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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

“Out of Sight, Out of Mind” by Sarah Linseed

Submitted to Contest #75

Helping myself means letting down those who care about me. Everyone wants me to remember. The people claiming to be my family and friends, the doctors, the police. I was the only one there, the only one who supposedly witnessed the death of young Misty Melville. I was the only one who survived the encounter, yet I came back bringing more bruises and mysteries than they had in the first place. If they could solve me, put together the scattered pieces in my brain, they could solve the puzzle and help future victims. But I’m a vic...

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“Worlds Apart” by Robin Goodfellow

Submitted to Contest #75

Worlds ApartA short narrative inspired by Reedsy’s Weekly Writing PromptsWritten byRobin GoodfellowHer heart surged with activity as the metal door with a glass pane slid over her. A hiss of air rushed out. Effectually Entombed she thought to herself. She would have shouted but no one would have heard her. Or at least paid her any mind. She was of course here on her own volition. It was the string of hope lent down by Grandmother spider to free her from herself.There were a few other bodies in the room clad in stereotypical lab attire. ...

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“Bob ?” by Sylvia Lucas

Submitted to Contest #75

It was a long trip, Bob thought. He didn't remember where they were going. Was it his boat , or was he sailing with a mate ? Ha ha, joking in his head with no one to get the joke, pretty feeble joke though...sailing with a mate ! Was he the Captain, the mate or a member of the crew ? He was definitely not a paying passenger because he was positive that they did not expect or allow paying passengers to climb up the mast ! Did they expect anyone to climb up amast in this day and age ? He certainly remembered clinging to the mast and swaying r...

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“The Gardener ” by Zinobulali Goduka

Submitted to Contest #75

Thursday, 9 April 2020 It has been a week since I came back from the hospital. Madam has gone from utterly condescending to an excruciating silent treatment. The fear of being obsolete is slowly materialising into an unbearable reality as days go by. I know everyone is frustrated by the rising numbers of fatalities and anxious to do anything that might expose them. This anxiety is multiplied if one is living with a recovering patient. Madam has never been one to hide her feelings, and when she does, she is not very good at it. Hen...

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“The Truth About Me and My Family” by MM Z

Submitted to Contest #75

Dahila stood still and waited nervously. It was almost her 18th birthday. In a few days, her house would be filled with joy and celebration, but she felt different. Something felt off, it felt like she was missing something - something she needed to know before she turned 18. Her mom was in the kitchen, cleaning the counters and cabinets, preparing for Dahila’s 18th birthday. She was wondering why she felt this way - it was her 18th birthday after all - the one special day you only get once in your life. Her fa...

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“In My Dreams” by Jessica Lu

Submitted to Contest #75

Felicity...I lie awake each night without your presence. Even under the layers and layers of blankets, you insisted on draping over our bed on humid summer nights, it feels cold without you next to me. On the few nights that I manage to close my eyes and slip away into another world, the same dream haunts me every night. Whenever I close my eyes, the lights of cars passing by flit over my shut lids, and I feel myself twisting through empty space into the same parking lot, filled with used and unwanted cars. It’s always raining here a...

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“Born Yesterday” by Heather Ann Martinez

Submitted to Contest #75

Born Yesterday By Heather Ann Martinez If you are reading this, it is because the doctor at St. Edna’s medical center asked me to write about my experiences. Some would tell you they were not born yesterday. I am here to tell you, I was born yesterday. Actually, three days ago. I woke up in a hospital bed at St. Edna’s with no memory of who I was or how I got there. The doctors gathered that I must be in my mid-thirties based on some blood work. They asked me if I could recall any smells, sights, or anything I heard befo...

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“Muddled Murder” by Kane A Thunder

Submitted to Contest #75

The first thing I saw when I woke up was the blood. My mind went into a full panic mode, and I flipped out. I started checking all over myself to see where I had been injured, my bloody hands smearing the blood all over my clothes. Then I realised I wasn’t injured, which could only mean one thing. It was someone else’s blood. But whose? I had no idea. In fact, I had no idea where I was. All I could see around me was a dark, narrow street. I was standing on the sidewalk, quite far away from the nearest streetlight. Above me was the clear nig...

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“LIFE IS ONLY THE PRESENT” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #75

LIFE IS ONLY THE PRESENT Carol looked smug at herself in the mirror. Even if she wasn’t particularly vain, it was undeniable that she was a very beautiful woman. Her face, with large and, at the same time, sculpted features, with high cheekbones, , with high and wide forehead, and great eyes with bright specks, golden dots in the green of the iris, the perfect nose, straight, neither too massive, nor too thin, neither too long, nor too short, and with a fleshy mouth, was undoubtedly a beauti...

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“Smoke Break” by Ashley Thornton

Submitted to Contest #75

Part 1 Normally we’d wrap up at the office before seven at night, but Christa wants us to make our new years eve vows together in order to stay accountable. My boss thinks that this is a great idea. She’s such a suck up. “I vow to be a better representative of this company.” “I resolve to quit smoking cold turkey.” “I want to get a girlfriend.” My boss looks at me. “How about you Christa?” I hold back a sigh. “I want to be somewhere. Anywhere. But here.” I walk out of the room. Shawn follows me. His name is stupid, generic, and exh...

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“One on Each Side” by Samrin Showkat

Submitted to Contest #75

Trigger warning: abuse, suicide, miscarriage The walls of the dingy, sparsely lit room reverberated with the agonized screams of a woman undergoing one of the most excruciatingly painful, yet pivotal tasks of her life. She was stretched thin, and with one final push, the room became silent with anticipation and apprehension; before the atmosphere was shattered with loud, heartwarming wails. The midwife cleaned up the baby as well as she could and placed her on the mattress on the floor, right beside the other baby. Yes, the wom...

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“Natural Power will Reign Forever” by Toni Whitman

Submitted to Contest #75

We are star fleet 5!The earth needs our help and we are the only ones who can save it.Though it's going to take some strict dedication from both of us.As our precious time will be compromised, but it's all for a very good reason.So our work ethics must be the best for this mission, as we venture into our projects.We will also need to stay completely focused by all means, on the task at hand...In the creating process Captain Fay.Commander Alejandro said.Yes, I know what we must do Commander.Fay said.So since that's been said and we clearly bo...

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“Listen to my clueless heart, please. ” by Mikee Baquiano

Submitted to Contest #75

Wedding night, the honeymoon stage, together with your husband, Jimin, in an arranged marriage bonded by both your families, you’re both forced to produce an heir for your families. Alone in the bathroom preparing yourself for tonight, he waits outside. Wearing your honeymoon lingerie given by your in-laws, you prepared yourself, finishing the last touches on your outfit. Done with yourself, you take a deep breath, reminding yourself of the reason for all this, and putting on a fake smile. Opening the door leaving the room, you see ...

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“Rain Storm” by Lauren Ford

Submitted to Contest #75

As Kristen unlocked the front door she was welcomed by a pile of dirty dishes in the sink, toys everywhere, and a note. Sorry the house is a mess. I was in a rush this morning. Plus you just do such a good job at cleaning up and seem to enjoy it. Have a good day. Kristen crumpled the note into a tiny ball and threw it on the floor as she screamed in frustration. She flopped onto the couch and cried. All she wanted was sleep after working all night. Fighting to keep her eyelids open, Kristen began to pick up the toys strewn all across t...

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“Gone missing ” by Brooke Wilfond

Submitted to Contest #75

CHAPTER 1 THE NEW SCHOOl This was the day that Julia was going into 7th grade. She was super nervous. Yet she was also exited at the same time. She just moved from gulf shores alabama to duluth minnesota. So she is at a new school called duluth edison northstar. So when she got to school she met a friend named Chloe and brooke. Brooke had long dirty blond hair and Chloe had short brown hair. She was also in the same grade as them. She had history and geometry with them and math with brooke. So later that day in history the teacher...

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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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