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!

#79: The Family You Choose

They say blood is thicker than water — but is it always?

The truth is that not all families offer healthy relationships to each other, and sometimes the harsh act of cutting them out of your life may be the best course of action. Fortunately, we can still meet people who love us no matter what and become our new families. Not to mention adoptions, blended families, and all the wonderful ways people connect with and support each other, regardless of whether they share any DNA. It's fair to say that family is a lot more than blood!

This week, we’re going to turn family life upside down and examine all the ways that family succeeds — and fails — for our characters.

This week's prompts

Write about someone who decides it’s time to cut ties with a family member.

Sad – 260 stories

Your main character is approached by their long-estranged parent who wants to reconnect. How do they react?

Dramatic – 193 stories

Write about someone who discovers the only family member they have left has just betrayed them.

Sad – 160 stories

Write about two characters who’ve gone through something so intense they now feel like family.

Adults – 190 stories

Write about a “found family” who are finally able to get together again after a long time apart.

Fluff – 100 stories

Stories

“Ernie and Clementine ” by Laura Simmons

Submitted to Contest #79

Ernie was taking his nighttime constitutional when he spotted someone coming towards him. Nothing unusual about that, except this one looked like... Nah, it couldn’t be. Yet, as he got closer, he realized that, yes, it was, his old pal, Clementine! “Well, Clemie, ain’t you a sight for sore eyes!” “Ernie? Really and truly?” “Really and truly! The one- and- only Ernie Chester!” Clementine laughed. “You old dog! You’ll never change!” &nbsp...

Read story

“Coming Out, Times Three” by Sunnie Indigo-Flynn

Submitted to Contest #79

Possible TW: Description of dysphoria. Ruby stared at her reflection in the floor length mirror. She saw so many things wrong with the way she looked. Her hair was way too short. Her shoulders were too broad. She was about six inches too tall, her voice was three octaves too deep, her chest was about two cups too flat. At least, she thought. She didn’t know much about cup sizes. But the worst of all of her flaws was the fact that her body was biologically male. She didn’t understand why she had been born that way. Ruby could go on and on for...

Read story

“Birds of a Feather” by Daryl Oliver

Submitted to Contest #79

Sometimes telling someone else’s story is impossible to get right. Details fade into the background and the perspective of voyeurs see angles that may blend the black and white facts into a slur of greys. There are things that may be important to one person which has no value to anyone else. So, take these things into account when reading. This is not my story. Lisa moved to town when she was in the ninth grade. Her father had a job opportunity which he couldn’t refuse and he took nothing into account when he made the decision to take h...

Read story

“The Color of Sound” by Sydney Anderson

Submitted to Contest #79

Though the caves in Batoidea Island regulate their own temperatures they still drop a few degrees at night. It is how Pierce is able to tell the difference between night and day down here. Gray. That’s how he remembers the rain. When it beats upon the earth it creates a kind of static in his ears that is an all-encompassing gray. Outside, even on a cloudy day, he is able to feel the warmth of the sun on his face or the soft glow of the moon. And then there is the barometric pressure. It changes, even in the caves, bringing an influx of moist...

Read story

“Hope” by David Ajala

Submitted to Contest #79

I could barely tell in the dark room we were hiding but I could just make out the corners of her mouth lifting up in a smile. Her face was covered in dirt and her hair was caked with mud but her smile still managed to tear through the veil of dirt and shine a ray of light.I don't even remember what I said but I know for a fact it was not funny. At least not funny enough to elicit such a response from a normally stoic girl especially in the dire situation we found ourselves in.She reached out her hands and grabbed mine. Her hands were cold bu...

Read story

“Through Life and Death” by Bobby Chowdary

Submitted to Contest #79

“Hand over the Divine Fate Pearl. Don't make it harder for yourself Long Fei. You and your friend can have an easy death if you just hand over the treasure” “Never! My master used this treasure to save the lives of others, but because of your greed, you decided to kill him, in hopes of monopolizing the power! Do you have no shame? 3 different sects, with power to rule the black rose empire, all ganged up on a single man, just because he had a heaven defying treasure. You fools!” said Long fei, his eyes bloodshot. Lo...

Read story

“To Mum With Love” by Norman Musiiwa

Submitted to Contest #79

A story submitted in response to the prompt: Write about two characters who’ve gone through something so intense they now feel like family. By Norman Musiiwa Little Daniel darted from the house, shirt in hand and panting. He kept his head turning back to check if his assailant was not pursuing. He paused at the edge of the yard with subdued sobs that kept his head nodding like he was agreeing to an emphatic instruction. The boy put on his shirt with such speed that made sure his head would not be kept buried. Eye freedom was ne...

Read story

“Am I my sisters Keeper” by Chantel Brown

Submitted to Contest #79

After their mother unexpectedly dies of a drug overdose three sisters are left with nothing, with no money to pay for rent the two younger sisters are forced to live with their dad and the oldest unfortunately is sent to stay with her only blood relative left which is her elderly grandmother on her estranged dads side.The grandmothers house was very big in a secluded area lots of trees, a huge lake and horses everything a young girl would dream of however the grandmother was not so pleasant she always made her granddaughter wait on her hand ...

Read story

“The House was Empty” by Josephine Andersen

Submitted to Contest #79

The House was EmptyThe house was empty. Where could she have gone? Where could she have disappeared to?“Lorna, ring the bell again. Maybe she is out in the back?”“OK Jeff, You go round and have a look and I’ll go inside and see if there are any signs of life, or otherwise!”Lorna pulled the door open and tiptoed in. The hall led into the kitchen. On the table she saw two cups and saucers and a small plate of biscuits, lightly covered with a film of dust. There was a small bowl filled with sugar cubes, on the neatly se...

Read story

“The pain of choice” by Charlotte Sully

Submitted to Contest #79

Scarlet There are many hard things I have witnessed in my life. Watched my mother die before my eyes. Seen our field slaves beat to a pulp because of a simple accident. Had to nurse my father back to sobriety after his daily nights at the saloon. Now as I see it, all that was easy compared to what I had to do next. Rain falls all around me, bringin...

Read story

“Life won’t do us apart again ” by Lynn Ayrton

Submitted to Contest #79

Some other days they all thought it was over. Some other weeks any chance to reunite seemed invisible, impossible and unthinkable. Black! Dark! Black and dark was his heart. Red! Red but not like wine was her heart; because she was bleeding. She was bleeding pain from inside. Not many people knew, but she missed him every second, every minute and every eternity spent in a single day. He loves her; the first girl he ever knew. She loves him the first boy she ever loved so hard. They both remember how beautiful it was back then...

Read story

“A Chariot for Champions” by Barabbas Ben

Submitted to Contest #79

Author’s notes: Story inspired by “The Rainbow Bridge Poem” and dedicated to the most amazing mother who taught us Guardian Angels are all around us in every shape and size. Thank you. The pain stopped. Suddenly. Instantly, really. That’s all I can remember. Understandably so, it had been so long since I felt free. I’m not entirely sure I ever was free. But now I am. I feel weightless--like I’m floating, numb and clean. I don’t want to open my eyes. What if it breaks the illusion and the heaviness returns? Bound again to th...

Read story

“Reminiscence” by Teji Reve

Submitted to Contest #79

I almost didn’t answer the phone when Eomma called that Friday afternoon at the start of my first three-day weekend in college. Part of it was guilt. I’d told her I would call once I moved into my dorm more than a month ago. (Until then, you used to call like every week or every couple of weeks at least.) Oh yeah, I did, didn’t I? (I remember waiting and waiting for you to call.) Really? I had no idea. Sorry, kid. (Not a kid.) You used to say that back then, too. Meanwhile, I totally felt like a kid--a scared kid. Did I ever tell...

Read story

“Mother” by Oluwapelumi Adewole

Submitted to Contest #79

Sixty years, six months, two weeks and a day since I last felt her warmth. I was meeting her again today, even if it was a swift passing of a second, it was all that mattered to beings like me. You must think me weird, yes you should. It’s not a regular meeting at a park, a restaurant for a meal, or a walk from school; neither is it the eagerness that comes when she arrives home. No, it’s not all that, I could never experience that, I never even know what it was like. Although I have watched from here seeing such war...

Read story

“While We’re Still Alive” by Caleb Kuether

Submitted to Contest #79

While We’re Still AliveA boy looks out through a foggy backseat window. Panic blurs his thoughts. He’d only seen his father ten seconds before, but now, he can’t picture his face. He wipes the window to get one last look. If only he could wipe both sides of the window. All he can make out is the shape of a broken man, head downtrodden, as the car drives away.***The 1950’s arrived quick to some, slow to most. Malachi Turner felt as though he’d lived four lifetimes. He’s only twenty-seven and has taken over the family business. “Death” he says...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

905

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 05, 2021 EST

Won by Reha A 🏆

Title: Puzzle Pieces

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 ⭢