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!

#75: New Year, New You

For many of us, the last year was like living through a low-budget disaster movie — but the good thing about the new year is that it gives us an excuse to start fresh. And even though flipping a calendar doesn’t necessarily fix all our problems, it’s still good to take a moment and think about everything you do have the power to change.

In that spirit, this week’s prompts are all about fresh starts. From small, personal achievements to huge goals that will change the world, everything starts with the decision to try. What sort of things will your characters achieve this year? What sort of things will you?

This week's prompts

Write about someone who has finally managed to succeed at a long-standing New Year’s resolution.

Winter – 98 stories

Write about someone whose job is to help people leave their old lives behind.

Adults – 246 stories

Start your story with one character making a vow that they never would have made the year before.

Holiday – 102 stories

Write about someone who doesn’t remember their past — and doesn’t want to.

Thriller and Suspense – 205 stories

Write about two characters who each want to change the same thing, but resolve to go about it in very different ways.

Teens – 84 stories

Stories

“The Forger” by Kara O

Submitted to Contest #75

She cupped her hands and exhaled into them, breathing life back into her frigid fingers. Her gloves were too old, the wool too worn. But she could not complain when surrounded by those who wore hand-sewn leather coats as their only shield from the cruel desert wind. It must hurt to see without goggles protecting their eyes, but the children beamed at her, anyway. They were elated to have a visitor. Even the adults were elated. Only the camel seemed apathetic. Then again, if one's skin clung to their ribcage like that, they wouldn’t g...

Read story

“A Change in Life” by Chet McHenry

Submitted to Contest #75

“Please step right in.”Mabel feigned a smile toward the young woman who was ushering the line of people through the doorway. Beyond the young woman’s shoulder Mabel could see a soft pink light illuminating a very large room. Mabel stopped in front of the young woman and looked down to see her name tag “Henrietta.” Mabel silently cursed her failing eyesight causing her to lean quite close to Henrietta. “Am I in the right place Henrietta? The advertisement stated 15 Elm Street, Room 15.” &...

Read story

“Imogen-eerie ” by Laura Les

Submitted to Contest #75

The first time she entered the “Hideaway Office”, she found the atmosphere quirky but pleasant. The walls were pearly purple and the pieces of furniture around the room mismatched, some of the chairs were scarlet, others yellow, with cushions coming in different colours. The choice made for the desks was the most peculiar as, unlike the chairs and the prevailing style of the room, they looked old-fashioned. One could have seen these in period films or imagine Charles Dickens writing one of his masterpieces on them. Her eyes filled w...

Read story

“Akhtem Kurbanov” by Oṣumare The Astronaut

Submitted to Contest #75

There was something about the night that the dead loved. Something about the cold and dark that got them excited and made them come out of their hiding places to play. Akhtem didn't know what it was, but all he knew was that he liked it too. Wearing his coat over his waistcoat and walking in the dark with his walking stick in hand gave him more pleasure than any orgasm could. To most people, it was just a chilling night in November, but to Akhtem, it was a night to work. There was one more thing about the dark he loved; the dead. Around hi...

Read story

“Waiting for the next train.” by Jahnavi Singhal

Submitted to Contest #75

(Past Arshi): I spent my whole life here but not any more just one year more and then here I come my dreams !Present Arshi : I can't go I got no option.(Past Arshi): I always wanted to sit in the train all alone me with my though and those beautiful running trees, mountains,wind...Present Arshi: I don't know if I will ever even go to the station again.(Past Arshi): Nobody can stop me! not even the money issues and mamma papa I got everything settled and prepared.Present Arshi: Mom really needs me right now and there is no way I am leaving he...

Read story

“2020: Hindsight” by Jerome Smith-Pula

Submitted to Contest #75

I’m never falling for another dropkick again. The picture that was still in my photos on my phone, looked back at me with a sour vibe. As to why I still have this photo on my phone, irks me. But I can’t let go of the past and the past doesn’t want to let go of me. I remember this night, last year. It was New Year’s Eve. I had decided to go to the party my bestie invited me too. It was out in the posh suburbs, out west so strategizing my outfit was key to a good night, and not to be judged by the other attendees. I decided to ...

Read story

“THE HAUNTED CONSCIENCE” by Ebenezer Kpakpo Addo

Submitted to Contest #75

“Uche, this reminds me of.........”; “Just get your mouth shut and let's concentrate on the reason we are here”; Uche replied Obiri worringly “I wonder why he always have issue with words related to memories; what at all is wrong with Uche”; he said to himself. They both left happilly after receiving the payment and an extra money for their good job. On their way home, Uche showed great sign of fear immediately he heard the voice and set sights on the bird. “He walked quickly ahead of me into our ghetto (a small wooden structure but trust ...

Read story

“Memory Lapse” by James Morris

Submitted to Contest #75

The heat from the thousand-watt light bulb was starting to get to Linda. The Detective was not going to let off until he received the information he wanted, and Linda was not about to give it to him. “Let’s start again, Ms. McIntyre,” Detective Cheney said. “Were you at the Hotel Ambrosia yesterday evening?” “I don’t know,” Linda replies with a smug look on her face. She feels if she continues to deny her whereabouts, the Detective will not have any proof for his investigation. “I have a video from the hotel lobby that shows you enteri...

Read story

“I can't remember” by Diana Huckaby

Submitted to Contest #75

Leanna smiled as she thanked the couple who had been sitting in her section. They had left her a nice little tip the tip wasn't much but it was enough to help add to her pay check so she could at least cover her rent for the next month. Sighing and she glanced over the old dinner clock and smiled it was finally time for her shift to be over. Walking into the back she slipped off her apron and leaned against the wall slowly sliding down. "Lea? Are you okay?" her friend Krissy asked when she came around to the lockers. "Yeah girl I'm just ti...

Read story

“Once and for All” by Michelle Knight

Submitted to Contest #75

For Ecko, the yuletide season was a nightmare playing out in reality. Bless Jesus for the season but the merriment and festivity in her household was always overboard. She had somehow managed to evade Christmas at home this year but on the thirtieth of December, the blaring of the telephone began her morning with her angry mother on the other end. If not, why would she be trudging up the doorstep of the Kume family house? With a sigh and a defeated look, she pushed the door open, stepping into the room. “Hello!” Ecko cried out. This was high...

Read story

“What is Hidden Inside ” by Emma Taylor

Submitted to Contest #75

Ariana sits on the foam laced chair in the waiting room. Her head rests against the cool brick wall as her eyes pursue the new piece of abstract art added to the room's collection. Bold, striking colours blended together with obscure patterns. She loses herself in the painting, her brain working overtime to figure out what is hidden amongst the swirls and lines of paint. It is the red that pulls her in, such a passionate colour yet something deadly. Something that forces her fingers to stroke the scars on her wrist. “Dr Fisher is ready to s...

Read story

“Scars Can Be Deeper Than The Skin” by Carole Cobos

Submitted to Contest #75

“What do you mean you don’t care?”He simply shrugged, lounging comfortably on the sofa. What else did the so-called friend want him to say? That he wanted to remember his past? That he wanted to relearn how he got all his scars, his limp, his glass eye? How he had more electrical burns on his skin than any man should? Almost as if he’d been routinely struck by lightning...No.He was good, thank you. “Gabriel, you can’t be serious-”“You know what my name means?”The asian man pauses, then smiles softly “It means ‘God is my strength’. ...

Read story

“John” by A.L. Shilling

Submitted to Contest #75

John leaned over his journal, intent on his writing.Entry #45It’s been 37 days since they stole my memories. I’m still no closer to discovering who they are, but as each day passes, my drive to find them weakens.At first, I wanted to remember my old life, desperately. I wanted to know who my family was and who my friends were. I wanted to know what kind of education I had received. I wanted to know what job I had. But now…Now I don’t care. I am free. I want to say that I am finally free, but I have no idea whether or not I was feeling oppres...

Read story

“Community Service” by Julie Frederick

Submitted to Contest #75

“You know,” Dorothy said, clutching a mug of milky tea in her papery, purpled hands, “my husband – Harold was his name – had this irritating habit of never quite finishing a cup of coffee. In our fifty-six years of marriage, I must have made him hundreds, even thousands of cups, and without fail he always left a tiny amount, no more than a mouthful, at the bottom. I learned quickly, after a few spills, never to whisk a forgotten mug off the table without checking it was empty. It never was.” She chuckled and sipped her tea, her cloudy blue e...

Read story

“Memories” by Daryl Oliver

Submitted to Contest #75

Scott Francis had just spent the past nine hours on a plane and was trying to figure out the information that was in his possession. He remembered some of the previous day. He remembered the man who dropped him off at the airport. There was the room that was barred shut. Then there were flashes of pictures that were like grey shadows. When Scott tried to recall anything else about himself, there was a dull pain and a lot of blank space. The packet of papers that he had in his possession were very basic things. It was a birth certificate, a ...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

735

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 08, 2021 EST

Won by R. A. 🏆

Title: The Violinist

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 ⭢