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Write about someone who still practices a skill that used to be necessary but has long since been replaced by technology.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

“Never Forgotten” by Destiny Jordan

Submitted to Contest #78

The smell of herbs and spices filled the air as the roaring sounds of laughter joy spread warmth through the air. The heavy -dense air that had a choke hold on our lives was finally laid to rest. People were no longer in hiding with music and love running rampant through the streets. Walking through the living room, hearing Uncle Silas’ booming voice telling the many stories of daring adventures on youth “ An this one time I…” with the younger cousin sitting like waiting for the juicy tales of fun. Aunt Gene sat quietly showing t...

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“The Hobbies I Met” by GB Rogut

Submitted to Contest #78

When I met Tom, a blonde tall God, I decided it would be a good idea to start rollerblading. After all, he loved it and kept inviting me to go with him. We used to go to the park and spend hours getting our knees skinned, and I even got the occasional twisted ankle. Tom would make me sit on the couch, grab a warm compress and keep it on my foot, asking over and over again, “Are you feeling better, sweetie?” Then, as the weeks went by, I noticed how he stopped having time to join me. No matter how much I altered my schedule, he never seem...

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“Woodworking” by Brammy Rajakumar

Submitted to Contest #78

Right after college, I took up woodworking. Sanding wood, building birdhouses, learning how to use a saw. My hands flexed in new leather gloves as I started power tools and crafted little lopsided wooden walls. I read books about woodworking, scoured websites, and went out drinking with my fellow woodworkers every Saturday at 9pm. I walked with a swagger in my step, digging my heels into the floor wherever I went. Thud-thud-thud whenever I walked into a room. You could hear me coming. I led meetings with my fellow interns at ...

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“Chalet Holiday” by S K

Submitted to Contest #78

Snowflakes sprinkled down from the clouded cool blue sky, each coating the inches of snow. The snow hummocks enlarged every time another cascaded. Theodore dredged his chocolate-filled croissant with powdered sugar while his eyes repeatedly fell on the window one room away. There were no curtains or blinds on it, so the view of snow and trees was visible outside. It was kept uncovered when Theodore couldn’t bother draping anything over it, which was most of the time. Astrid, his cousin staying in the c...

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“Easy Lizzy!” by Priya Mehrishi

Submitted to Contest #78

"D minor- pluck E and A strings...hammer on the third note, third string..then..hold and down strum, sliiiide to the seventh and then, down stroke again" said her online guitar tutor Roshan with a 'you can do it' smile as he played the same pattern again. Lizzy stared at Roshan's finger placement through the laptop screen, a little longer than needed. As she imitated the chords with red fingertips, she hesitated to fail. Roshan advised gently "Give it try again" Roshan had been a lead guitarist with a small band for 5 years ...

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“PUSH OR PULL? ” by D. Son

Submitted to Contest #78

Narko woke up at one o’clock in the afternoon and quickly ran through his head the tasks he had for the day but having planned nothing he went back to sleep. An hour later he woke up again and got out of bed this time because he was itching to brush his teeth. He used the washroom, then he ate a limp banana that looked roasted by its peel.He opened his laptop and logged onto his chess.com account and played a few games of chess. He lost eight and won three. He decided to stop as he had lost four in a row and was frustrated at the other playe...

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“Jac of All Trades ” by Alai Agadulin

Submitted to Contest #78

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”That was what my grandfather used to tell me. He was, after all, that kind of jack. He could easily start a new hobby or develop a new skill. I remember my mother explaining to me when I was a child why grandpa was like that. She said, he grew up in poverty and was almost deprived of anything he could’ve enjoyed when he was young. Thus, when he got older and became financially secured, he started pursuing all the things he had always wanted to do.I couldn’...

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“Incoming and Ongoing” by Zahra Momin Taj

Submitted to Contest #78

I seat myself on the couch with a steaming hot cup of coffee on my hand, my eyes following the vapour rolling out to keep my head from exploding as my brain fires away a plethora of exuberant thoughts. He’s not wrong for calling you nuts. I set my lips in a thin line and mutter to myself, “Speak of the Devil and he shall appear.” Up until today, he thought you had a few screws loose but now he’s certain that most of your screws have fallen off or been discarded. I roll my eyes at my overenthusiastic thought process. It isn’t a lie....

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“The hunt.” by Correen Robinson

Submitted to Contest #78

The man in the once black Metallica t-shirt looked up with a small smile as the bell to the music shop chimed with the opening of the door. In strode a girl with blue and green hair, a black face mask, purple coat and home made fingerless gloves. He nodded as she saw him and then walked around the shop, first looking at the guitars, tilting her head a touch at times to marvel at the craftsmanship. Or was it to look at the prices? Her hands reached forward for a moment towards the red and white flying v, fingers twitching in mid air then quic...

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“Finally A Purpose” by Amelia Mae

Submitted to Contest #78

(Trigger warning: physical violence) Parker stared at her bedroom, disgusted. A makeshift art studio sat in the back left corner, consisting of sketch paper, pencils, markers, pens, and an overflowing trash can full of disappointing sketches. Various musical instruments sat against the back wall next to the studio, ranging from a flute to a trombone, and it had been weeks since any of them had been played. She cringed at the thought of playing them again, the off-key notes screaming in her ears. To her right, a yoga mat lay on the floor. Tha...

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“Zeigarnik effect” by Elaine Martini

Submitted to Contest #78

She opened the cupboard door. It's funny how almost everyone she knew prefered a hidden mess to out in the open clutter. When not on view it's so much easier to ignore the presence of the unfinished task. The cupboard was a tomorrow's job. It had been for years. Sometimes she would open it but only to take out something that she needed. Scissors and coloured pens were useful every once in a while. She kept them right at the front so she didn't have to look through anything else. She always saw herself as a person that liked making...

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“SMILEY-FACE BALLOON” by Deema [.ε.]

Submitted to Contest #78

I'm in Kitty's house again. I'm always in Kitty's house at this time: one P.M. on a Wednesday after my mother drives off to her night classes in her gassy olive green car. Kitty and I like to watch her ride away, as she sticks one hand out of the car window and yells "Bye, Caleb" until she's just driving in a small mossy dot on the town's horizon. Today isn't drastically different. Mom drives away, and Kitty turns to me nonchalantly. Her long black braids swing with her head. "She still calls you Caleb?" Kitty asks, walking to the b...

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“Cheese!” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #78

“Why do you suppose we collect things?” “I collect things, because they become mine. I can make up stories about them. Love them, hate them, throw them away, or keep them in my heart.” “Do you collect things now?” “Yah, I was going to tell you about that. I could use some help if you’ve got the time. It doesn’t take much. You just have to primarily, keep your eyes open. Then just remember what you see. Easy, right?” “Better tell me first what it is you’re collecting. I’m not good with people, asking fo...

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“Writing in Love ” by Sophia Vanessa 24

Submitted to Contest #78

"Ugh when will you ever write again." Stacy nudges Janessa as she walks over to the fridge to grab a drink because Stacy is like Janessa's sister as they knew each other since childhood. Janessa has always been antisocial and even more since her mom died the beginning of freshman year not to mention it is only the middle of the year which was really hard on Janessa. Janessa started writing because of her mom and stopped writing because her mom. Every time she typed or wrote she would go into this dark place where the words would be all jumbl...

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“My Hobby Could Be Your Hobby” by Amanda Stuntz

Submitted to Contest #78

The light glistened off the blue and purple bowling ball Shelia held in her hand. With a rag in one hand, she rubbed at it until it shined. It was so shinny, you could see your reflection in it if you looked hard enough. Hannah shook her head and went back to reading the comic section of the Sunday morning paper. She never did understand Shelia’s obsession with bowling. How much fun could throwing a ball down a lane and knocking over some pins be? “You should come with me this time.” Shelia’s high pitched voice rang out through the quiet roo...

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$50

Prize money

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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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