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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

“Judge Judy & Executioner” by R F

Submitted to Contest #75

Judge Judy & Executioner On my first day in prison, I asked if I could get a book out of the library—you see, I was that naive. Officer Perkins, or Piggy as she's known, laughed and laughed. It was the same laugh, hollow, and mean when I asked if we had access to higher education courses. When my sister came to visit, she brought me a book. I asked for a lengthy one. God, it pained me to shop for literature by weight, but beggars can't be choosers. She brought me the Infinite Jest, good lass that she is. She carried it in like she was ...

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“The Mysterious Peacock’s Haven” by Aisha Khan

Submitted to Contest #75

The hotel was called ‘Peacock’s Haven’, which was bewildering for some because it was nowhere near the light Indian plains that peacocks are known to nest in. Instead, this dwelling stood over the cliff that looked out to an open beach in the northern areas. With acres of grass and marsh outstretching from either side, the ‘Haven’ stood remote on the cliff. It was a small pretty building, with white-washed exteriors, irons railed balconies, and potted plants were strewn about. The most distinct feature was the roofs which were tiled with ric...

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“Nine Tenths of the Law” by Pepe Bellerin

Submitted to Contest #75

A tear streaked down Abe’s cheek as he stomped down the steps of the bank. “Foreclosed!” He screeched. “Foreclosed! Beatrice, they’ve taken it!” He reached the carriage where Beatrice was waiting for him and threw himself against it with a wailing cry. She observed him as she always did when he got emotional; completely unfazed. Abe turned to her, cheeks red as if slapped. “That’s it!” he declared. “They’re gonna take Pa’s farm and sell it and there’s nothing we can do!” Beatrice shrugged. “Don’t think that’s true, Abe.” “Oh do...

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“My Friend, and My Friend ” by Lama Diriyeh

Submitted to Contest #75

Dear diary - I guess? - It’s my first time writing a diary and I quite forgot how it works. I know it’s the 3rd of Jan and not the first, but I have been a little busy these days. Well, no, I actually forgot. I think I must tell you why I started writing a diary at all. Well, it’s my brother! He started one so I thought I might do so too. Mom said it would be cool if I put a goal I wish to achieve this year, and since I have nothing else in mind to write today I thought of an extraordinarily unique and diff...

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“The Repeating Resolution” by Monica Chaddick

Submitted to Contest #75

Sandra made her New Year’s resolution every single year. She always made the same one, had for the past ten years. The problem, however, was that no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t seem to keep it. She knew that millions of people made the same resolution that she did – to lose weight. She also knew that the majority of people failed to keep their resolutions – especially that one. This did not in any way make her feel better. &...

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“Fading Resolutions” by Olabanji Aliu

Submitted to Contest #75

The sharp and loud sound of the 3-round bangers erupting at the front of the houses down our street kept making me feel ecstatic. It was a dark and chilly night, or morning I should say since it was the first day in the new year and the adjacent church had just concluded its crossover service. The bangers gave no light as the little boys threw them up but it was the 'pa-pa-pa' sound that gives them joy and a little smoke. The real fireworks was on display at several other adjourning streets and I could see them all from my room in my Dad's m...

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“The New Years Resolution” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #75

The New Years Resolution Suzanne Marsh She sat quietly; knowing that she needed to learn to drive. She had avoided it for almost fifteen years. Her husband kept telling her it would be easier if she drove, she would have to walk almost two miles to work. That was all well and good but she preferred to walk. They toasted the New Year in. She looked into his baby blue eyes: "My New Year's resolution is to learn to drive this year. Will you teach me?" He smiled into her beautiful brown eyes: "Ah, that is great...

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“A Way Out” by Taylor Sipp

Submitted to Contest #75

My name is Jody Miller, and I make people disappear. No, I don't kill them, I don't even dislike the people I help vanish. I think of them as clients, and it's my job to give them a new life. At all cost. I don't work for the CIA or anything like that, in fact what I do is highly illegal, but to me it's necessary and I have the means. I'm on my way to a client right now. Her husband is a highly dangerous drug lord, and she wants out. She'd literally have to be dead to leave him, or look like she is. That's where I come in. I've erased and ...

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“Starting Anew” by Abbi Martin

Submitted to Contest #75

Olivia woke up to the bright sun peeking through her half-opened blinds. She yawned as she sat up in bed and drowsily looked at the clock on her bedside table. It read 7:22 am. She took the sun’s early greeting as a welcome into the new year. Today was New Year's day. The realization struck Olivia and she rushed to get ready for work. For Olivia and Seek For the Better You, the company she worked for, New Year’s Day was the most important and busiest day of the year. She had completely forgotten about the early start time they had implemente...

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“Say His Name” by Kaitlynn Long

Submitted to Contest #75

“Mutatio arise from another realm, For here my soul feels overwhelm Take me now to another home Where someone new I can become,” Sabrina finished the spell before a cool breeze whisked around her and fog filled the room. She stood tall as her 3’7” frame would hold her as the deity formed. “Who here summoned me?” Mutatio looked around the room- appearing to not quite see the small girl before him. “I did sir!” she announced in her meek voice. Mutatio looked down at the girl and doubled over laughing, he leaned ...

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“Over Under” by Chris Cobb

Submitted to Contest #75

Charlie could not do it any longer. He carefully marked his place, sat his book down, and headed out of the room. He had been trying to read the same book for nearly six months. The noise had become far too distracting. Almost nothing would help anymore. They always came at the worst of times. He quickly checked his outfit in the mirror, and he went through the front door. As he was getting into his car, he noticed that he forgot to put on his tie. He considered going back inside to get it but decided he would rather not waste time on someth...

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“Sticks and Souls” by Diana Quill

Submitted to Contest #75

I'd like to think that if I were human, I would have become a geologist. That future was so close, a minnow's breath away from gracing my fingertips, it's golden light seeping into my hands and tingling up my arms. And then I was thrust backward, as if taken by the scruff of my neck, and the happy left my skin. I was but a young soul, yet I knew what had happened. A new tingle at the back of my skull, a sense of purpose and duty that hadn't been there before, dragged me down with its own gravity, and I had been given a Task. One that would n...

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“Joie de Vivre” by Aditi Srivastava

Submitted to Contest #75

“I live my job. I wake up and think about it, I talk to people about it, I use it to give meaning to my life, I understand the world better because of it, I complain about it pretty frequently. While all of this gives me perspective, it also hinders my objectivity regarding my profession.So, when I was asked to give a speech about my job, I decided to take a break to maybe collect my thoughts and experiences over the years and come up with something that was relatively coherent.I would like to begin by defining my line of work to the best of...

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“H334” by Christina Arcuri

Submitted to Contest #75

The woman tightly gripped her barf bag. It was of the least concern given the circumstances, but admittedly she had been looking forward to the view on her flight. She felt silly for feeling this way; it didn’t matter now. The craft was in auto drive and the pilot had been side eyeing her for a long time. She had grown tired of it. “Don’t think you can try anything just because of where you’re taking me.” “Don’t think just because you’re here that you are of any interest to me.” “Well you’re looking at me like I am.” “I’m looking at you like...

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“Finding myself” by Marta Trales

Submitted to Contest #75

“I promise to be happy…” “Louder! Louder! Louder!”. I feel a murmur growing inside me… 364 days passed by, 364 times I tried searching, 364 pieces of me. … It is a beautiful night, people are smiling, people are dancing, people are happy. The crowd is moving forward, taking me with its movement. The boulevard does not seem enough for...

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$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!

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