Write a short story about someone watching a convincing infomercial.

Posted in Funny on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 20 stories

“Convince Me” by Whitney Trang

Submitted to Contest #19

It was going to be one of those nights. Lorelei knew it. She sighed and turned on the TV. She read articles saying if one were looking to fall asleep, it’s best NOT to watch TV. But she couldn’t lay there, alone in the dark anymore. “Everyone please welcome Jorjanna Byers and Knozall!” The handsome man in a blue suit introduced a dark haired woman standing next to a twelve inch metallic robot. Lorelei stumbled upon the channel that showed nothing but infomercials all day and apparently, all night. She had nothing better to watch, so sh...

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“A Heart Is Not an Orange” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #19

1Martin Wilson never returned from his student exchange program abroad. This is mostly due to the fact that he didn’t escape the vampire.“Oh, sweet Jesus!” cried the Brit, as he pounded down the stony hallways of the castle, footsteps echoing into the night. Outside the tall, gothic windows, a ghostly fog obscured the grounds around the place. His perception and understanding of where he was spatially were being warped and twisted – Martin thought he was at ground level, but now it looked as if he were on the third or fourth floor…“There is ...

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“Fake-adryl” by Natasha Arnold

Submitted to Contest #19

Snuggled in between his throw pillow and heated blanket, Sheldon was content. It was 4am after a tiresome day of Sheldon’s battle for social justice, usually in the form of Facebook arguments. Whether it was orphans, immigration, environmental care, or gay rights, Sheldon was always at the front lines. With quick wit and fierce typing, Sheldon would respond to vile posts written by “degenerate scum”. Among many things, Sheldon would be an outspoken voice against buying animals. Whenever he would see someone post about their new pet, he would...

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“The Christmas Baby Infomercial” by Rima ElBoustani

Submitted to Contest #19

“DA DA DUM!This is your Birthday and Christmas all rolled into one! If you were born on the 23rd or 24th December in any year, this is for you! We are offering a 50% discount on everything to all you Christmas babies! Come now, while the offer is still valid! Must be eighteen or over.”***After watching the infomercial, Dorothy rushed into her bed room, searching everywhere for her fake ID. As luck would have it, her fake ID said that she was born on the 24th of December. She had thought it was just more believable because who would lie about...

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“The Cable Chair” by Matthew Wright

Submitted to Contest #19

- 1 - It was hour 288 inside the WIRE and Ricker was low. He blinked-in-match with the consentium, finishing off yet another thought-job, the 18th that hour. The small Blinks were the faster of the jobs Ricker could manage on the schedule he had set for himself, fast and sure, they just didn’t pay well. He was a Speed-Freak, a Blinker, one of the last of the Fast-Boys that worked the way he worked. He powered through using older, less-burdened-with-innovation tech, his console keeping up with the latest XIEOS models despite its many fla...

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“The Devil's Lullaby” by Eva Korošec

Submitted to Contest #19

“Having trouble sleeping?"Yes. I wouldn't be in front of my television at 1 am otherwise, lifelessly watching the infomercials. The man was grinning back at me almost manically, as if he knew it well, as if I, a bored insomniac, personally checked all of his boxes for a target audience."The nights too loud in the big city? Do you ever just want to move away for a good night's sleep?"Again, yes. As a country mouse, I had a hard time dealing with the big city racket that never ceased. Even now, I could hear police sirens a few blocks away and ...

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“The Office Ball 2000” by Natalie M.

Submitted to Contest #19

“Are you stressed at work? Out of shape? Not sleeping well?”“Yes, yes. And clearly yes, it’s almost three in the morning.”“Are you looking for a fun, basic way to move around during the day?”“Yeah, sounds good to me.”“Do you want to become active however you can?”“Yes, now just get to the point already.“Do you have $19.99 plus shipping and handling to spend right now?”“If you stop asking me questions, then I will.”“Then try the best innovation in exercise balls to date, the Office Ball 2000! It mixes all of the fun and exercise of a bouncy f...

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“Merry Christmas from Shopping Street TV” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #19

There are two things I swore I’d never do (well, apart from the obvious ones like mass-murder or incest). One was having a TV in the bedroom and the other was wearing my PJs in the lounge. Not that it didn’t occurred to me that they were possibly among the perks of living alone, and certainly didn’t do anyone else any harm, and I certainly wasn’t into Sleep Hygiene – the very phrase makes me wince. I need my radio in my bedroom. Silence makes me nervous and I can’t sleep. But I digress. The business about n...

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“Silky ” by Trenea House

Submitted to Contest #19

Kathryn Turtle never thought that learning every president of the United States would take her this long. Surely, she would do anything to get an A-plus on a test, but the clock says 4:32 a.m. and she’s been studying since six in the afternoon. She should be in bed. But then she would have to get up two hours later to get ready for school. It’s not like she’s tired, though; the television has been on to provide background noise. She probably would’ve been done a little after midnight if she didn’t look up now and then to glance at the TV. F...

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“Summer Lifts” by Lindsey Starrberri

Submitted to Contest #19

I sat on the couch with Mat and Tracey. Bip came over and jumped on the couch, his tail wagging happily. I pet his golden fur and propped my socked feet up on a brown footrest. Tracey and Matt were discussing politics, and my brother Jake was playing soccer outside with his buddies.When we come to Tracey's house for the summer, there's usually a lot of excitement. But with Tracey being 3 months pregnant, her sister in law has nothing to do. Thank God for TV!I sagged on the couch, a bowl of jello in my hand. I shoved a spoonful of orange jell...

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“First Impressions” by Annie Percik

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #19

“Hey, Jad, I’ve got something!” Yisaheur swivelled around in his chair, waggling his eye stalks excitedly at his crew-mate. He stabbed a tentacle towards his console, where jagged lines were jumping about across one of the screens. Ma'jadaloon was more jaded. “Really?” She yawned widely, all three rows of her teeth on menacing display. They had been out in deep space for a very long time, with nothing whatsoever to show for it, except incredible boredom and a tremendous desire to lay eyes on any being at all, except for each other. They had ...

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“...and this is why we can't afford to have more babies” by Karen Iseminger

Submitted to Contest #19

She reached for her phone… as if it mattered what time it was. Her hand touching everything on her bedside table except that blasted phone. Where in the hell was the damned phone and why in the hell had she decided her alarm clock was no longer necessary… there was a time she need only open one eye and glance at the time displayed in that garish red, disjointed, digital font. But not now.Now she had to blindly search for her phone and bring it to life just to know the time. Again… not that it mattered.She finally found it ne...

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“The Wrong Road” by Shannon Meyers

Submitted to Contest #19

Faelyn had been traveling for about so long she couldn't keep track. She had been searching for the Orphan Village of Haela. There, many children lived in a neutral society. They were housed and fed and educated. No race attacked the place of peace for everyone had representation there except of course the Angels. She happened to enter Karathor quite by mistake. Haela was very much to the south, and she had gone north. She knew nothing of direction but rather went wherever her feet carried her. She was just beginning the see the outline...

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“Uro Club” by Lauren Tobin

Submitted to Contest #19

Bob slumped on the rust colored velvet sofa, pillow wedged behind his aching back, eyes scanning the worn edges of the cushions, threadbare from 37 years of people, dogs, and grandchildren climbing all over them. Well, grandchildren were people too. He knew that of course, Ruth reminded him of it every time the little hellions were about to descend. A noisy lot they were, always circling the room in battle mode, imaginary weapons at the ready, chairs, tables and the old sofa serving as mere objects off which they could launch themselves into...

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“Restful Sleep” by Paula Allison

Submitted to Contest #19

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Write a short story about someone watching a convincing infomercial.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 20 stories

“Convince Me” by Whitney Trang

“A Heart Is Not an Orange” by Joshua G. J. Insole

“Fake-adryl” by Natasha Arnold

“The Christmas Baby Infomercial” by Rima ElBoustani

“The Cable Chair” by Matthew Wright

“The Devil's Lullaby” by Eva Korošec

“The Office Ball 2000” by Natalie M.

“Merry Christmas from Shopping Street TV” by Deborah Mercer

“Silky ” by Trenea House

“Summer Lifts” by Lindsey Starrberri

“First Impressions” by Annie Percik

“...and this is why we can't afford to have more babies” by Karen Iseminger

“The Wrong Road” by Shannon Meyers

“Uro Club” by Lauren Tobin

“Restful Sleep” by Paula Allison

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a short story about someone in the middle of a very long and busy retail shift.

Write a short story about someone searching for the perfect gift for their partner.

Write a short story about a shop that takes place over a span of years.

Write a short story about someone based on their shopping list.

Contest #19

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

211

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: