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!

#81: Candy Hearts

Ah, love. From the first spark of attraction to the soul-deep contentment of a long-established relationship, romantic love is a force that continues to mystify, enthrall, and surprise us.

And while there’s plenty to criticize about Valentine’s Day, it’s still a nice excuse for people in romantic relationships to stop and appreciate their partners for a day. Especially during lockdown, when quarters are tight and nerves are often frayed, it’s important to remember why we chose the person (or people) we coupled up with.

What better time for a writer to dive headfirst into romances? No matter how many times we tell a love story, each relationship is going to have its own unique joys and frustrations, and we want to feel them all. So feel free to let your sappy side out — this week we’re celebrating love!

This week's prompts

Write about two people reconnecting after a rough patch in their relationship.

Romance – 247 stories

Write a love story about an older couple who’ve been together since they were teenagers.

Romance – 168 stories

Write about a first date that surprises both people, but in different ways.

Romance – 161 stories

Start your story with one character setting up a romantic dinner, and end it with them looking at a framed wedding photo.

Romance – 181 stories

Write about someone asking out an old crush, only to realize their crush doesn’t remember they’ve ever met before.

Romance – 158 stories

Stories

“Unexpected Love” by Neeta Kanen

Submitted to Contest #81

“I can’t accept these. I don’t know you”Those were the words I heard the day I confessed to my crush.2 April 2017Dear Diary Journal, It’s me, Akito. I haven’t really written in you since there wasn’t actually anything to write about. I go to school, attend archery class, come home, do my homework and sleep by 10. Nothing really extraordinary about my life, really. Therefore, you might be wondering what’s the special occasion that drove me to pick you up for the first time. Well, today is the Hanami Festival.The viewing of cherry blossom...

Read story

“Pencil of Hope” by Zobias Zwart

Submitted to Contest #81

There is a tradition in my former school where the younger students give pencils to graduating students as a token of good luck on their entrance exams for college. A certain 12th grader is assigned to a student each from 7th to 11th grade by their specific representative. An elaborate way to ensure everyone would receive pencils, wouldn't you agree? All the same, students can still give a pencil or pencils or anything actually for moral support to whomever they want to. Heck, students can even decide not to give anything to the one assigned...

Read story

“Imperfect Memories” by Bennett Richardson

Submitted to Contest #81

Imperfect Memories Ronnie got up once again to heat his coffee. He knew there was no way he should be expected to send this email with cold coffee. It was completely reasonable that while he composed this three to four line message, he should have hot coffee. Ding, Ding, Ding. The microwave brought him out of his reverie, indicating that time was up. His coffee was hot once again, and he needed to send the damn email. He sat down at his desk chair, opened up the draft, shifted in his seat, took a sip of coffee, shifted in his seat, stood...

Read story

“Beautiful Eyes” by Kerensa Rybak

Submitted to Contest #81

Standing across the room, Renee finds herself in a cliche, as she gazes upon The One Who Got Away. It's been a decade, but the years have been kind to him, and she cannot tear her eyes from his face. It isn't until she is jostled from behind, and a splash of coffee surges over her cup that she shakes herself from her reverie. The coffee shop is bustling, the early morning crowd ebbing and flowing with the train schedules, commuters in a self absorbed rush, caffeine acting as their lifelines. Renee has come to this particular shop several tim...

Read story

“Juliane and Alex” by Pako Dunwhile

Submitted to Contest #81

Juiane had pined for Alex throughout her freshman year at Wyoming State. He was everything that she wanted in a guy. Alex wasn’t the captain of any sports team or the accumulation of any romcom cliches. He was just another college dork with something special to her. Alex didn’t see her following him around school. She caught herself lost in fantasies about their fictional life together. She knew much about him, collected from eavesdropping on his public conversations in the Yard. When his group met to catch up at the fountain, Juliane would ...

Read story

“Drunk Summer Persona” by Kacie Gordan

Submitted to Contest #81

June 27, 10:06pm The whole dance floor glowed with red and green laser beams shooting out from rotating lights in the ceiling. It was Friday night and the club was packed with people dancing and jumping to the DJ’s distasteful music. “Hey lighten up!” Stapran said from next to Tasua, his jacket dirtied with splashes of glow and the dark paint. “It’s graduation Kambe! We have to get out and have fuun!” “Your definition of ‘fuun’ is this, “ Tasua said, motioning to the club scene. “And mine is chilling in our apartment with t...

Read story

“Freezer Burn” by Matilda Spadoni

Submitted to Contest #81

“Ok but it’s the Sadie Hawkens dance, you have to ask Kai. It’s like… fate.” My best friend, Terry reasoned with me while we scooped ice cream at the local shop. “He doesn’t even know who I am,” I replied. “He comes here all the time while you're working. Doesn’t look like that to me.” “I'm not doing it. Plus, the Sadie Hawkins Dance is very sexist, and comes from a sexist comic strip. I don’t know if I want to participate in a dance that suggests that a female taking dominance in terms of a social dance is atypical. The idea of Sad...

Read story

“Secret Crush” by Rebecca Hackney

Submitted to Contest #81

There he was, mister tall dark and handsome. All through high school she had a huge crush on him, could it be possible that he got more good looking. She wondered if he remembered her; unlikely since she was very unpopular back then. Now she was the co-owner and boss of an art gallery. She was here at this fancy diner to talk to a new upcoming artist about displaying their art in her gallery. Holly, her business partner, had heard about them so Holly sent her out to make the deal. If she knew it would be him that she was meeting she would of...

Read story

“Frozen Heart” by S Blakely

Submitted to Contest #81

It was in December when we first met. How could anyone forget it? It’s a memory so much a part of me I doubt I would exist if I ever left it behind. The snow flurried in dizzying spirals from an ivory-white sky. My breath shone bright in the pale sunlight, flurrying up to the clouds to give a little back. At that point, it was all I could do. My hands could barely move in their mittens while the rest of my body shook as if that was all it was made to do. It felt like the weight of the entire world had been stuffed into my backpack. I was ti...

Read story

“A New Beginning” by Mobarewaye Odufisan

Submitted to Contest #81

Strawberry ringlets are what fill his vision the second he turns down the next aisle, pushing his shopping cart leisurely forwards as he ambles unhurriedly behind it. His mind, ever the one for random thoughts, reminisces for a second of just how familiar that vivid colour seems, of someone he remembers that’d had the same full head of springy curls – in that same memorable style and colour. He expects the fond memory to fade in the passing seconds, like being in someone’s proximity and inhaling the scent of some pleasing floral or frui...

Read story

“Selfless Love” by Suman Saxena

Submitted to Contest #81

Mary was looking very beautiful. She looked like a princess in her elegant looking white gown. It was her wedding. Mary and John would get married in the church. At two in the afternoon, they had to go to the Marriage Registrar’s office to get their marriage registered. In the evening there was a party to celebrate the beginning of their togetherness. All her family members, friends and cousins were ready to go to the church. They were waiting for John to arrive. A white, decorated Mercedes entered the gate. Everyone clapped to see John arri...

Read story

“LASTING AFFECTION” by Nirmala Nababsing

Submitted to Contest #81

Lasting Affection The scent of flowers permeated the room. Sounds of footsteps, giggles, chatting and guffaws blended with the soft music. Small boys in spotless shirts and jeans and little girls in organza dress were running around. On the table in the centre of the room, a three layered cake stood prominently, with the usual miniature bride and bridegroom figurine at the top. Figures 6 and 0 conspicuously appeared in front of the white and pink adorned with red roses. Rita, a stout middle aged woman elegantly...

Read story

“Matthew's Smile” by Sam Goodman

Submitted to Contest #81

Matthew was the first person that I laid eyes on when I walked through the rusty doors of my new high school. My father worked for Blockbuster and he was sent around the country to help open new stores. Sometimes he went by himself and other times we piled the whole family into the trusty station wagon and went with him. This time we left behind the warm Florida beaches and travelled across the country to Oregon. I didn’t know a single soul and I certainly did not like the rain that constantly seeped into my bones. Matthew had blonde, cu...

Read story

“Ice Cream ” by Michelle Padilla

Submitted to Contest #81

“Vanessa, darling,” called out Benjamin Moore to his wife. She didn’t answer. Where can she be? He thought. The only sound in the house was the chime of the old oak clock, its golden pendulum swinging inside its glass box. The air still smelled like oatmeal and raisin cookies from yesterday’s baking, although their grandchildren had eaten the whole pan. Benjamin opened the back door, admiring the back garden through the mosquito net. There between a tomato plant and a ceramic vase knelt Vanessa, her withered hands dirty from the soft d...

Read story

“Pillow Talk” by A Mehendale

Submitted to Contest #81

“Rumour has it Sir Rodney is no longer the only man to grace Miss Abigail’s chambers.” The Earl of Carlisle hums, noncommittally. He rolls one shoulder and continues to undress for the night. Across the bed, his wife, the Countess, arches a single, plucked brow, and continues. “Rumour also has it, that of all the heads she turns as she walks, yours is the neck that twists most.” Carlisle seats himself on the edge of the bed. His voice is even when he answers, smooth and just barely amused. “Is that so?” he asks, and now i...

Read story

$50

Prize money

915

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 19, 2021 EST

Won by Molly Quinnell 🏆

Title: Golden Cheekbones and the Rising Sun

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 ⭢