Write a story about someone struggling to learn a skill that in no way comes naturally to them.

Posted in Funny on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 154 stories

“Chip Off the Old Block” by Taryn Holmes

Submitted to Contest #54

“Again!” Aubrey paced back and forth beside me, her bright blond ponytail swinging and her arms crossed. I clenched the handlebars of the bike, glaring at my daughter. “I can’t do it Aubrey.” She glared back. “Yes you can Mom, you’re just not trying hard enough.” I shook my head, heavy in a thick helmet, even as I lifted my foot to the pedal. I pushed down hard, my left foot snapped to the other pedal and I started to move forward. The sidewalk before me swam before my eyes and my head spun a million rotations. I quivered for a foot, a rolli...

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“The Perfect Gift” by Silvia Bartolini

Submitted to Contest #54

Mum is upset. I can tell by the way her hand shoots to her breast, eyes wide as if staring at one of my much bigger cousins. She tries hard to stretch the corners of her mouth in what is meant to be a congratulatory smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She squeals in high-pitched would-be delight and claps, but keeps her distance. I look at the gift I’ve brought her, but by the time my eyes come back up, she’s gone. I get up from my seating position and walk away, dejected. It’s going to be the dustpan again.I reach the end of my Patch and ...

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“The Words That Kill” by Dynam Snow

Submitted to Contest #54

"You can't sing, your condition is hopeless mate!" These words still haunt me in the middle of the night as I try to sleep in my cozy bed wrapped up in soft furry blankets. I remember the time I used to sleep on the floor of the practice room when my body refused to move because of continuous practice for hours. I was in high school when I entered a k-pop company by auditions held on a street. I guess, I was lucky enough or maybe I got selected because of my face. My classmates always used to tell me, "You're so attractive, Noah!...

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“Concluded isolation.” by S. Asad

Submitted to Contest #54

The sun was obscured behind the myriad of delicate and mushy clouds and it appeared as though this day is also going to be like all other freezing days I spent in december. I squeezed my mug of torrid scorching coffee, securely enough to compress all its heat inside me. I blew once and sipped my coffee only to burn my tongue. Before getting up to make my coffee, I had plugged in my phone because it was only 5% and luckily I got pitiful about it and evacuated my room to make coffee downstairs. Drinking coffee and using instagram are lat...

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“Superheroine, Pt. 2: Second Chances” by Kimberley S Klein

Submitted to Contest #54

“Darwin, I don’t know about this. You keep telling me to hit distant things with the boomerang and I keep missing the shit I’m aiming for. What makes you think I can hit a moving target like that pigeon and, for fuck sake, why exactly a pigeon? It’s a harmless animal, it didn’t hurt me!” She complains quite thoroughly into her phone though no one is on the other end. This is her new normal, ever since she had stuck a needle of liquid artificial intelligence into her arm thinking it was heroin at a high school party. Now she has a snarky, mal...

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“Practice” by Illıllı ᴍᴀʜɪʀᴀ Ʀᴀʜᴍᴀɴ Illıllı

Submitted to Contest #54

Based on my writing struggles.Trust me, a lot of things come in life with no hard work, but a lot of things come with practice. At first I never thought I would be able to write. I've always thought my stories were trash, but I've realized, things come with practice, if you want to be good at something you have to practice. Here's how I struggled with being confident with myself, mostly being confident with my writing.“Clara!” Mom yelled“Coming mom” Clara responded angrily looking at the trash can filled with crumpled up paper balls. Clara r...

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“Second Chances” by Shelley Johnson

Submitted to Contest #54

I am 41 years old, recently divorced, unemployed, and living in a new Province. The universe has given me a second chance for a re-do, 21 one again, with 20 years’ experience. How exciting. I fell asleep one night in a world I was familiar with, having lived in it for 41 year and woke up (or did I) in a reality I can only describe as Augmented or Virtual. If I bought in to conspiracy theories, I would believe that the world as I knew it ended and AI (artificial intelligence) had taken over, my physical body in storage, on...

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“Out of the Fire into the Frying Pan” by Muntaqa Bari

Submitted to Contest #54

The smell of burnt bacon filled the kitchen. “Luke,” said his mother in an exasperated tone. “How many times have I told you that you don’t have to cook for us anymore?” “Counting this one, 14 times,” his little sister chimed in. “You’re actually keeping track, aren’t you?” asked Luke, half annoyed and half impressed. “Don’t worry, Mom, with a little more practice, I’ll get the hang of it.” “But you don’t need to get the hang of it,” said his mother. “You know I’m perfectly fine with preparing breakfast for you guys.” “...

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“Ralphy In The Rough” by James Offenha

Submitted to Contest #54

It’s spring and my new master is Insane (that’s his name) and insane (his mental state). My name is Ralphy and I am a pure bred, grade A, male, unneutered chihuahua. At my old home, I won first prize four years in a row as a toy dog in the annual dog show. Then, as happens with winners who are getting older, I got sold. This is normal. Usually we’re sold so we can mate with females, with similar characteristics, so we can make puppies, which can be sold for a lot of money.&n...

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“Total Reset” by Lee Jay

Submitted to Contest #54

My anxiety rose as I awkwardly sat, legs akimbo, knees a mosaic of blue. While sucking a painful gulp of air I convinced myself I fell for a reason. I would get back up with something more than what I had when I fell, and it wouldn't only be the dirt on my pant legs. I grasped for a melody of bravery, yet no lyric I could remember seemed appropriate for this moment. Then it occurred to me that the reason no words fit was they had not been written yet. I gracelessly shuffled to my feet. A topsy turvy toddler in his father's shoes would have h...

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“Swimming” by Josephine Andersen

Submitted to Contest #54

Swimming It was always the same. Whatever sport she tried at school or even after school, she was a complete duffer, a total washout. The other girls laughed at her. She was always the last one to be chosen for a team and usually ended up as a reserve. She tried her hand at tennis one year and played in a tournament against Jeanette, the most popular girl in the class. Jeanette was not really good at tennis but she had a way with her of pleasing people and being everyone’s friend. Ida was not good at anything. Her shyness prevented her f...

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“Scuffling” by Savage Grami12

Submitted to Contest #54

I shake myself to stop daydreaming…Writing is definitely the worst task of all. It was just way too hard to remember all the things I need, like periods and capital letters. And then it's almost impossible to think about how to spell words when I'm busy trying to think about the story. It's so hard to remember what I'm writing about. — Eli Richards from The Boy Who Hated to Write: Understanding Dysgraphia, p. 36 Students benefit when they compensate for writing problems. Why? Because the struggle to write often interferes with learning ...

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“Magic?” by Ken Coomes

Submitted to Contest #54

“Abracadabra. Tada!” It felt amazing to pull off the magic trick he had been practicing for days. The flower was now successfully up George’s right sleeve, allegedly having disappeared. He smiled at his audience - his children, Damon and Karla. Damon was Karla’s older brother at 11 years old, but Karla responded first. She giggled. “I saw you, daddy. You put the rose up your sleeve.” George tried to salvage the trick. He pushed up his left sleeve. “What do you mean, you saw me? Do you see a rose here?” Karla giggled some more. ...

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“Costs An Arm And A Leg” by Grey Oberst

Submitted to Contest #54

“Are you sure about this, My Lord?” Prince Wyon looked up at his knight, clearly frustrated. “For the last time, yes, I am sure. You and I both know that if I continue to sit idly, the situation will only cascade into full on rebellion. We must nip this in the bud if we wish to stop such a thing, correct?” Sir Edelin stared down at the prince for a moment longer, her concern unhidden. However, with a sigh and a nod, she signaled for the castle gates to be opened. Tightened chains and creaking wood struggled and surged in order ...

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“Spinning Apples Into Gold” by Tyler Runde

Submitted to Contest #54

The witch-to-be, Brinley Sparhawk, woke in the full-dark hours of the morning and left her bed like a cat on the prowl. Appearing as a ghost in just her slip and woolen socks (and other unmentionables, which will not be mentioned), she moved through the room of sleeping girls, also witches-to-be, to the shared wardrobe in order to collect her black dress and accompanying black boots before exiting not just from the room, but the whole of the witches’ school that the room was a part of. She dressed herself on the back steps of the wood-and-ea...

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Write a story about someone struggling to learn a skill that in no way comes naturally to them.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 154 stories

“Chip Off the Old Block” by Taryn Holmes

“The Perfect Gift” by Silvia Bartolini

“The Words That Kill” by Dynam Snow

“Concluded isolation.” by S. Asad

“Superheroine, Pt. 2: Second Chances” by Kimberley S Klein

“Practice” by Illıllı ᴍᴀʜɪʀᴀ Ʀᴀʜᴍᴀɴ Illıllı

“Second Chances” by Shelley Johnson

“Out of the Fire into the Frying Pan” by Muntaqa Bari

“Ralphy In The Rough” by James Offenha

“Total Reset” by Lee Jay

“Swimming” by Josephine Andersen

“Scuffling” by Savage Grami12

“Magic?” by Ken Coomes

“Costs An Arm And A Leg” by Grey Oberst

“Spinning Apples Into Gold” by Tyler Runde

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about high school sweethearts coming across one another after many, many years apart.

Write a story about someone going back to school as a mature student.

Write a story about someone looking to make amends for a mistake.

Write a story about a TV show called "Second Chances."

Contest #54

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

856

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: