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

“I do(n't) hate you” by Elizabeth Burrows

Submitted to Contest #54

Striding swiftly back into the center of the training circle Jones ripped the staff out of Amanda’s hand. Shoving it back into her hands and readjusting her hands to grip it properly sent her a chilling glare, “You need to hold the staff right otherwise it's pointless against a skilled opponent!” Amanda took a deep breath before taking up a fighting stance. Jones turned to walk back towards the wall he had been leaning on. The instructor in front of her shifted back to her original starting position. Jones watched as...

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“Grandad's New Toy” by Barbara Burgess

Submitted to Contest #54

“Hello, is that you Adam?” “Yes Granddad. What’s up?” “Nothing my boy. Nothing at all. It’s just that I’ve, um, gone and bought myself a computer.” “Hey, Granddad, well done. So, you’ve caught up with the times at last?” “Now don’t be cheeky lad?” “Just joking Granddad. How’s it going?” “It’s not. That’s what I’m phoning you about. I need some help here.” “What do you mean it’s not going Granddad?” “I mean the screen, if that’s what you call it, is completely blank. I’ve plugged it in at the mains, but nothing’s happening. Ju...

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“Eddie” by Brita Sherren

Submitted to Contest #54

My hand feels stiff and clumsy. It feels unnatural, holding this child’s crayon pinched awkwardly between my fingers and thumb. Well, it is unnatural, I suppose. You’re not supposed to be able to teach an old dog new tricks. I thought, you know, that I made out alright in this life. I worked for 40 years. Paid for a nice house. A good car. My boys, they went to school, got a good education, good jobs. Even sent them off to college. We never wanted for anything. Maybe it wasn’t fan...

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“For Keeping Him Alive When No One Could” by Sharika Mattoo

Submitted to Contest #54

The charcoal stick slipped out of Rachel’s hand for the fourth time and she had half the mind to chuck it on the grown and trample it under her Louboutins. This was hard. She couldn’t get the little thing to manoeuvre the right way and there was no way in hell that she was settling for anything less than the perfect stroke. Which was why it was also the fourth time that she reached for the rubber to erase the obscenity that she had just unleashed onto the world. “You know you can’t ace it on your first try?” Felix muttered with an uncomm...

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“The Baker’s Bested” by Jess Smith

Submitted to Contest #54

The fire alarm screamed to life as my kitchen filled up with smoke. “Not again” I ran towards the kitchen, the room had filled with smoke. I ran to the oven and opened the door quickly, smoke eveloped from the small space. I coughed as I grabbed the pan of what looked like screaming monsters, they were supposed to be cookies. I grabbed a towel quickly to hush the fire alarm that was still screaming. I looked at my poor cookies, and could feel the scrutiny of hate coming from them. This is a skill that I just did not have. I came from a famil...

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“TAKE MORE CHANCES, DANCE MORE DANCES” by Manya Seth

Submitted to Contest #54

“Life is like a tango; fortunate are the few who can master it.” ― A.J. GarcesI believe that we can only acquire a skill if we work hard for it. There are various type of skills, some that come to us organically and some that require us to put in great effort.I have personally struggled to learn a skill that I was not privileged to have naturally. Since I was a child , I was always fascinated by the different types of dance forms but unfortunately, I was not able to perform any of them graciously . Whenever I tried to dance I was ...

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“Rookie mistakes” by Micah Lewter

Submitted to Contest #54

“I’m a writer, not a killer.”Perhaps I should have said that when I first met Sal. Then I wouldn’t be in this basement learning how to mix chemicals and saw off shotguns. The thought of sawing shotguns made me wince, and I looked down at my left hand, the hastily wrapped bandage still seeping blood.“Hey, look, I’m sorry,” Sal said, when he saw me look at the hand. “The saw slipped. Sometimes it happens. You gotta watch out for these old saws. Sometimes, they slip, especially when they get old and rusty.“It’s good you learn that lesson early....

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“Sundays with Shirley” by Stacey Fultz

Submitted to Contest #54

It’d been a long, exhausting week at work. As soon as I entered my apartment, I knew I was in for it. Lulu was sitting on the couch watching the door waiting for me to come home. As I closed the door behind me, she made no acknowledgment, other than to turn away.I could tell from the stiff set of her shoulders and the way she held her head just what she was thinking. Who do you think you are, waltzing in here more than an hour late! You are in big trouble mister. I am not speaking to you!Better go make this right, I thought to myself as I jo...

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“Quiet People” by Alicia Powers

Submitted to Contest #54

The beans crunch in the bean bag chair as I shift to better survey the room. The comforter dangling off my lofted bed at a slight angle creates a curtain in front of my desk where my mother’s computer, mine for the next three weeks until I get my own, hums in its new home. A picture of my family and a Koosh ball bookend the computer. The opposite side of the room remains empty for one more night until my roommate arrives. Thumps through the hallway indicate the presence of additional hallmates. “So this is college life,...

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“Second chance at #1” by Christopher Lane

Submitted to Contest #54

The Summer sun beat down on the field in waves. Sweat dripped from all parts of young men, eager for a chance at stardom. It was one of the places that just breathed of every Southern boy’s dream. Christopher, like every young boy in town, wanted to be a part of the action on Friday night. So, here he was at his first football practice, trying to impress coach Spivey and win a roster spot. He had never been in this setting before and had no clue what it took. But, he was learning quickly. What set Christopher apart from the other athletes wa...

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“Trial and Error” by Avani Mitra

Submitted to Contest #54

Delete. Delete. Delete. Undo. Undo. Undo. Shayna hit the backward arrow on her computer until she was once again looking at a blank page. Nothing looked right. The colors didn’t match, the patterns clashed, and the layout looked awkward. This was the sixth draft she had started and deleted in an hour. She was going to throw something. Better yet, at a person. Specifically, her mother for making her do this ridiculous task. She would never actually throw something at her mother, but it was fun to entertain the thought for the time being.&nbsp...

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“Learning How To Run From Dangerous Murderers Guide ” by Spirited Wings

Submitted to Contest #54

Run. Keep running. My legs ache, trembling of exhaustion. Need to keep going. I can almost feel their cold, clawed fingers grasping my neck. That fear gives me a renewed surge of energy. Dusty roads lay behind me, and the thin, green line of the forest sluggishly came into view. Just need to get to the cool, safe island in this spiteful country. The bag on my back slows me down, but I mustn’t let go of it. The guys are depending on me. Sweat gleams on my forehead, my hair sticking to the back of my neck. I can feel the vibration of hooves a ...

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“Half Time” by Khadine A. Dorsett

Submitted to Contest #54

Heart attacks are more likely to happen on a Monday.The only country in the world named after a woman is Saint Lucia.If you point your car keys to your head, the signal range on the remote increases (your brain acts as a radio transmitter).Beginner’s Luck is most likely nothing more than a fluke.That last one, the one about beginners’ luck, is the one that Shannon chose to skim over. She was reading a magazine article entitled “Random Facts” as she sat in the locker room waiting for the coach to come in from his meeting with the football tea...

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“A Fish, a Rabbit, and a Dog” by Kevin Leonard

Submitted to Contest #54

Raymond entered the lunchroom with an uncharacteristic sense of purpose. In his hands, he carried a cardboard box, held in a way that suggested its contents were unstable, fragile, or both. “What’s in the box?” Sam began to say, around a mouthful of microwaved meatloaf, when a patch of chocolate brown fur popped out of the top of the box. A puppy. Raymond walked towards Sam, the puppy’s ears flopping with the bump of each step. “His name’s Blue.” “Blue!” Sam reached her hands under the puppy’s armpits and lifted him out of the box. ...

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“Between failure and glee” by Linda Bakewell Bakewell

Submitted to Contest #54

Fondant can, and this is critical, get fucked. Disgusting overly sweet playdough that you can only ‘play with’ if your idea of creativity is roll it flat and drape it over things? Wanna make a delicious cake? We can ruin that for you, just add the devil’s spackle. There were three other people in the cooking class, a couple who were clearly using this class as a glue to keep their relationship together (unsuccessfully), and a little old lady is (conservatively) 1,200 years old. Why am I here? Because I am, arguably, the worst baker or co...

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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

“I do(n't) hate you” by Elizabeth Burrows

“Grandad's New Toy” by Barbara Burgess

“Eddie” by Brita Sherren

“For Keeping Him Alive When No One Could” by Sharika Mattoo

“The Baker’s Bested” by Jess Smith

“TAKE MORE CHANCES, DANCE MORE DANCES” by Manya Seth

“Rookie mistakes” by Micah Lewter

“Sundays with Shirley” by Stacey Fultz

“Quiet People” by Alicia Powers

“Second chance at #1” by Christopher Lane

“Trial and Error” by Avani Mitra

“Learning How To Run From Dangerous Murderers Guide ” by Spirited Wings

“Half Time” by Khadine A. Dorsett

“A Fish, a Rabbit, and a Dog” by Kevin Leonard

“Between failure and glee” by Linda Bakewell Bakewell

🌟 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: