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

“This is Kanairo ” by Dickens Kasisi

Submitted to Contest #85

"That's the thing about this city".This is what my uncle told me when I first set my foot in Nairobi city. It was the first time that I visited the city.I had never been there and once schools closed for December holiday,my uncle took me with him to the city.I have heard so many things about out countries capital city but this time I was there and my uncle could not tire from explanations and descriptions of the city's people,buildings,roads and even the matatu culture. Matatu is Swahili name for a minivan used as a share taxi in Kenya and a...

Read story

“Down At Papa Joe's (A Dangling Conversation)” by Daniel Norton

Submitted to Contest #85

"That's the thing about this city. You either love it or hate it.""So which direction are you leaning?""Kind of depends on which part of my life you are talking about.""Papa Joe. How about two more beers.""Right away, gentlemen.""Suppose you might as well start when you moved here since you already told me you were born in another state.""As I recall it was my second grade year. Having lived in the country where nothing exciting ever happened it was quite a change, especially for a seven year old.""Can you remember the first thing about this...

Read story

“City Hustle Africa” by Mukhwana Venon

Submitted to Contest #85

That is the thing about this city, full of dazzling bright faces ever dripping with sweat yet lively going up and about Kampala. The crisscrossing from one one end to the other without a clear order on the dusty streets yet it remains fascinating to the city dwellers. The sight of breastfeeding mothers carrying baskets of fruits hawking around, to young men running after vehicles in motion in one of the slowest traffic jams you can ever witness. Sounds of sirens of military vehicles making their way through the tight traffic jams are so comm...

Read story

“I Hate This Place (?)” by Rita H Rowe

Submitted to Contest #85

‘That’s the thing about this city,’ Carla looked over the balcony, taking a sip of the vodka spritzer that Perry brought her. The hustle and bustle beneath her, cars tooting their horns, people rushing about, heading home from work, the busyness she just couldn’t deal with anymore. ‘I used to know it like the back of my hand. Now I can’t even see beyond this stupid hunk of concrete right across the road.’ ‘I love it,’ Perry replied, leaning over the glass barrier. He took a deep breath. ‘Yum.’ Carla was irritated and the music in roof...

Read story

“Left Behind” by K. Ramos

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, it doesn’t know the similarities among its people. It felt like nobody cares about nobody. That’s why it was always easy for me live in the rural areas, it felt like home. Being in this city is like getting trapped in a battle of who gets to outlive who. There is a fine line between the poor and the rich here. Melissa, the young girl who sells fried donuts in the streets of our suburban village relies on every penny she can get to bring food to her siblings. Brian, the young steadfast paralegal who lives t...

Read story

“A Portrait of Betrayal” by Elizabeth Weitz

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city- I thought to myself as a metra flew past, whipping my hair in front of my face and stirring up the bottom of my new coat- the people who come in are not the same as the ones who come out. It changes people. Just like it changed him. We moved into a small apartment with a view of Lake Michigan. Seventh floor. Room 368. 600 square feet. Quite nice, all things considered. We were so young- too young. And naive. But I didn’t care because I loved him. I loved who I thought he was. But he’s not like th...

Read story

“City of love” by Vagmita Bhatt

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city, people come here, people fall in love , people move apart, people go their separate ways. But thats not what happened with Jason and Amelie. They met here too. Jason a little sluggish, sad, self sabotaging kind. Amelie sweet, smart, altruistic kind. Not the perfect match you would imagine but a beautiful one nevertheless. They met under the eiffel tower, a little cliché place to meet? Sure. Jason sitting in the park. Amelie sitting on the bench. Jason in a pensive mood, preoccupied with his thoug...

Read story

“The City that Haunts. ” by Brianna Winn

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, it haunts everyone who lives in its limits. The woman in apartment 23A couldn’t go out of her apartment for a week without looking at the reddish-brown stain on the road. She would start hyperventilating with tears streaming down her face and scream “Milo!”. The blood stain was washed away after a couple of heavy rains and a city cleaner. She doesn’t cry anymore, but she will still stand hovered over where that spot was for a few seconds before going on her way. I knew how painful it was losing a pet. I lost...

Read story

“Zadie, Malcom, Go ” by Zia Cou

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city - you should totally wear flat shoes while in it.I'd kill for one pair of ballet flats in, hmm.. beige? Black ones could do its jobs as well. What about oxblood? Oxblood is nice. My hair color back in the days was kind of burgundy. I mean, oxblood and burgun (and maroon too) are all in the same tonal area so..Who am I kidding? In this very moment, I'd probably kill even for the most basic crocks ever made. All thanks to my new strappy heeled shoes. They successfully headed me even to this point in life.While ...

Read story

“Melancholy City” by Imran Farish

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city There’ll always be a dead person. Just hearing that sends out a Melancholic shiver. Here’s a insight on how it was like to stay for one night in a city like “Melancholy city”. It all started about a year ago. A youth like myself wanted to experience the outer world. Later then i realise how much i regret opening that pamphlet that would lead me to “Melancholy City” It was fine at first. Children playing outside, Elderly walking around and Drug addicted Toddlers ? I started questioning myself if th...

Read story

“The Artistic City” by Flower Queens Adventures

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city, the community has changed so dramatically that I worry if I’m not trendy with new art, I will no longer be accepted as an original “Austinite”. The art that you immerse yourself in while in Austin is seen, heard and felt through; music, handmade artworks, and the strategic placing of items all around the city. When walking down congress the first thought in your mind will be, “wait is that a coldplay song''. The music from the open windowed bars, excitedly drifts into the street drawing in people of all ages...

Read story

“Disney-Pittsburgh” by Russ Lydzinski

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about Pittsburgh…its history,” I told Mom, trying to get her on our side. She and Dad had been arguing—discussing, they would say—about which virtual Disney adventure we should take for summer vacation. Mom wanted to go to Disney—MallWorld, back to when people walked from store to store, fingered merchandise, and sometimes physically, not virtually, tried on clothes, actually putting them on their germ-ridden bodies. Mom thought it would be exciting. I thought it would be boring, and so did Dad. &nbsp...

Read story

“Bean's story ” by Ellie Kidd

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city. No one lives in it. Except me. Me and my loyal dog Lick-- back off I named her when I was five.-- So here I am writing in a notebook I stole from the store that no one shops at. And if you want to know why everyone left. I don't know. I just grew up here all by myself and have never seen another person. Okay okay, calm down. I will answer all of your questions in time, but I thought it would be fun to write down what my days are like living in an abandoned city. Entry 1 That first entry wasn't ...

Read story

“The City of Lies” by Hosea Guy

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city: it’s built on lies. I didn’t realize that for a long time, but I know it now. Actually, no, that’s not right. I knew a degree of its falsehood at a young age; the success promised to me by my parents and teachers was never meant to be. I saw the real me back then, and I see him now in the broken mirror. This person was never destined for success. This person was born to send a message to the city that wronged him. &nbsp...

Read story

“OREGON ON THE BAY” by Sheila Payne

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city, it was once part of the Great Black Swamp, and very hard for the settlers to pass through on their way to Michigan. The Indian tribes set up camps in a circle around the swamp, not daring to go in it. It was thick with black (muck) clay and some places four foot deep waters, and a breeding ground for mosquitos, carrying Malaria. Dense with a variety of tree species, it was also a desirable spot to settle in. In 1838, Pierre M Erving, nephew to Washington Erving, the famous author, named it from one of his un...

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 ⭢