Start your story with the line “I’ve got a plan”.

Posted in Dialogue on Nov 8, 2022

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✍️ 60 stories

“Threats and Regrets” by Marie White

Submitted to Contest #170

“I’ve got a plan,” Tim told his wife, leaning forward with elbows on the table, “but you’re not gonna like it.” Hell, he himself didn’t like it. But, if they and, more importantly, their baby girl, stayed on the cliff’s edge any longer, the next breeze would blow them over. Anastasia rubbed her upper arms. “I can’t imagine how it could be worse than losing the house.” Fortunately, the layoffs that had imposed this t...

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“Writers plan” by Liz Zare

Submitted to Contest #170

‘I’ve got a plan!’ I said to my husband Tom as I rushed into the living room. I grabbed his wet, soapy hands and he could barely drop the knife he was washing. ‘I’m going to write a Reedsy short story!’ He knows I’ve been struggling with writing, after my first book. That was about three years ago, when I was in the middle of a burnout. It was recommended to me as a form of therapy, but the whole process of creating the characters, thinking about the story lines and doing research, secretly grabbed me somewhere along the way. But then, a...

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“The Two Sisters ” by Ella K Landrum

Submitted to Contest #170

"I got a plan." says Ella to her sister Sophie. Flashback..... One day Ella came home from work to Sophie and her boyfriend Jack fighting. Ella sighed after she heard them screaming at each other. "I-I saw y-you kissing another girl at the r-restaurant and even m-my best friend." yells Sophie. "I would never cheat on you. Can we just sit and talk calmly? " said Jack. "Fine." Sophie says with a mean tone. "Ella can you go get us some water?" Sophie said. "I can't find it, can you help me?" Ella says. Sophie walks to the kitchen and Ella...

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“I have a Plan” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #170

"I have a plan." Major Rusty Zellis told his squadron after one of his pilots was shot down with a surface to air missile over Russian restricted airspace. Captain Tommy Hammer Haller was snapping photographic images over a top secret location Vladivostok of their new nuclear submarine. The Russians sent images of the captain looking a little worse for the wear to the Pentagon. They also sent a video of Haller asking for clemency in exchange for some information on the computers at the capitol. "I hope so or Ca...

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“Dad's New Plan” by Patricia Merewether

Submitted to Contest #170

Dad's New Plan "Are we leaving tomorrow, Dad?" I asked. "Yep, Cathy, bright and early!" He said. "You mean dark and early." Mom added, " It's still dark outside at 5:00 A.M." " Well, I have a new plan for this year," My Dad said. "So in this trip of 1955, if we leave an hour earlier, we'll be sure to beat rush hour in St. Louis." I was nine years old. "There aren't any rush hours on Saturday, and that's why we decided to go Saturday this year, remember?" Mom said while carefully layering clothes into her suitcase. "Yo...

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“A Guided Lesson in Planning” by Ryan WHITFIELD

Submitted to Contest #170

I've got a plan... 'I have a plan' I thought confidently. I scribbled on my notes casually. And then it all started building up, the annotations and crossings out, and the reiteration and addition of corrections was getting hectic. Beginning to feel disheartened, I thought sarcastically to myself, 'Here is something I prepared earlier.' It is a work in progress of course, little more than a draft really. But it has a spirit to it. An intent that I'm beginning to wonder about... was it really my plan, it was meant to be more exciting than thi...

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“Shooting Starts” by Merry Behre

Submitted to Contest #170

"I've got a plan," I thought. I think the year was 1991. I didn't know how life would unfold before me, but my job permitted me only two weeks of vacation that summer after graduating from high school. I spent my first allotted week with friends from my church youth group travelling to the Appalachian mountains for a mission trip. I learned that week that the God I served could surprise me with down home cooking when I was dreading a week of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. By the end of that week, I learned through experience that He co...

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“The Real Tournament” by Douglas W. Carr

Submitted to Contest #170

*** Warning: This story depicts bullying and physical violence – and contains profanity. *** “I’ve got a plan,” Tommy shouted as he walked past his father and down the steps toward the basement. “Hey,” his father yelled. “What?” “What happened to you?” “Same thing as always.” “You, okay?” “I’m fine, just leave me alone.” “Don’t go doing anything stupid,” his father encouraged. “There are only a few weeks of school remaining and then you’re off for the summer. Next year will be better.” “Yeah yeah, whatever.” Tommy’s ninth-grade ye...

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“At your will” by T.K. Taylor

Submitted to Contest #170

“I’ve got a plan.” Sean blinked expectantly at Mark, his owlish eyes worried. They both stood in the bed of their dad’s truck, the ribbed surface pressing painful edges into their bare feet. Mark looked down at his 7 year old brother, then back up to rooftop above them. “See that metal bar there? The one that holds the gutter up? I’ll boost you up and you grab that. Then, step on my shoulders and climb to the roof.” From their perch in the truck bed, the roof wasn’t as far away as it seemed from the ground. Three feet, maybe four...

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“Dice” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #170

“I’ve got a plan.” The table groaned. This wasn’t the first time Clint had a plan. It wouldn’t be the last, but everyone sitting around that table exaggerated their distress at these words. Claire grimaced, Todd shook his head, Jeff and Jenifer both looked away while Amber threw her arms up. Everyone was upset except for Clint and Pat, their Dungeon Master. “What is the plan?” Pat said with a wicked grin. “Well-” “No…. Don’t say anything yet. Just stop,” Jennifer jumped in. “Don’t say a word.” “But… I-” “-Don’t. Not y...

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“The Plan To End All Plans” by Jack Bell

Submitted to Contest #170

I've got a plan. It’s one that aims to provide me with a whole-of-life roadmap, if that doesn’t sound too grandiose. It's not complete, not fully worked out to the last detail, although the central thrust of it feels very solid. Anyone who knows me is probably surprised by this. I tended in the past to take each day as it comes. Not anymore. I feel much happier, more centered, my mind more fertile, since I got serious about having a plan.What I want to express with my plan, and my surrounding commentary upon it, is the need for the modern al...

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“A New Plan” by Callie Olszak

Submitted to Contest #170

“I’ve got a plan” He said looking over at her grinning slamming his laptop shut. “I’m sure you do,” She responded shaking her head from the other side of their studio apartment. “No really. This time, this is it.” He said excitement spilling out over his words. “Nick,” she sighed, “You said that last time, and the time before that, and the time before that and even the time before that. Remember when you thought you would go to school for accounting and you finished your degree only to find out you wanted to become a chef. Then the sme...

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“Johnny's Plan” by Clay Thomas

Submitted to Contest #170

Johnny’s Plan “I’ve got a plan.” I sighed—not about there being a plan since, at this point, anything was bound to be better than where we were, trapped with dirt clods hitting all around. No, it wasn’t the plan, per se, that made me sigh, it’s just that it was Johnny’s plan. Don’t get me...

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“Rambelings preceding Death” by Samael Lynch

Submitted to Contest #170

‘I’ve got a plan.’ Is what I would have said if I actually had a plan, sadly I did not possess something quite so magical. Perhaps it would have been the sane route if I had one. To first begin a plan and only then act upon it but I simply could not resist, so I acted without a plan. I was hungry you see, I needed to feed. After all what was the alternative here? I go on feeling hunger? No, no, no, no, no, no, NO. That was no option at all. Feeding it would be, so I went on with it, no plan, no weapons, allies. Just me. The lonely Nosferatu ...

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“Falling Into Place” by Rain X

Submitted to Contest #170

“I’ve got a plan. ”“But Gi-Gi, that isn’t how you start stories!”Melena pouted, looking up into her grandpa’s soft wrinkly face with a look full of discontent and annoyance. “Not all stories begin like every other, and this is a special story that I’ll tell you.” He gently pointed out, choosing to pay no mind to the his grandaughters prickly tone, mistaking it for a simple enquiry about his word choice. Feeling agitated, Melena looked down instead Her snowball pom-poms bouncing against her leather boots. Grumbling, a bit upset she asked...

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Start your story with the line “I’ve got a plan”.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 60 stories

“Threats and Regrets” by Marie White

“Writers plan” by Liz Zare

“The Two Sisters ” by Ella K Landrum

“I have a Plan” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“Dad's New Plan” by Patricia Merewether

“A Guided Lesson in Planning” by Ryan WHITFIELD

“Shooting Starts” by Merry Behre

“The Real Tournament” by Douglas W. Carr

“At your will” by T.K. Taylor

“Dice” by D.C. Reed

“The Plan To End All Plans” by Jack Bell

“A New Plan” by Callie Olszak

“Johnny's Plan” by Clay Thomas

“Rambelings preceding Death” by Samael Lynch

“Falling Into Place” by Rain X

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a character who tries to control their life down to the most minute detail — but has to learn to let go.

Write about a plan that goes wrong, for the better.

Write a story that involves the architectural plans for a building.

Fly by the seat of your pants and write a story without a plan.

Contest #170

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

201

Contest entries

125

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: