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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#78: Keeping Busy

I’ve noticed that hobbies often get overlooked in fiction. Unless it plays a major role in the plot, many main characters don’t even get a hobby — supporting characters, even less often. Yet hobbies are an important part of many people’s lives, especially in lockdown. They’re the things we bond with our friends over, the pastimes that refresh our spirits over the weekend, and the activities that give us some of our greatest joy.

So this week, hobbies are going to take center stage. From mainstream to obscure, let’s analyze our character’s most interesting quirks and explore the many things they can obsess over!

This week's prompts

Start your story with one character trying to convince another to take up their favorite hobby.

Fluff – 177 stories

Write about someone who keeps an unusual animal as a pet.

Teens – 178 stories

Write about someone who still practices a skill that used to be necessary but has long since been replaced by technology.

Fiction – 133 stories

Set your story at a convention for a hobby most people have never heard of.

Fluff – 70 stories

Write about someone who keeps picking up different hobbies but never manages to stick with them.

Character – 176 stories

Stories

“Breathing Apparatus” by Paige Winters

Submitted to Contest #78

I stand in front of the bathroom mirror, watching the geezer reflected back at me. His hair is white and wispy around his ears but the rest is bald and bumpy. Wrinkles have long since made a home in his skin, the crevices deep around his once lively brown eyes. He stands hunched over, knobby knuckles gripping the sink. The geezer blinks once, twice, breathing shallowly. The tube pumps oxygen into his lungs at a steady pace. In and out. In and out. In and out. I step back from the mirror and sit on the toilet lid, the porcelain’s cold seepin...

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“The Passerby” by A. M.

Submitted to Contest #78

Every passerby has a story, I remembered. In my twenties, I worked as a lift operator—it wasn’t the fanciest job in the world, but still, it was enough for me to get by on a day-to-day basis. And no, I’m not talking about those ski resort lift operators that wear giant coats and fuzzy mittens, I’m talking about elevators operators that worked during the times before the ‘up’ and ‘down’ button was invented, the lift operators that wore pure white leather gloves and neatly buttoned-up suit jackets and neckties. Now, I s...

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“Art” by Reed Foxwell

Submitted to Contest #78

Anton pushed the cold handle and the grey door opened with a squeak. Four students, spaced out two white tiles apart from desk to desk, turned their heads towards him. The buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead filled the brief silence before Anton finally spoke. ‘Is this the… uh, the stylised art classroom?’ ‘Stylised sample production classroom,’ a student in a white dress shirt said. ‘We don't learn art here.’ Everyone’s eyes fell back to their works in unison. Anton stood at the d...

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“WHERE'S ESTELLE?” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #78

The skill set Joe Benson spent years mastering technology rendered obsolete in the 1980s. Because of his unique talent, Joe is in constant demand. Joe’s an expert at repairing Rotary Telephones. He could fix any rotary telephone. If you were born after the 1990s, likely, you never saw a rotary phone. Like the cellphone today, everyone had a rotary telephone. Through the repairs and consulting fees, Joe earned a comfortable living. Joe surveyed h...

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“Yarn-a-palooza” by Betsy Remington☕

Submitted to Contest #78

Glenda walked into the conference hall and was amazed by the banner hanging over the doorway. “How do you think they got a ten-foot banner saying ‘Knit & Crochet-fest 2021’ actually made out of yarn?” she asked her friend Bernice. “And look at that stitch-work!” “I bet they have a machine that weaves messages or something. That can’t be done by hand,” Bernice replied. “My fingers just ache thinking about how long it would have taken.” She adjusted her red, white, and blue knit cap to a jaunty angle and removed her...

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“Bloom Con” by Enriko Pratt

Submitted to Contest #78

Tyrone eyed the convention center, wearing an expression on his face that translated to anything but excited. His boyfriend, Alfie, on the other hand, had been waiting for this event since last year. “You can drop us off across the street right there, Abuelita,” Alfie told his grandmother as they reached their destination. “Have fun, Alfonso! You’ll be home for dinner, right? I’m making my famous pozole,” she responded, slowing the car down. “We’ll be done after seven, so it shouldn’t be a problem.” The boys waved to her as she...

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“Ducking Fantastic” by Kip Packard

Submitted to Contest #78

FIVE MINUTES AGO... "I don't understand why we're going to this thing." "I promised Cherry we would. It might be fun." "What could possibly be fun about a duck herding convention, Beau?" "On an episode of The Amazing Race, they had to herd ducks, and it was hilarious. They used flags to get this large flock of ducks from one pen to another." "Flags? Why's Cherry involved in this? She trains service dogs." "Traditionally, they use dogs to herd the ducks." "You mean, like in Babe?" "Yeah. Except with ducks instead of sheep. And...

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“Umbrellicon” by Cari Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #78

“Umbrellicon” “Umbrellicon..the country’s largest gathering of artisans, tradesmen and entrepreneurs marketing a unique and diverse selection of weather-protection equipment. And it all goes down right here: Seattle, Washington.” I said, being dramatic.“Ugh, we have to go in there? I never even use an umbrella... I actually like the rain.”“It’s not about what you buy. There are things in there that few people have ever seen. Last year, I heard that there was a lady selling umbrellas made entirely of fruit rinds. I didn’t see her booth, ...

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“The Roaring Bus (Al Bostah) ” by DREW LANE

Submitted to Contest #78

Disclaimer: This story is purely fictional. Toy theatre does exist as a discipline (and it seems to be a very nice world) but I had to create this atmosphere for the story to progress. This is not based on any scientific research or experience with the discipline - and isn't meant to be a satire of it. Probably more of a metaphor for various life situations...***Ornella shook her bag upside down, kneeling on the floor, while visitors' trampled in the queue to her side. How on earth could she lose her badge?“May I help you?” a convention host...

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“Target locked” by Joy Inyang

Submitted to Contest #78

Debbie always had a habit of picking up hobbies. From gardening to baking, the list ranged on and on. She was like a magnet for hobbies, once she set her eyes on something she thought would be fun, she went for it. But there was just one little problem, Debbie never stuck to a hobby. Her hobby attention span, or as he liked to call it, her 'hobby span' was very non existent, and people were starting to complain. Debbie was raised in a typical Nigerian family, meaning one thing; strict parents. But Debbie was not deterred by her parents iro...

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“Whims of a Woman” by Bolton Kat

Submitted to Contest #78

Julia has always been a whimsical girl with her head in the clouds. Anything that was new and fresh would always captivate her attention but it wouldn't be long before she moved onto something different. A new adventure, a different journey would be what she called it but others would always shake their heads at her lack of dedication. It wasn't long before word got out and everybody ostracized her. Sitting in the corner of my room I sigh. It wasn't that I wanted to always pick up different h...

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“The Girl With Many Hobbies” by Madalyn Klingelhoefer

Submitted to Contest #78

“Hey Millie, when are you actually going to find a hobby and stick with it?” Asked Yeri. “You know my answer, I don’t know. Maybe when I find a boyfriend I can find a hobby. But other than that I have no clue, so stop asking”. Exclaimed Millie. “But you know it’s going to be a million years before you find a boyfriend..” Muttered Yeri. “I will! I just haven’t found who’s right for me yet!” Exclaimed Millie. “What about Chris, it’s so obvious he likes you, and you are friendzoning home like everyday.” Said Yeri. “Wait. What do you mean about ...

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“Love in Letters” by Audrey Burrell

Submitted to Contest #78

Dear Addie, I am James Lancaster. Son of Dr. Adel Lancaster. Dr. Adel Lancaster wished for a chance to speak with you in person, however, old age takes a large toll on a man with many dreams successfully and unsuccessfully accomplished. Some days it was hard for him, knowing he made a mistake That everybody across the globe knew about. He felt that he should make all the decisions Since he was all that. Death was a relief for him. He said that "death is a way to get out of a World that does not support what you believe.” When we met,...

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“Smoking is my new hobby” by Nicoline Christensen

Submitted to Contest #78

Smoking is my new hobby. It almost seemed like drinking was something I could stick with, but the hangovers just got worse and worse, and one morning while I was showering and last night's red wine and tortilla chips poured down the drain, I decided to quit. That's not true. I didn't decide to quit, my body did that for me. The next beer I opened smelled like a yeast infection and reminded me of puke before it had even entered my system. I felt like a failure. Drinking, being intoxicated had been such a relief for me, a thing that kept me eu...

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“Options” by Lori Scutelnicu

Submitted to Contest #78

When you pass by Magnoila Street you may see an old brick house with half stained glass, flowers and weeds growing together in the garden, and various paint cans hanging from the tree branches, you may think is fun and colorful, and full of personality. A good story for friends. However, Patricia Nelson from next door would huff and puff and complain every few days when a new project would pop up in the front yard yet again. To this day she still brings up the pyrotechnics incident from two years ago at every town meeting. Granny Callie from...

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$50

Prize money

735

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 29, 2021 EST

Won by Christina Marie 🏆

Title: Life's Leftovers

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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