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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

“The pain ends here...” by Sivaprakash .

Submitted to Contest #76

“Hey IceBear."“Hi Venti”“Do you have friends in real life who know about this?"“No, I do have friends though.”“Hmm, you should tell someone trust worthy, an adult”“Why? They said they would kill me.”“That’s literally a dead threat.”“I know. That’s why I am scared.”“You should go to police or something and tell them the seriousness.”“No. I can’t.”“This is physical abuse... and dead threat... The police should help. You can’t be abused everyday.”“I-I Cant”“There must be a way to get out of this.”“I am hurt too much. They broke my arm in Novemb...

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“Decieved” by Faiza Zayan

Submitted to Contest #76

The sky roared with sodden rain, crying huge teardrops of cold water. The ground was flooded with the immense amount of icy, chilling rainwater. It covered the houses and rushed past the roads rapidly. It smothered the windows and dripped like blood onto the damp ground. Draped across some cars were thick, grey bits of hail that resembled lifeless entities smothered all over the last living beauty of the world. Storms brewed on the emotionless horizon, promising nothing but winds to level even the migh...

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“Silent words , Loud thoughts. ” by Kamilya Oster

Submitted to Contest #76

Why does this always happen to me ? Why can't I just be normal like everyone else? Janice must think that I'm really bovine when I was kneeling down beside her patting her shoulder , and staring at her with my mouth opening and closing like a fish deprived of water. That was my chance to help lead Janice to Jesus. God gave me an opportunity to talk to one of the most popular girls in school and I blew it. I sat their next to her petting her shoulder like a lap dog struggling to find the words to speak while she stared at me with a bewilder...

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“Mi life in Canada ” by Nancy Quintero

Submitted to Contest #76

My name is Nancy; I want to tell you guys about my beautiful experience here in Canada ,we came to Canada after the twins tower happen in USA . That fact bring us here ; my husband Gustavito and my two children Laura and Theo . we came to a little town in Ontario Called Welland and there our adventures begin. the first thing to do was learn English; because we came from Colombia and our first language was Spanish .We came here by the first days of December and by the end of the same months we need stay in a provisional shelter . After that w...

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“Toxic Friendships ” by Carman Hall

Submitted to Contest #76

These jeans are slippery. That sounds weird; I’ll find a better way to say that. One that doesn’t make me sound like an old, creepy guy on Craigslist. It isn‘t really the jeans themselves either; it’s the zipper. I got these at a local thrift shop and they functioned just fine then. Three months later, no, five months later, and the thing just won‘t stay up. That’s what she said... Anyway, I liked them. They were better fitting than the ones I found at “regular“ shop, which those ones would have cost me nearly forty dollars! Forty. Dol...

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“What you want to hear” by Merel Cooijmans

Submitted to Contest #76

1214 words Peter walked into the poorly lit bar. He smelled the scent he knew so well. The scent that reminded him it was Thursday again. Every Thursday he met up here with his old university buddies, Jimmeny and Ronald. Or Jim and Ron, as they were known to him. He sat down at the table which he chose every time. The employees of the bar knew it was theirs this day of the week. When he just sat down the waitress walked over to him and put a beer in from of him on the table. She smiled at without saying anything. Peter looked at her and sm...

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“A lack of courage” by Gavin Foster

Submitted to Contest #76

A Lack of Courage Todd Heath sat at the stool of the bar counter inside of Linda's Cafe. The A/C made it difficult for him to leave due to the humid weather reaching almost ninety five degrees. The server came around. "Can I get you anything more sir?" "No, thank you miss." Todd blamed himself for wearing a sweater that morning in the early hours. He could take it off however; it would just be one more thing he'd have to carry home. There was a couple in the far corner to his right in a booth, next to a window. They were having a discussio...

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“Voiceless” by Elizabeth Kerr

Submitted to Contest #76

Up here, where there are golden silvery clouds, and white flowing dresses. Up here, with the people who aren’t quite there, the people who disappear and flicker out of sight if the wind blows too hard. Sometimes they disappear, fade into nothingness, but I don’t, I don’t want to. No, there’s a girl down there who waits for me, she whispers me her dreams and wishes, asks for answers, sometimes I give them to her, sometimes I don’t. The girl down beneath me smi...

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“Pseudosophistication ” by Gracie G.

Submitted to Contest #76

Millie waited patiently in the sidelines for her new mother, Adoria, and same father, Mathis, to finally, finally, get to the real point of their speech. It's not like they called 60 percent of the village for kicks and giggles.For of course, Adoria is the new queen.Yes, Millie should be more excited about that, but she's not big on women only care much more about profit then personality. And even though Millie knew how much of that her father had, Adoria didn't care a single bit.Maybe she's just biased, maybe she just hates any woman who tr...

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“Lost Memories” by Subani Maheshwari

Submitted to Contest #76

“Ahh… there they are, my eyeglasses” said Lou to himself. He had been looking for them this entire week. He could have used his spare glasses if only he remembered where he kept them too. And it’s not just the eyeglasses, lately he has been losing a lot of stuff. Sometimes, it is his car keys, or his wallet or the shopping list. God forbid if he ever goes grocery shopping without his list, he ends up buying the most obnoxious things. Last month, he forgot to pay his electricity bill and the service was cut off. In all fairness, he was ...

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“Say What You Want” by Lyn Fernando

Submitted to Contest #76

BAILEY She should have told her best friend about her father's announcement, but it's so sudden that they're startled as well. After declining being the new owner of their own company, her best friend, Layla, is now laying on her couch. "You look like a mess," she whispered, although actually, she looks pretty despite being drunk. She sadly smiles, remembering how brave her best friend is back at the Christmas party. Layla told her father, the owner of Amelia's Clothing Inc, that she didn't want to inherit it. &nbsp...

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“Vanilla” by Sahara Carter

Submitted to Contest #76

There are only so many faces in this world. I see them all, banded together, waiting to devour me. The ambiance of the lobby does not suit the guest the size of a dragon, who stands above me with only the counter between us for protection. I smell the caramel candy tucked in her cheek, clicking from tooth to tooth while she spits at me I need to talk to your manager. The air outside is dark and frigid. My manager hides in her office with three space heaters tucked under her desk. She is afraid of the guests, who only want to t...

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“Soon to be” by Sara Blanch

Submitted to Contest #76

The old 80/20 rule applied to basically all aspects of my life, especially when it came to work matters. Unfortuntely, due to the nature of my work, it meant that the public and private sectors of my life often blurred together and thus I was left spending 80% of my life preparing and 20% of my time actually doing anything. As the heir to the Fae's throne, every move I made was watched...every statement I was made was quoted and spun around with the potential to bite me on the butt someday totally out of context. It was this fact alone that ...

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“She Said Not” by Zahra Momin Taj

Submitted to Contest #76

Mara Elyees had tears quickly pooling around the corners her eyes as she bit back the snide remarks that begged to be left free. Now is not the time, she told herself as she grabbed her galaxy backpack and fled for the streets while her mother screamed behind her. Teach us to care, teach us not to care. Teach us to sit still, she prayed to herself, quoting Dean Koontz on her way to freedom. Illusion of freedom, the voice behind her natters near her ear. As she reached the rundown shop, heaving a sigh that neither of her brothers was ...

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“Words Fall Out” by Yashua Miller

Submitted to Contest #76

Words Fall Out“For two years you have done nothing else but put all your attention, effort, and motives into meeting this girl. For TWO YEARS you’ve been filling your head with the cheesiest and Hollywood-brand romantic daydreams and keeping yourself awake at night thinking about her. Raz, for two years I’ve endured all your wishful babble about how you’re gonna propose to her, when you’ll marry her, and what names you’re gonna name your children. I’m your best friend, Raz, and your wing-woman! But all you did for TWO DAMN YEARS is attempt a...

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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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