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!

#85: City Living

There’s something deeply compelling about cities, isn’t there? Whether it’s the influencer-driven styles of LA, the laid-back sophistication of Athens, or the perfectly manicured greenery of Singapore, each one truly has its own unique soul. Those who visit are awed and at times overwhelmed, either falling in love or swearing them off forever — while lifelong residents take up a fierce loyalty that nothing can shake.

When writing, it’s often helpful to think of your setting almost like another character. Cities are an excellent way to explore this line of thinking, so for this week, pick a favorite and invite your readers in. What gives your city (whether real or imagined) its local “flavor”? And what impression do the people there give to the many tourists traipsing down their streets? Tap into your inner tour guide — it's time to travel the world!

This week's prompts

Set your story in a major city that your character has a love-hate relationship with.

Middle School – 153 stories

Write a story that takes place in the same building but in two very different time periods.

Historical Fiction – 154 stories

Start your story with the line, “That’s the thing about this city…”

Adults – 283 stories

Write about someone fighting to change their city neighborhood for the better.

Teens – 44 stories

Write about someone fighting to keep their city neighborhood the same.

Teens – 34 stories

Stories

“The Art of L̶o̶v̶e̶ More” by Beau Lux

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city. It’s a small one, about a two-hour drive from the capital, busy and traffic-filled with honking horns on every dimly lit street. The people are quaint, nodding to each other as they pass by, screaming profanities at motorcycles that zoom by a bit too close for comfort. People from the capital, rich and snobbish, come by here at the edge of the week to find food and comfort at small, traditional, family made shops and restaurants. Let me tell you of someone from this city, she’s not anyone of importance, ...

Read story

“Our City” by Priscilla Hall

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city,” The clean-shaven man at the podium grinned and continued speaking. “It will never change.” The crowd cheered. Women applauded and men offered grunts of affirmation. He took a bow and waltzed back to his chair on the left side of the stage. I glanced at him from my own seat and was met with a challenging wink that said, beat that. “Next we’ll hear from our opposing candidate,...

Read story

“Stars in the city” by Tera King

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about the city. It’s so bright it ruins the stars. There’s so much light here that it blinds you and shows us all in an unflattering light. That’s why I like the school planetarium. I sit here with my best friend... and well- maybe my crush. (Okay, okay, he’s 100% my crush but I’ve got good reasons!) I love the planetarium because it’s dark. In the darkness we’re the only ones that exist. The rest of the world fades away until there’s nothing but us. My head rests...

Read story

“Fresh Starts” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #85

The hardest thing she had to do that day was to swallow hard, tuck away her pain of deceit under her ribcage and wait until she found enough courage, forgiveness and peace. She was hoping she could find some peace here in her new apartment in her new building. She hoped that Apartment 3F would bring her some sense of normal back into her life. It was October 4th, 1977 and Katrina was more than ready to move forward after divorcing her husband of 8 years. That was the biggest and hardest decision of her life. She had to do...

Read story

“Gauntlet Maiden Tatsumi” by Dashiii Vargas

Submitted to Contest #85

"Goodmorning! Wonderful people of Gale!" A lady in a lab coat yells out as she stands at the center of the city. No one pays attention to her and just go on with their day. Some see her and takes a quick photo or video and proceeds with their day. "Huh, guess it's true what they say, people won't notice you unless you do something big." The lady stated as she moves her glasses. "Well, if you want to be noticed Eves, then you got to do something big." The lady, who's name is Eves, muttered to herself as she grabs a metallic suitcase. "Then le...

Read story

“Dad's Not Home” by Lizzy Perkins

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, bloody protests. There I was, trying to get home, and a demonstration came down Kingsway. It’s a wide road and one side was full of students shouting out objections with noise and whistles, and helicopter blades thumping overhead, as the police watched for trouble. Bloody kids, I thought, as I watched them and waited to cross the road. They need to find a job and shut up. Take some responsibility in this world rather than grumble. I would have put my hands over my ears if I could, but I had too much blo...

Read story

“Thyme” by Charlotte Bedford

Submitted to Contest #85

2012: Sophie trod carefully on the aged, brittle floorboards of her late grandmother, Barbra’s cottage. Barbra was a sweet soul, she baked cakes for the neighbours and invited the shopping delivery man in for a cuppa every Saturday morning. It was an untimely death which had bestowed the family, shocking that such a pure soul could leave the earth so soon. The walls of the cottage had sunken in as if it were holding its breath. Sophie creeped up the large staircase at the end of the corridor which lead up to the master bedroom. The carpet w...

Read story

“Monsters” by Caroline Burkey

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city,” I tell the young girl. “You don’t want to go out at night. Monsters lurk in the shadows, and who knows what they will do to you.” She looks up at me with fear in her eyes, and I know she’ll take my words to heart. “I just wish we didn’t have to go out and get her medicine,” I say, nodding toward the bundled up figure on the couch. “Me too,” she whispers, glancing at the motionless figure. “We’ll be back,” I call out to the figure. “We’ll be careful. Take care until we’re back.” The ...

Read story

“Alex and Cassidy” by Anil Smith

Submitted to Contest #85

"That's the thing about this city... Alex... you love it but you hate it at the same time," Cassidy said. He and Alex were holding each other and crying. You might not understand right now, so let me rewind. Alex and Cassidy had been going strong for a year and 4 months, and they were already moving in together. But one day, Cassidy received a call. He got an internship at a law firm, the law firm he has wanted to work at forever. Alex was staying in New York, working at the famous sushi restaurant called Le Sushi Palais. Cassidy decided ...

Read story

“FIVE BUCKS PROMISE” by Bui Buiii

Submitted to Contest #85

FIVE BUCKS PROMISE His head was too big for his body. His big hollow eyes stark and his cheekbones tight against his dusty pale skin. Crouched on the ground covered with yellow dust, this 10-year-old waited for the puppy to crawl out from under the low raised platform of his neighbor’s home. He smiled as he watched the puppy eat the gravel. How fun it would be to let it fight with the puppies of the other kids on the ground he thought. He was pretty sure his would wallop the daylight out of every other. “Looking for dust?” Bailey said. He l...

Read story

“Club Harmony” by Miles Swanson

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city, it either steals your soul or you leave it before it can.” Wise words of sisterly advice run through Veronica’s mind as she contemplates what to do. Or at least her sister Reece thought it was advice as she made her once a year visit back to her younger sister in an attempt to pretend that she cares. That’s a lie, Veronica knew she cared but she needed help, needed something to go right for her for once and she was very annoyed how true those words were ringing lately.Life was a mess for her. Not like cheer...

Read story

“Abyss of Revenge: What was once Home” by David Abu Bonsrah

Submitted to Contest #85

Bernice's ride through the city was amazing. She hadn’t planned this but there was one particular place she wanted to visit. Her heart pushed her to that part of the city where she once lived. Her body resisted the temptation to go to that particular location but her mind was there already. The scenes she’d tried had to forget was going to come back one way or the other but she took the risk. She turned a junction to the mansion she once lived in and noticed how developed that part of the city had beco...

Read story

“Change is Consistent” by Steve McKenney

Submitted to Contest #85

A warm spring breeze, heavy with humidity, ushered its way down East Bay Street carrying the sounds and scents of the harbor with it. The day resembled a thousand spring days before it, yet was also unlike any previous day. It was its own original day, complete with its own sights, sounds and smells, none of them unique as individuals but on this day, they were. They were unique to this very moment of time and space. Never before and never again would these sounds and smells appear in the same way or in the same order. Cody Barnes was one ...

Read story

“Celebration of commotion in the city.” by Saumya Dubey

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city...You will come here all alone as a ignorant being but this city will give you gifts of realities that will urge you to live a life of soulfulness. Varanasi is a vibrant city of India blessed with river ganga and lost in it's own mysteries. This land has witnessed so many things in so many different ways and to avoid confrontations among different lifestyles among different mentalities different believes this city blends all of them into one. And that's makes this place mysterious. It's really very ...

Read story

“Iris” by Katlin Shuherk

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city...nothing about it has been the same since that night. The night - twenty years ago - that my life was forever changed; the night that I watched the man who was supposed to be my father walk out on my mom and me after beating her until her face was unrecognizable. He stumbled out of the doorway and into the street leaving the woman he had vowed to love and protect in a pile of blood and tears. He threw us away that night. Moments before, I lay on top of her - shielding her from his blows. I was convinced he w...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

671

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 19, 2021 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

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 ⭢