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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#76: He Said, She Said

Is there anything more satisfying for a writer than that moment your characters suddenly come alive in your mind? For me, this often comes in the form of a conversation — I know I finally understand them when they start talking to each other without any effort on my part.

From witty banter to subtle conversations packed with unspoken threats, there’s so many ways dialogue can drive a story forward. As you craft your stories this week, really think about what your dialogue is saying about your characters. What are they willing to admit to each other, and what are they trying to keep hidden?

And in case you need a little help crafting the perfect retort, here’s a few resources to get your characters talking:

This week's prompts

Write a story told exclusively through dialogue.

Dialogue – 349 stories

Write about two people who just can’t seem to understand each other, no matter how clearly they think they’re speaking.

Sad – 79 stories

Write about a character who is incapable of telling even the smallest lie or half-truth.

Character – 80 stories

Write a conversation that takes place between two people who refuse to say what they mean.

Dialogue – 58 stories

Write about a character who’s always thinking of things they’ll say to people, but who ends up saying very little when they finally get the chance.

Character – 219 stories

Stories

“Resolve” by Goodness Woke

Submitted to Contest #76

He pushed the study door open and the King's flinty stare met his. Without hesitation he took a seat opposite his father, straightening his Royal blue jacket. The king's fingers steepled as he dumped whatever it was that he was writing on the desk and studied Philip. They both had been through this routine so many times before that Philip knew what was expected of him, this time however, his instincts told him that the stakes would be much higher, so he willed his racing heart to calm itself. His eyes avoided that of his fathe...

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“A Sleepy Misunderstaning ” by Lucy Nowland

Submitted to Contest #76

I glanced at Gavin's sleeping face and frowned. He was always sleeping. Why couldn't he just manage to stay awake? He couldn't even manage a few waking hours. Not even our daughter's graduation! I huffed and turned my gaze back to the stage. I watched hundreds of alumni walk across the stage to receive their diplomas before they got to my Katie. Katie looked so pretty in her cap and gown, well as pretty as anyone could in the ugly mustard yellow gowns. She stumbled across the stage. She had always been clumsy. I remembered when she was in f...

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“Pitter-Patter” by Cosmic Cassi

Submitted to Contest #76

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Rain pelted the cement outside, big fat drops from the sky. The earth swelled with lust for the moisture and drank it until it no longer could. The remaining pooled on the surface, leaving puddles of tears from the gods. The air smelled liked dirt, and I wonder what rain would smell like on other planets. Surely our earthy scent was unique, a natural odor that could not be reproduced. “What do you think Mars smells like?” I was supposed to be meditating but a wandering mind has many questions. For example, if I di...

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“Old Goksar” by Chris Wagner

Submitted to Contest #76

Goksar and I knelt on prayer rugs beside each other on the cliff behind Bencap's Takofuea, watching Kaybok (class G1V star), rise above the ocean. Behind us, at the Takofuea proper, male and female monks bowed before a ziggurat-like structure, chanting prayers and singing to their god, Ponai. The sky purple sky reflected the deep burgundy ocean water. I'd become fluent enough in Wava to ask for the information I wanted, I just didn't know if Goksar had it. Everyone said the old monk knew more about ancient lore than anyone else...

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“Not Brainier Than a Chimp” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #76

The show started with a close-up shot of the presenter. ‘Hi, I’m Ashlee Johnson. Thank you for watching our program- A chat with experts. Today we have Dr. Richard Prince as our guest in the studio.’ The third camera’s master shot feed with both the presenter and the guest appeared on the screen. Ashlee turned her attention toward Dr. Prince and said, ‘Dr. Prince, thank you for accepting our invitation.’ The second camera’s feed with a close-up shot of Dr. Prince came on the screen. ‘Thank you for having me.’ Dr. Prince said and ended his s...

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“The End of Our Road.” by Laura Clark

Submitted to Contest #76

I thought we could work things out, as if things would be different this time. How could I continue to allow you to return after the many arguments we've had. "No, I will not allow you to sit here and mock me Jeremy." Elle said. "Sit here and mock you? That's not the case here Elle." Jeremy said confusingly. He told me three days after our wedding night that he didn't want kids. He knew my plans of being a stay at home mom and taking care of our family, why did he change his mind last minute? "We talked about this for days on end before we c...

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“Conundrum” by Jessica Dzer

Submitted to Contest #76

Champ stared passively through the glass at the aggressive torrents that tore through the sky and made home on the ground he stood on. Watching the rain had always seemed to him like a trivial thing to do, he never understood what people loved about water falling continuously and preventing regular day to day activities; or at least slowing them down. It was time wasting as well as vigorously annoying and time was money. But as he sat still embracing the chill the rain came with, he figured listening and watching it was better than...

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“Fear of Rejection” by Carole Cobos

Submitted to Contest #76

Brushing her fingers against his cheek all she can think was... 'I choose you'."Sage," he breathes, his eyes like shadowed ice and wholly on her "please. Can I...?"He was the one- he was the one! It wasn't her handsome, sweet, considerate tutor. Though a part of her will always love Louis. After all, he was her first love (okay, fine. Feeling were still there.) The first one to break her heart. He will always have a claim on some corner of her heart. But at this moment, with Trydez, superhero to the city, so close...it felt right.And he love...

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“THE ART OF LYING” by Oracle Ferguson

Submitted to Contest #76

"It is in fact the easiest thing to do," Freddy stated, as he tried to explain his difficulty in understanding how a person could not lie.Frederick Douglass or as commonly termed among his friends— Freddy, the Flawless,— has been rather a pioneer himself at lying; telling every bit of absurd thing without even raising a single brow. People seem to have believed everything he said to be the truth, whereas poor Joe here, being an utter failure in the "art of lying", as they put it, made a complete fool of himself everytime he tried to do it or...

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“Lies aside” by Dorcas.T Muselemu

Submitted to Contest #76

It's true when they say only the truth can set you free or is it? "What do you expect me to say I don't like it. 'When buying something for someone you should first know what they like'. You should have asked me what I wanted." "I put in so much effort to surprise you and get you a gift, that's all you have to say?" Jane was not one to tell a lie no matter who it was. Her best friend Lisa just got her a fancy dinner dress as an early birthday present. Jane was 24 years old and her birthday was coming up in a week time. Her family and friends...

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“Choices” by Linda Bakewell Bakewell

Submitted to Contest #76

The woods near the old well were dark and deep. There were stories, as there are always stories, that if you had a problem which could not be solved by conventional means you could go to the woods and your problems would be solved. One dark winters night a young woman made her way to the woods with a problem which plagued all young women. She craved entry into a prestigious university but lacked the funds to achieve this goal. Of course, finding a wealthy patron is always an option but those came with further risks. Many young girl...

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“Jackson” by Dilettante Shultz

Submitted to Contest #76

Jackson didn’t consider himself a thief. If, from time to time he took something small that wouldn’t be missed, no harm done, right? His older brother, Scott, oftentimes hid snacks in his room: honey buns, potato chips, he’d even found an entire box of candy bars once; where Scott got the money for them it never occurred to Jackson to question. He got home from school at 3:45, exactly fifteen minutes before Scott’s bus would be pulling up to the stop down the streets. Plenty of time to give Scott’s room a semi-thorough search before his brot...

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“Broken Talks ” by Christian Hinrichsen

Submitted to Contest #76

Broken Talks FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center) Glynco, GA The Class of 2008, begin their walk to their assigned classrooms. Mack McCauley, a Caucasian man with short lack and gray marine cropped hair wearing a dark polo shirt and khaki pants is joined by Robert “Badge” Mitchell a Caucasian man with short G-man cut brown hair and beard with justice blue eyes and glasses wears a white dress shirt and black plum necktie and khaki brown dress pants and walking with a cane and carrying an FBI PERT Kit escorts Mack to his assi...

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“What An Odd Boy” by Beatriz Jenson

Submitted to Contest #76

The boy waits at the bus stop, checking his watch every two seconds, a part of him chipping away everytime a minute passes. He kicks at a little stone, smirking at how helpless it is, how it cannot run away, having no choice but to endure his painful kicks. He messes around with it a bit more, and finally, out of boredom, he crushes it with the heel of his shoe. More minutes pass. This time, the boy stomps on the already broken pieces of rock. Not because of boredom, but because of anger. He stomps and stomps until they are nothing but grain...

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“Labda” by Ian Njenga

Submitted to Contest #76

The Boy must prevail. He knows this. The sun, that hangs heavy on the sky, about to recede into the unknowns of tomorrow, but, still sharp enough to drench him in the salty waters of his vesicles and cloud his sight in a kaleidoscope of color knows this. The wind and earth work together, conspiring to muddle and unsettle him even further with their fog of sand because they too know. They know the Boy, know what he wants and hopes to achieve by the day's end. They've watched him before more than once and as their own version of a cosmic joke,...

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$50

Prize money

787

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 15, 2021 EST

Won by Rinnie Leigh 🏆

Title: Him

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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