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!

#77: Snow Day

It’s deep into winter where I live and here that means one thing: snow, and plenty of it.

While I’m not the biggest fan, even I will admit that it makes great writing weather. There’s just something cozy about curling up with a blanket and a cup of tea, and losing yourself in the world of your imagination as flakes drift slowly past your window.

We won’t all be writing under those conditions this week, but we can still evoke that feeling. So grab yourself a mug of something warm, snuggle up with your laptop, and dream of the bite of winter wind on your cheeks…

This week's prompts

Write about two people going sledding for the first time in many years.

Fluff – 130 stories

Start your story with someone looking out at the snow, and end it with them stepping tentatively onto a frozen surface.

Winter – 233 stories

Write about someone who gets stuck in their workplace during a blizzard and decides to explore rooms they aren’t normally allowed in.

Winter – 162 stories

Write a story set in the summer, when suddenly it starts to snow.

Summer – 159 stories

Set your story in a remote winter cabin with no electricity, internet, or phone service.

Winter – 246 stories

Stories

“Up There In The Snow” by Adam Wan

Submitted to Contest #77

Satoru fought against the wind and heaved the door shut. Outside, the snow covered everything under it, hiding away every secret beneath every inch of white. The wind howled on, rattling the windows in the dark. And even inside, he could still sense its terrifying strength as it lashed across his cabin in the hills into the unknown. His body felt like it was burning. So much so it hurt like hell in every literal sense of the word. It seemed to eat away at his skin, slicing him, bit by bit, into sashimi. He groaned, grunting out in the dark ...

Read story

“Escape” by Gwyn Everett

Submitted to Contest #77

Delirious with cold and shivering, we hiked the last twenty feet to the shack of the cabin at the edge of the snow capped mountain. Each inch was a mile in the heavy drifts. Howling winds picked up and Jax whimpered next to me, his lips blue and his eyelids heavy against the storm. His eyes were glued to the door with determination. I held his arm to guide him into the cabin knowing that if he fell where he was I would not have the strength to carry him. When we finally shuffled inside, it took all I had to not collapse. “Come on.” I no...

Read story

“White As Snow” by D WENG

Submitted to Contest #77

The textbook definition of a murderer is “someone who commits the crime of murder; the unlawfull killing of another human being without jusitifaction or plausiable/ moral intent”. I don’t really like it. I feel that the title “murderer” demeans one as a person. It's a crude, derogatory term reserved for the lowest of the low. Look, if someone asked me what I did for a living, I would say I was an “artisan”. Technically a murderer, but an artisan all the same. It’s just that, instead of brushes and paint, I deal with kni...

Read story

“ᴰᵒⁿ'ᵗ ᴱᵃᵗ ᵀʰᵉ ᴮᵉʳʳⁱᵉˢ” by Noelle Bradley🌼

Submitted to Contest #77

Author’s Note: I know the story starts a little slow, but stay with me, it should be worth it, so please read until the end. Keep in mind it is kind of disturbing not sure how else to put it, but I hope you like it and remember don’t eat the berries! (Also, please keep in mind that these genres are not exactly my forte, but if you have any feedback, both good and bad, it is greatly appreciated! Thank you!) I had no idea what I was going to do, we were stranded. There was no one around for miles, we were in the middle of the woods, and there ...

Read story

“Slippin' and Slidin'” by John Carpenter

Submitted to Contest #77

Slippin’ and Slidin’Up in Michigan, there is a lot of lake effect winter.Larry no longer lives there. His career takes him and Janice to Cincinnati. They raise their three kids there, and the only reason this is mentioned is that as a rule, there is very little snow in a Cincinnati season, compared to Larry’s old stomping grounds in Southwest Michigan.At some point back at Michigan, it is time to clean out Larry’s folk’s house. Larry and Janice go up there from Cincy with a small U Haul, thinking not to take much back with them…only som...

Read story

“Sleden ("The Sleigh")” by Chthonic Cat

Submitted to Contest #77

I haven't taken the old sled out from the attic for five years. Too many memories I've been trying to suppress - the way dad used to tie our scarves, pull our hats just perfectly over our heads. Too many nightmares my little sister has had - the way dad looked when his body landed again at last, his limbs thrown haphazardly in every direction. Life still flickered over his face. It was an image enough to fill up your heart with warmth - and then tear it apart. It took me too long to tear Halley away from the sight. Back into reality. Back ...

Read story

“Never Too Old” by Steve Cripwell

Submitted to Contest #77

Never Too Old Jack looked out of the window as the snow began to fall, it’s large flakes suddenly covering the garden in a cold, white carpet. 'Hey Julia, look out of the window. It’s like a scene from a Christmas card out there.’ He was standing in the lounge, still wearing his dressing gown and slippers even though he had been up for hours. He held this morning’s third mug of coffee in his hand. ‘Not sure if the paperboy will deliver this morning though, the snow seems to be settling pretty fast.’ There was no answer from the ...

Read story

“For Old Times’ Sake” by Brandy Kerrigan

Submitted to Contest #77

“I can’t believe you drug me out here.”“Stop complaining, it’ll be fun,” she says before grinning broadly at me. She’s enthusiastic today.“I should be coding right now.” I sound petulant, but it can’t be helped. I really don’t want to be here.“It’s a snow day.”“You don’t really have those when you work from home.”“You work all the time, it’s okay to take a day off once in a while, you know.”“Says the part-time librarian,” my words come out snider than I intended. I immediately regret the snarky comment as I glance over at Anna and see her ra...

Read story

“The Perfect Job for a Snow Day” by Ivy Hayswood

Submitted to Contest #77

It snowed last night. Thick, heavy flakes had covered the world in a pristine white blanket that put the duvet on my bed to shame. The blizzard had been far worse than any weather report had predicted, and the country had, as always, been caught totally by surprise. Every news headline echoed the same story – all roads were blocked, all trains were at a standstill, and flights had been grounded. No one was going anywhere. No one should try to travel, except in cases of emergency. The usual drill. But, and they were quick to highlight the gli...

Read story

“Write about two people going sledding for the first time in many years” by Faleti Racheal

Submitted to Contest #77

The story of a guy and a girl. They met in a sporting centre,this is not there first time of meeting they have met twice before this encounter, they once met in a supermarket whereby the guy have to asked the girl for ingredients of rice cake and the girl jokingly asked him did your wife travel the guy in a serious tone replied I am just a thirty years old guy so I don't think I should have a wife now and my face look younger than my age,the girl then told her age has nothing to do with it, you need someone to take care of you and they discu...

Read story

“Remembering Those Who Brought Us Happiness” by Francis Perez

Submitted to Contest #77

Walking into his apartment, the young man sets a small bag down on his kitchen counter. He stands around 5’10 with short red hair, green eyes and a lean muscular build. He fidgets with the bag for a while before wiping his sweaty palms on his legs and opening it. He removes a ring box which he carries into the living room. Settling onto a blue suede sofa, he sets the box on the coffee table and sits. Sits and stares at the box like it is radioactive. He stands and paces the living room while looking back at the ring box. He toys with his pho...

Read story

“Don’t Let Go” by Ryan Johnson

Submitted to Contest #77

Content warning: suicide The snow fell gently. Calming me at the last moment. The snow reminding me of the stars. Close and distant at the same time. All of them moving in their paths long determined by fate. This moment, like many moments before, was broken with the old memory. Your voice breaking as you told me ”hold on, don’t let go”! You were in uniform back then. Just like I was. Back in the Stan. They say being gut shot is one of the most painful feelings you can experience. Boy were they right. The pain was ungodly....

Read story

“A Distant Winter” by Jason John

Submitted to Contest #77

The middle-aged man gazed out at the snowy expanse as if he were in a deep trance. As far as his eyes could see, there was nothing but a snow-covered landscape in front of him. Suddenly, the man snapped to reality, and his eyes widened with surprise. His eyes bounced around frantically, and he started to hyperventilate. Looking around the living room of the warm cabin, he saw a brown sofa. The man rushed over to the sofa in a frantic hurry. He continued to look around for any clues of where he was. Inside his head, his mind was running so ra...

Read story

“Home sweet home.” by NK Hatendi

Submitted to Contest #77

CW: covid related death Lindiwe hurriedly closed the front door of her lodging, in anticipation of her sister's call. It had been snowing all night and would probably continue all day. Heading for her attic bedsit, she passed through the communal kitchen, waded through an overflowing kitchen sink before retrieving her mug which someone had unceremoniously left unwashed among the mess from the night before. This was becoming a recurring problem; her housemates using her stuff and leaving it discarded in the communal space. There was...

Read story

“Bearbaiting” by Adam Lynch

Submitted to Contest #77

Each drop of snow was a reminder of the time he was losing. A huge hourglass that would rise and suffocate him. In the far distance shone the lights of a town; golden and beautiful. To the bear it was brighter than the sun ever had been. Tall, sharp trees surrounded him the white snow doing nothing to dull their intimidating nature like clown make-up on a snarling hound. The tiny imprints left behind by smaller animals were the bear’s only indication that life went on outside his prison. Black bars interrupted his view, a reminder tha...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

930

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 22, 2021 EST

Won by K. Antonio 🏆

Title: Burying David

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 ⭢