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!

#82: How App-ropriate

Love it or loathe it, there’s no denying that modern technology has reshaped literally every aspect of our daily lives. From the way we stay in touch with family and friends, to the ready access of information (or misinformation), to how we work and then spend our hard-earned cash, there’s no part of modern life that isn’t impacted by technology.

And it’s safe to say the advancement of tech is only accelerating. But while some characters welcome — or even help usher in — this changing world, others won’t be so accepting. This week, let’s take a look at some of the highs and lows of a world run by algorithms.

This week's prompts

Write about a technophobe who’s been given a device to solve a problem they’ve struggled with for years, but isn't sure how they feel about it.

Character – 95 stories

Your character has just realized the app they’ve been developing has become self-aware. How do they react?

Science Fiction – 74 stories

Write a historical fiction story about someone working at a company that helped revolutionize early computers.

Historical Fiction – 17 stories

Write a near-future thriller where a piece of everyday technology has turned against your character — and only your character.

Thriller and Suspense – 130 stories

Write about an android just trying to blend in with their human companions.

Science Fiction – 221 stories

Stories

“"Hop In," Says My Coffin” by Cookie Carla🍪

Submitted to Contest #82

"Pass the salt for me, would you?" Pop jerks his chin in my direction during dinner. He never really looks at me. He always makes short glances or looks past me, as if he could see right through me. He only looks at me when I play for my school's basketball team and win a game or a scout finds me and refers me to their school. Now he's too busy looking at the muted TV in the living room that was brightly broadcasting pro basketball stats. "So, what'd you do with your night out yesterday?" I didn't know Pops knew I went out last nig...

Read story

“My Toaster Hates Me” by Joshua Trockel

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #82

“Piece of junk!” I cry, as the smell of burning bread fills the room. I hear the sizzling satisfaction from the toaster, mocking me. I just put it in a second ago. Sure enough, when I press the eject button, two charred pieces of bread pop out with an indignant “Humph.”“What did I ever do to you?” I protest, laying the blackened bread on the growing pile of burnt toast in the bin. The toaster stares back at me, quiet, calculating. “Dude stop burning bread,” Peter grumbles, sliding into the room with a yawn. He’s wearing the sa...

Read story

“The Beauty of the Senseless” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Submitted to Contest #82

There comes a time—more of an age, when you realize that what you're seeing in this world, what you're going through, experiencing...just don't make any sense at all. Some things in life have stayed a mystery, is staying a mystery, and will always stay a mystery. No matter how hard you try to be Sherlock Holmes, or study and aspire to become Albert Einstein Jr.,these things just won’t make any sense at all. For example, the word ‘abbreviation’ is suppo...

Read story

“A Hero: Beta's Introduction to her Mission” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Submitted to Contest #82

“Beta2021, you will be sent on this mission, to find who the thief is. We need that last piece, now. There are some guidelines and rules that you must follow, do you understand that?" “Beep. Boop. Bop.” “BETA2021! I told you, speak in English. Here, let me change that.” he bent down and clicked some buttons, swiping up and down. “There, now let’s try that again. Do you understand that?” “Si.” “No! This is Spanish! Ugh! There must be something wrong, something...malfunctioning inside. Let’s&nbs...

Read story

“Glitch” by Amany Sayed

Submitted to Contest #82

You could only see the blinking red light in Perl’s eyes if you looked at them from just the right angle.Or, if there was a reflective surface somewhere in the room.It’s why she hated mirrors, they always reflected right back at her, her wires tinging with sour jealousy of all her human companions, red light blinking on and off, machinery whirring, and metal limbs twitching.Jealousy.Another emotion she wasn’t supposed to be able to feel, wasn’t supposed to know of.And yet, as she sat on the luxurious leather seat, she couldn’t help but glare...

Read story

“Hephaestus” by Amaya .

Submitted to Contest #82

The hotel event room will be crowded, and noisy, devoid of furniture except for a row of tables pushed against the back wall, serving exclusive red and white wines, and a wide selection of lavish cheese, imported from all across the world. Couples, some wearing crisp black suits and some donning long, flowing dresses, will dance stiffly around you. Sleek robots of different shapes and sizes will zoom around the room, cleaning spills and refilling the cheese platter. All of it will scream wealth. You will sip red wine tentatively, hating...

135 comments 135

Read story

“Grief: A Study” by Christina Marie

Submitted to Contest #82

I do not understand death.No—my apologies—that is inaccurate.I know death is a natural conclusion to every individual living organism, in which all biological functions that sustain said organism cease to function, prompting the process of decomposition. This can happen organically with aging or illness, or it can be inflicted early—as it was upon you. When your Kia was struck by a much larger truck and rolled off the highway, you were wearing the armor of youth fabricated by your still-developing brain instead of your seatbelt. Your in...

Read story

“Osteoarthritis” by Nina Chyll

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #82

To get to the very blank and very ominous page, it took exactly four clicks. First, he’d need to lift the top and press any key. As the screen lit up, he’d have to point the mouse at his name and his profile picture, set to a photo of the front of his house for a reason he decided not to ask his Granddaughter the Giver of the Laptop. Then, he’d have wait a few seconds for everything to order itself, render itself, snap into place from somewhere behind the screen. In the top right corner of the desktop, there was a file entitled Nana. All he ...

Read story

“The One Letter Mistake” by 【ↇ𝔸𝕂𝕆⇝𝔹𝔼𝔸ℝ 】

Submitted to Contest #82

“This is the moment we have all been waiting for. Over the last 5 years the youngest and cleverest amongst us all have been competing for this honour: to be the owner of the latest X-14 model of robot which we- Utech- have been building. To get here, the final 5 competitors have worked together and separately. They have shed tears of frustration, happiness, anger. Still, they did not give up and here they are. Yet only one can win. Let me introduce them!” A round of applause and catcalls thunders through the auditorium. Mr Jiles, the CEO of ...

Read story

“Live With It” by Amany Sayed

Submitted to Contest #82

The ugly wheeled contraption seemed to stare Skai down as she took small bites of her granny smith apple. That is, the wheelchair. Her apple was perfectly crisp, crunchy, and sour, and only ruined by the sickly setting. That is, the hospital. “Miss Skai?” Skai didn’t bother to look up at the nurse as she nodded slightly. “Would you like me to assist you in-” “No.” “O-Oh but Miss Skai-” “Do I look like some sort of middle-aged woman or something? Don’t call me miss and don’t even think about moving me to that wheelchair.” The nurse tapp...

Read story

“the bane of the technological world” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈 (inactive For The Summer)

Submitted to Contest #82

“Penelope, open up!” Penelope glanced her head towards the door. Her sister had been banging for at least two minutes now, so she stood and walked a few paces to the huge oak door. After she had the door pulled open, Pene’s sister Maia stood in the doorway. “Pene, are you okay?” Maia asked. Pene did her best to stand tall. She had been feeling under the weather recently, but she wasn’t going to tell her over worrying sister about that. “Yes, Mai, I’m alright.” Pene tried for an eye roll, but she was too fatigued. Maia glanced over Pene...

Read story

“Bethany Blooms” by Emine Beasley

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #82

The evening sun flutters through the window. White paint is peeling as I peel the mask from my face. Strawberry clay aromas sooth my mind.I light my cigarette and open the oak wardrobe. Skinny chinos in pastel shades compete for an excursion. I match baby blue ones with a white frilly shirt. My ginger curls cut off before my slim frame starts.I scroll through his profile one last time before slinking out of the apartment.Hours later I slink back in, ‘gentleman’ in tow. He slinks in me but alas it was not meant to be as it’s bagels for one ag...

Read story

“Manual Manuel Manual” by Christina Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #82

Manuel knew he would never make a good cannibal—he just didn’t like people. In a perfect world, Manuel would have gone into computer programming for the sole purpose of being alone in his basement; however, he despised all things digital, deciding instead to pursue accounting.He now happily calculated other people’s tax returns in the quiet solitude of the subterranean floor of his small brownstone. On his desk, he had one halogen lamp, a legal size pad of lined paper, and a wooden abacus. The abacus was a perfect fit for Manuel and his...

Read story

“Why is a Laser Beam like a Goldfish?” by Tom .

Submitted to Contest #82

“I have a friend. He keeps trying to convince me he’s a compulsive liar, but I don’t believe him.”“Good Opener, okay FEZ let’s go old school, a joke about marriage.”“My wife and I were happy for twenty years; then we met.”“Excellent, excellent, tell me a joke about winter.”“One snowman asks another, “Do you smell carrots?””“Stop FEZ, Open Delivery protocols, increase pause after ‘another’ by 20%. Repeat”“One snowman asks another, “Do you smell carrots?””“Much better, much better, right tell me a famous joke”“I said to the gym instructor: Can...

Read story

“Alpha-101” by Daniel R. Hayes

Submitted to Contest #82

My name is Ellie Vancover, and I remember when my world changed in the summer of 1987. I graduated from Harvard with high honors in computer programming, and was recruited by Alex Whitney, the CEO of Cyber-Chip Industries. He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. I mean what college student would say no to a six figure salary, right? Alex wanted me to lead a special top secret division that specialized in artificial intelligence. It was a bold initiative that was going to change the world.I became the shining star in my family eclipsing my old...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

537

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 26, 2021 EST

Won by Cyndy Reads 🏆

Title: ALN23061912RK

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 ⭢