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Write about someone who still practices a skill that used to be necessary but has long since been replaced by technology.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

“The Missing Ice” by Ema Fabrychiang

Submitted to Contest #78

Derek brought the family’s horse, Ranger, out of the small barn, got out the thickest horse blanket, and began to bridle him. “C’mon, lemme finish. Once I put the reins on ya, we’ll be ready to go.” Peter sat in the cart, taking inventory of the ice harvesting tools. As Derek was just finishing with Ranger, Peter jumped out of the cart. “It’s all there. Let’s go!” “Great! Go around back, and make a starting push. I’ll get Ranger goin’,” Derek told his brother Peter. The cart lurched forward, and they began to walk down Winsom Road. The...

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“The Blacksmith” by A P

Submitted to Contest #78

Overdevelopment surrounds this town like a giant wave, waiting to engulf the countryside. One freeway exit and life becomes quickly different. Time picks off, one by one, the things that tie us to yesterday. The through traffic was diverted to the freeway and the town suffered. Local giant supermarkets have all but closed the local general store. I wouldn't expect that this town would have many visitors. I'm sure the locals prefer it that way. I had to keep in mind I was there for a purpose. As I approached the the property my eyes lit up. ...

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“My Mother's Cards” by Marsha McCroskey

Submitted to Contest #78

My mother never gave up writing letters and sending cards. No matter how much technology was advancing, she would say "people LOVE getting a hand-written letter or card"! She would never even type her letters, although an expert typist, but write them in that beautiful practiced, flowing script of hers. I particularly remember her "r"s. They looked just like those in cursive writing books: the little upwards rising tip at the top of the "r", flowing downwards, then up into a smaller point, then down and around to meet the next letter. This m...

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“School Used to Be Different” by Claudio Murgia

Submitted to Contest #78

It’s now ten years I don’t teach. It all started during the pandemic 12 or so years ago. It was a strange one, it would give you fever and chest pain, but you would also lose any sense of touch. If you touched an object or a person, you wouldn’t feel anything. That wasn’t the worst of it, of course: millions of people died. I caught it, in a mild form, I didn’t really have any high temperature and the chest pain was negligible, but I could not feel anything. My boyfriend at the time, now my husband, lived with me already, so he had to isol...

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“The Art of a Shoemaker” by Paige Taylor

Submitted to Contest #78

As the sun began to disappear over the rolling hills and paint the pale blue sky with its deep shades of passion, a shoemaker turned his faded sign from OPEN to CLOSE. Although the shoppers had since abandoned the worn cobblestone road and returned home with their spoils, it would be long until the old man ascended the spiral staircase to his loft for the night. He turned off the glaring fluorescent lights above him, and lit several candles to begin his evening work. He deeply enjoyed working by candlelight. When the frenetic energy of the ...

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“Tactical Texter” by Daniel Garza

Submitted to Contest #78

2-2-2 "C". One blink. Two blinks. 2 "A". 5-5-5 "L". One blink. Two blinks. 5-5-5 "L". Space bar 6 "M". 3-3 "E". Space bar 9 "W" 4-4 "H" 3-3 "E" 6-6 "N" Space bar 9-9-9 "Y" 6-6-6 "O" 8-8 "U" Space bar 4 "G" 3-3 "E" 8 "T" Space bar 6-6-6 "O" 3-3-3 "F" One blink. Two blinks. 3-3-3 "F" Brian looked at the screen. Again. He was SOOOOO proud of himself. He had FINALLY been able to make the message appear in record time. Record time for him at least. He had watched ALOT of others learning this 'new'...

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“The knocker-upper” by Agnes M

Submitted to Contest #78

Dad sat by the window deep in thought. He was holding his usual cup of morning coffee in one hand while the other balanced his chin. Spirals of steam rose up from the coffee into the air, getting lost in the beam of the sun's rays. Outside, the village was waking up. The thrushes were singing, welcoming the new day, while all around the neighbouring houses, people began their daily lives. It was another Friday and the year was 1920. A twelve-year-old me was already dressed up in uniform, ready to go to school. I had just come...

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“Wild Garlic” by Cynthia Keeler

Submitted to Contest #78

“Where did you get all this?” Samuel is surveying his kitchen. The granite countertops are hidden under a jungle of green leaves. The sweet herbal aroma fills the kitchen more than the verdant wild garlic that overflows out of the sink and over every surface. He is talking loudly, almost yelling to be heard over the roaring food processor. His young son is standing on a stool at the sink washing the leaves while his wife stands almost motionless pouring oil in a thin stream into the spinning appliance. “The forest.” She says without t...

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“Wooden Whistle” by LuAnn Williamson

Submitted to Contest #78

Wooden Whistle By LuAnn Williamson Cold! It had been so cold a few minutes ago, when icy sleet had soaked through their lightweight coats and shoes. But at last she was warm. The survivors had found a small clearing in the forest where the trees had sheltered them from the weather. Better yet, it had sheltered a scattering of fallen tree limbs. As she drifted off to sleep, Kate realized the...

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“Hey, Rosie” by Monica Sarwat

Submitted to Contest #78

Jack parks the car under the shade of a tree, just in front of her house. He doesn’t believe his eyes. There’s a green ribbon on her door, it is big enough that he can see it from the other side of the street. It was a week ago that he sent her his first letter. "Hey Rosie. Long time no see. I was really pleased to meet you. I won’t tell you where I’ve met you yet, but I’d like to play a game with you.. if you don’t mind; I will write you every week, if you like that, put a green ribbon on your front door for me to see. If you don’t put t...

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“The Typsetter” by Tristan Willis

Submitted to Contest #78

FURTIVE. Orla let the word rest in her hand for a moment, feeling its weight. There was something about seven-letter words. None of the flighty lightness of fives or sixes, but somehow still delicate enough to dance their way into the composing stick. They were Baryshnikov, at once immovable and in motion. FURTIVE. What a word. She allowed herself a last moment with it and then, with a deft movement, flipped it over and slid it into the composing stick as one. FURTIVE. Yes. That would do nicely. She understood tha...

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“Candles and Typewriters ” by Beatriz Monteiro

Submitted to Contest #78

The room was gloomy, a single scented candle flickering at the desk casting a yellow glow.The sky outside was even darker, not a single star to be seen beneath the pollution of the city, not even the moon making an appearance tonight. There was a lamp post in front of her house, although it was barely potent enough to shine through the street, much less to let the light into her house.She didn’t mind. She liked the dark, her candle was more than enough. The vanilla scent was comforting and the yellow light was warm.She was home alone tonight...

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“Belasco X” by Joshua Wiggins

Submitted to Contest #78

A timid fire An aloof person, distant from anything besides his work. Logical and overly practical on the surface, but behind it all artistically inclined. He had dreams of being an architect at General motors, the most desired job in the world at the time it seemed. His name was Todd, Todd Xavier. School was odd, and separated. While most kids saw black and white, ate lollipops and drunk from coke bottles, Todd often read books, and disregarded the reality in front of him. Todd hated the staple brown corduroy pants the grownups wore, and sa...

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“Forgotten Treasures” by Nuha E.

Submitted to Contest #78

“Lila, wait up!” I rolled my eyes, but I slowed my run into a slow walk. At this rate, I was going to be late and Mr. Rohan didn’t like it when I was late. He would always grumble, moaning about how nowadays kids have too much freedom and don’t respect their elders, before making me stay behind as punishment to finish menial tasks that he definitely did not pay me for. After last time where he got me to empty the trash, 5 bags full, to the Dumpyard, 4 miles south of the shop without Tom’s help, I wasn’t about to land myself in that tra...

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“The mystery of the forgotten hobby” by It’s ÚwÙ Angie

Submitted to Contest #78

One mysterious day a girl called Astrid had been doing some art in her very cluttered bedroom and suddenly… ‘ring’ ‘ring’, Astrid picks up her phone quickly and she hears her friend Clea on the other line.. “Hello Astrid, how have you been doing?” Asked Clea intrigued. “Hey! I’m doing fine! Is there anything you wanted?” I asked in curiosity. “Actually, yes.. I was wondering if you could help me out…?”Clea asked sympathetically. “Okay..” I continued. “So basically since the lockdown started I’ve been trying out new hobbies and well I f...

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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.

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