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Write about someone who still practices a skill that used to be necessary but has long since been replaced by technology.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

“Feeling in the Dark” by Just Me

Submitted to Contest #78

It was early autumn. The air was fresh and crisp, and the light breeze carried the vibrant fall leaves. A cold breeze playfully tossed the fall leaves, sending whirlwinds of color down our street. I lay on my bed, though the sun had been up for hours. I chose a different spot to zone out every day: my beanbag, the couch, my bed. It never made a difference. Every night, I still cried myself to sleep, soaking my pillow, which was stiff with tears. I didn’t bother to turn it over onto the fresh side. Every day the sun rose, but even its radianc...

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“A complete sketch” by Rupali Gore

Submitted to Contest #78

" Knock knock ", Sammy opens the door . As expected , it is an early morning delivery . She , carefully , holds the cardboard box and takes it inside . With cat - like feet , Sammy tiptoes in the study room . She doesn't want to disturb her daughter - Tiara , who is sleeping in the adjacent room . Sammy sanitizes the box and keeps it on Eric's desk … Covid and additional chores of sanitizing ! Eric has gone for a morning walk . Sammy is happy with the fact that Eric is a meticulous husband and loves leading the ' healthy ' life . She...

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“Two Friends, Two Passions...” by Jo_Queen Q

Submitted to Contest #78

NOTE- This is my first book written on Reedsy, and I'm personally really proud of it! "Oh, common, I think you would love it!" Kelly tried to persuade her friend while keeping her eyes on the road. "No, I don't think I would be any good at it," Bree said shyly. Kelly had been trying for months to try to get Bree into photography, but Bree wouldn't budge. "Listen, I have my camera with me, we can take a few pictures here" Kelly pulled into the parking lot. "Fine, but just this once, ok?' Bree finally gave in. "Deal!" Kelly said excitedly. Bre...

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“That Friend.” by Fiifi Nkarku

Submitted to Contest #78

"So, will you join it" Michaela smiled? She knew what that smile always did to me. It made me always fall for her trap. Her dimples were showing and her teeth were sparkling. How could I say no? "I don't think so." I replied. Observing everything I see in the park. There was a bald man. He was with his dog walking across the benches where women sat,(Mothers) waiting for their kids to finish playing. Most of their faces were either frowned or annoyed. Not even a smirk. Ah well. My mind was not on Michaela right now. By now she would be ratt...

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“The Shore” by Nina Wishnat

Submitted to Contest #78

"How do I know which one to pick?" she asked, stooping down to inspect the shore line."You pick the rock you're curious about" Said the boy. "Like this rosy one here. Don't you wonder what's inside?""I guess so. Okay, how about this one?" She held a smooth yellow stone between her thumb and forefinger.""Good choice. Now put it here" he said, placing the specimen on a large grey slab of rock. "And hold this," he instructed, placing a big jagged rock in her hands. "Now break it."She hesitated. Then she brought the rock crashing down. There was...

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“Unwind” by A. Kettler

Submitted to Contest #78

“See? We told you it’d be fun!” Michael Kennedy said, nudging his wound-up co-worker. “We shouldn’t have to bully you into coming out to unwind with us every once in a while, Lonny” Unable to give more than a tense smile Milo Lonnit raised his shoulders and tucked into his barely touched drink. How long had he been out with them? About forty-five minutes… meaning he still had at least an hour before he'd be able to get away without having to hear about it the next day… Could he make it that long? “Lonny,” Michael started. “Please, don’t c...

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“Royally Bewitched” by Natalia Downer

Submitted to Contest #78

“Come on brother,” Prince Edward urged, “this is merely for charity. There is nothing embarrassing about the matter. It is something I have done for three years now including in my spare time whenever I feel extra generous, and it is quite relaxing once you’ve worked it out. Think of the children, or must I remind you of your own beginnings?”“But men do not customarily sew or parade with ragdolls. Therefore, this whole practice of yours would be simply absurd of me to partake in. In short, I refuse.”In truth, Prince Reagan had no issue...

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“Killer Best Friend” by Beanice Ng

Submitted to Contest #78

"11pm at Central Park tomorrow, yeah?", slurred Drake drunkenly, occasionally leaning limply on me for support. He had this simper look plastered on his face, which surprisingly made me all riled up. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the bar's ambience, maybe it was the accusing glares we were getting...... I wanted to storm out of the place that instant, getting far away from him too. "Get a grip! I already said I have plans tomorrow night. Don't drag me into your sudden weird obsession with night activities." Shoving out of Bistro B...

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“Besties...” by Lisa Wentworth

Submitted to Contest #78

Start your story with one character trying to convince another to take up their favorite hobby. Ann and Jean were the best of friends. They might be what one would call “soul mates”, although not in the romantic way. They understood each other and supported each other in ways no one else ever would. Even in checking their genealogy, they probably served as ladies in waiting to some great House or Monarch. Indeed, at events, they would show up in the same colour or type of dress instinctually. They held each other's hands through ups an...

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“Breath in, breath out” by A. D. Nimon

Submitted to Contest #78

Like she’s been doing for the past weeks, Yuliya sighed. To be more specific, her brother made her sighed. “That’s right, now you have to do it for fifty minutes straight.” But she didn’t want to do this for fifty minutes straight. At the beginning of the school semester, Boun decided to start doing sports. And the one he chose was also the only one which wasn’t full: qi gong. After enrolling and before attending the first class, he looked at a video which made him fall asleep. And that’s apparently what convinced him to actually attend this...

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“Blossoms That Burn” by Angela Wooters

Submitted to Contest #78

"Jesus, Pol. It'll only burn for a second. You can peel the glue right off", I said, with undisguised humor. She looked at me with a laser glare, saying "This is the dumbest thing I've ever let you talk me into. My clumsy ass and hot glue, for shit's sake." She slammed the tool down on the table, which hurt her burnt finger even more. I legitimately laughed out loud at her facial expression.I said, "Polly, you are so damn creative with your drawings. Humor me, and help me make this one floral stem. This is magical stress relief for me, ...

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“Birthed in the Kitchen” by Dozzy Nika

Submitted to Contest #78

The first time Obi heard Ken discuss business outside office was when Ken told him to quit working at the consulting firm, and take up cooking as a business, create an extension of his wife’s bar, rebrand it, and generate more revenue. After having a taste of the savoury meals Obi prepared, he stood, following Obi like the way egrets followed a cattle, and trying to make him see reasons to venture into cooking. Obi knew him well, and could tell when he was serious or not. And this time, he was serious, trying to find the centre of my eyeball...

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“The Victor” by Julie Frederick

Submitted to Contest #78

Pelisse, dolman, breeches: the three essential components of a real man’s wardrobe, according to Stewart Miller, for whom the idea of a second life as a Napoleonic hussar was not just a hobby, but a passion—more than that, a panacea. Ever since he’d stumbled upon a reenactment festival a few years back while on holiday with his long-time fiancée Mary, his eyes had been opened to a new reality—a world where ordinary men with expanding waistlines and stiffening arteries left their ordinary lives as FedEx warehouse managers at the gate, and lik...

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“Matcha Latte” by Arch R

Submitted to Contest #78

“But seriously… you would love climbing. Come with me the next time I go,” Ashlee gushed in between sips of her matcha latte. The contrast between the melon gloss on her lips and the pistachio green of the matcha was mesmerizing. Sheena pondered for a minute if Ashlee hadn’t just ordered the matcha on a whim, that this color pairing was carefully rehearsed. “Yea. Maybe. We will see. You know I am not huge of heights, Ash,” Sheena said, not able to tear her eyes away from the glass moving to and from the lips. “Come on, Sheen. Couldn’t yo...

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“The Art of Being Good” by J U L I A N N A 🥀

Submitted to Contest #78

Ur out of ur damn mind!! Im not going!! She was crazy if she thought I wanted anything to do with her. I quickly added a Stop asking me for good measure. I flipped my phone over so I couldn’t see the screen. A few seconds later I heard it buzz, vibrating against my desk. I got up and practically ran out of the room. I knew that eventually I would give in and look at the message. I heard another buzz. And then another. Turns out I couldn’t resist for as long as I thought I could and came storming back to my phone. On the screen, I saw a strin...

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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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