wants us to handle her case because it can get a bit tricky for the officials. She was hardly holding her tears. Michael. And you have called me, so I guess that I’m the one who is investigating a millionaire’s murder case? Harry. Yes Michael, will you please? I’m not giving you any pressure, just investigate and tel...

Read story

“The Unexpected Retributions” by Yashpaul Kalra

Submitted to Contest #72

Dr. Prashant Kumar Sharma had been employed in Birla Institute of medical science and also had under his control three more colleges. His job as a doctor was to look after those student studying there. He had three sons and two daughters. His eldest son Mukesh got had a good job in Delhi where his first daughter Mala was also married and settled. His second son Rakesh got a job in computer company named Wipro and he stayed in 28 Chrrysalis, Pune. Mr. Prashant Sharma along with this wife Prabha devi decid...

Read story

“Who Doesn't Love Donuts, Right?” by Morgan Hobin

Submitted to Contest #72

Who Doesn’t Love Donuts, Right? Susie Roberts, a young girl from Wyoming. Susie had thick strawberry-blonde curls that bounced whenever she turned her head. Her style; very preppy but also very chic. She wasn’t the most popular girl around, but her beautiful smile was unforgettable. Susie was a hardworking girl. She would spend her days learning in school, then she would drive over to the mall to work an evening shift at the little donut kiosk, Jim’s Classic, on the second floor. She loved her job, and she was great friends with all of he...

Read story

“Unwanted task” by Charrise Davatos

Submitted to Contest #72

Arthur was seconds away from throwing himself on the floor and banging his fist like a small child who didn’t get their way. “I have to what?” It’s only when his brother Shushed him did he notice that his voice became like a banshee screeching from hell, well, maybe even louder. He noticed the servants moving away, their eyes scanning him in fear. Arthur thanked the goddess there was no courtier or noble here right now. If there were, the gossip would be endless. With the servants he could control the gossip, being part of the gossip...

Read story

“Too Good Too Be Forgotten” by Jon Turner

Submitted to Contest #72

Tom was a keen dancer and every chance he got he would practice in his local community center, dancing was his life, he always felt alive when on a dance floor, and during his dance days he liked to enter competitions which took him around the country, he just couldn`t get enough of this, but working in his local ice-rink was a place he also loved, watching the figure skaters doing their routines always helped Tom with fresh idea`s for new moves in his dance routines. Carol was a close friend of Tom`s which every Friday and Saturday evenin...

Read story

“Abstract Worth” by Samah Kabir

Submitted to Contest #72

The summer rain was torrential. Aiden gazed at the sight of the concrete ground enveloping the tears of the cloud into its embrace. The sight was indeed mesmerizing but the feeling he felt contradicted it. A failure. That is what he felt like. He wished, he did not behave the way he had. He wished he realized earlier that it was possible to be in hopelessly love with the person whom they have hated their whole life. He wished he would have understood her and asked her if she had sinned or not. All he could do now was wish that he could cha...

Read story

“Red Lips” by Tenise Boyd

Submitted to Contest #72

Tammie bunched up the fabric she was working on as she took the pins out of her mouth. Pressing them into the flower print allowed the bunch to hold well as she turned the mannequin. Tammie smiled brightly as the outfit she was making looked finished with that change. All she had to do now was sew it. “Ooh, that the one for the Drag Queen showcase Tamara?” Jackson asked nearly pulling off Tammie’s leather jacket at the force of trying to see the ruffled flower dress. &...

Read story

“Will it work?” by Adaugo Nwachukwu

Submitted to Contest #72

In my sophomore year of high school, I had a short-lived friendship with this girl named Korie Hamilton. She was nice enough. A little too much purple eyeliner, a few too many likes sprinkled throughout her constant chatter, but we had every class together our first semester, so we kind of became friends by default. Anyway, Korie was forever yammering on and on about how her best friend on the entire planet was Stephen Daniels, a boy she’d known for all of four weeks before promoting him to BFF status. Apparently, it was, like...

Read story

“Uber Courtship” by Jeremy Zentner

Submitted to Contest #72

“I need to go kill my husband, please.”“I’m sorry, what?” I ask.“I need to go to the Hush Brand Hotel, please,” she says.My unease alleviates and I put the car into drive. We’re leaving a quiet neighborhood for the downtown area. It’s a quite Tuesday on a warm winter’s night, but the restaurant signs and shopping lights give the illusion of a vibrant city life.“I hope you like Beef Wellington,” I tell the passenger.“I’m sorry?”“Beef Wellington. The restaurant at Hush Brand Hotel is renowned for it.”“Oh,” she says.“I think I have a coupon in ...

Read story

“An Unexpected Romance: Yukemi” by Dinesh Divaharan

Submitted to Contest #72

It was just 4 months ago that Yukemi had asked me out. I was taken aback and just agreed. 4 months on and I still have so many questions. Why did she even ask me out? Why am I dating her? Why did I stay in it? “Here Juno! Come here! The fireworks are about to begin, and I want to watch it with you! Oh… what’s up? You seem bothered. Is something on your mind?” I turned around to see a pair of bright green eyes beam straight into mine. Her lips curved at the end into a minute and loving smile. Her dimples were accentuated under the brightn...

Read story

“OUR SHORT STORY” by Maple's The Pumpkin Lepus

Submitted to Contest #72

A doctor took off the brain tumor x-ray image from the screen. What a reaction he got, only a sigh from the doctor who has treated him for years. “Worsen.” The only word the doctor said. “You should not postpone your surgery. I should have just forced you before.” This time, the doctor looked into his face with regret for the past. “But, - man, is this the only way? I don’t want to live ‘here’ anymore. Don’t you get it?” He can only complain about his worsening condition as he has been kept warded for months. He was in despair. But, wh...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

687

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 18, 2020 EST

Won by Julie Ward 🏆

Title: Currents

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 ⭢