Write about a character who is a reluctant expert on a topic they wish they didn’t know so much about.

Posted in Funny on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 38 stories

“The Mark of the Apocalypse ” by Rachel Frankki

Submitted to Contest #15

“Rey, I told you this already. I don’t know how I managed to travel in time, it just happened,” I groaned into my pillow. “I had been taking a walk in the woods when I stopped to look at this beautiful pine tree. The bark had weird grooves so I placed my hand on it, and that’s when I felt the ground shaking from under me with machine guns and screaming in the distance.” “But surely it was some freak dream,” She pleaded. “Time travel isn’t real.” “That’s what I wanted to believe too, until I looked up and saw the sky was on fire. It was the e...

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“Burial Boy” by Bro Yaboi

Submitted to Contest #15

Leve felt his head heavy with a dream. He saw cakes and tapestries filling a royally rich room, music and light dancing between the ceiling and walls. The floor was covered with a soft carpet, comfortable enough to lay down and rest on. The beautiful archways and golden decorations lit up against the candlelight flickering against the lavish and lush lavender walls. He was content to live here in luxury, never having to work another day in- “Wake up, you foolish boy!” Leve thrust his tired, crusty eyes open in dread. His desk was covered by ...

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“Georgie Porgy?” by Christine Hungerford

Submitted to Contest #15

“You’re so weird!” “You’ll never be anyone other than Grammar Lee!” “You’ll always be the weirdo with the grammar obsession! You’re always correcting everyone, and you’ll never grow out of it!” ...

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“Why Did Adeline Have To Know?” by Sophia Nelson

Submitted to Contest #15

"My story started about three months ago. Well, my life began sixteen years and three months ago, but that's beside the point. I need to get my story out there before I burst. I didn't want to know, it wasn't my choice. But someone has to warn the world about what will happen.""Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Adeline, Happy birthday to you!" Adeline's family cheered. The big sixteen. Adeline looked around, giddy to the core. Outside waiting for her was a twenty nineteen model Buick Encore Preferred, a shiny ...

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“The Coffee Effect” by Brittany Minocha

Submitted to Contest #15

You didn’t know why you knew so much about coffee, you don’t even drink it. But your mother adored coffee. She would always sing a little song as she ground up the beans and then smelled them. The aroma filled the house as though she had been baking cookies or cupcakes. As she got older would she ask, “Can you make me a cup of Hawaiian Kona? I feel like something sweet and flowery with a little bit of nutty.” Your experience as a barista and studying the world of coffee just for her sake made you a rather reluctant expert. Personally, you c...

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“Misunderstood” by Daniel Eanes

Submitted to Contest #15

It was the first time that Adam had ever seen Jamie act the way she did. And it had to happen during the 5 P.M. rush, too, he thought, grudgingly. Jamie had just walked away from her register after finishing with her last customer and practically stormed into the backroom area, tears having begun to quickly form in her eyes. Adam was about to go back and find out what was wrong, but ended up getting stopped by an irate customer, who felt that his hot dog that was apparently one minute past the freshness time indicated on the w...

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“Anonymous” by Emilie Conroy

Submitted to Contest #15

I’m going to tell you a secret. I write historical romance novels. Good ones. As in, the kind that stir up fan bases. The kind that fly off those old-fashioned things called shelves and rack up downloaded e-books. You might think I’d be puffed up and proud. I mean, success in publishing—who achieves that? The words are real, the sales are real. But I have never told anyone I’m the pro behind the prose. I hide behind a pen name, a nom de plume, a pseudonym. I don’t dare ...

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“The Girl Who Built the Rocket” by Claire Langille

Submitted to Contest #15

Cecily Robinson~She walks up the moss-covered stairs to the school. She was different, in an odd sort of way. Everyone was thinking it, everyone was whispering it, but no one would ever say it out loud. Everyday she wears a peculiar jacket that consists of metallic material. It reflects all the light around her. She is practically a walking disco ball. She has a random yellowish tint to her skin. Her hair is nothing like anyone else's, and there are rumors that her hair is dyed. It’s the exact color and sheen of the jacket, only it is j...

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“Here's a business model for ya...” by Karen Iseminger

Submitted to Contest #15

Sam searched her email trash folder, scrolling… scrolling… ‘dammit’ she thought, ‘I KNOW I saw it in here….’ As Sam stood hunched over her desk a technician offered her a finished order to be checked; it was a refill, an ‘easy’ verify. Sam checked the NDC number, the quantity and the patient’s name then ran through a list of mental checks that kept her from waking in a cold, dread-filled, sweat during the night.It had only happened twice in her career but waking in the middle of the night, wondering if she’d given a patient the wro...

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“If I Wasn't Smelling Gas” by Robert Tyler

Submitted to Contest #15

I’m above them. Bouncing on my tiny circus bike tires. Front wheel, then back. Bunny hopping from one roof edge to another. Spinning without holding my handlebars. Pedaling through their hanging laundry and leaving black marks on their ventilation hoods. They’re amazed. Mouths wide open. But they still don’t quite see that I’m impossible. So I crank up some speed and jump through high air toward the opposing roof top. Backflip with half twist and I land on my front wheel, stopping like this to pulse with the pressure reverberations in t...

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“New Tricks” by Kelly Zimmer

Submitted to Contest #15

I was perfectly capable, even at age seventy, to drive long distances. Still, Larry wasn’t comfortable with me at the wheel, so I taught myself to knit. It was a twenty-one-hundred-mile drive to our grandson’s house in Tucson. Larry and I had no more problems than you’d expect a couple to have after fifty years of marriage. Still, eight consecutive days and nights on the road would test any relationship. We brought recorded books and music to fill the long hours, and undoubtedly, we’d chat, but when Larry needed to focus on his driving, I’d ...

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“Really” by Debra Vanetten

Submitted to Contest #15

We all know how this goes. We've seen it in the movies, we've watched it on television. We know how the story is going to end pretty much as it's beginning. We're human. We take a position at the start of the story, knowing exactly what we would do if this was happening in our lives and as we eat our popcorn or drink our wine, it is will full resolve that we profess with extreme righteousness exactly what we would do. Until it really happens to you.The scene is always the same, just the characters change. It's a pristine clean hospita...

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“Dear Alaska” by Sierra Allen

Submitted to Contest #15

Dear Alaska and All Present, It truly was an oddity to see the town gem’s smile fade for any reason, but it was an absolute peculiarity for a tear to leave her Cali green eyes. Surely, she must cry when she’s alone, and surely there must be some beautiful inner warfare in her heart only unearthed within the maroon walls of her bedroom. But surely, these struggles she works to combat would never push her to reveal her vulnerability to the outside, especially not to me, and especially not behind the thin screen in my window. “Here,” ...

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“Yes, today was a bad day...” by Sammie Pallas

Submitted to Contest #15

Stumbling out of bed, I made my way to the bathroom. It’s my morning tradition, get up and sludge my way to the mirror to assess my dreary appearance. Gigantic half black circles appeared under my eyes, I felt like the day was dragging on already but I had only been awake for five whole minutes, it felt more like an hour. It was only 6:05am, and I felt like I had a terrible night of sleep. Although, that really wasn’t the case. I’m sure you’ve been there before right? I’m sure you’ve drifted away to what you thought was a peaceful night of s...

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“Love and War” by Alyssa Shields

Submitted to Contest #15

Blood. More blood. Sacrifice. Pride. Ego. Lots of ego. Betrayal. Revenge... Typical, I suppose. Humans and their fickle minds. Have they no idea how to handle their disagreements with less dramatics? Ares rolls his eyes, turning from the small bubbling fountain positioned beneath him. The images of battlefields painted with deep-red blood and bits of flesh flash like a movie reel in the rippling water, visions of a violent invasion bubbling up from its depths. Ares snaps his fingers. The water's glossy scene changes – a m...

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Write about a character who is a reluctant expert on a topic they wish they didn’t know so much about.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 38 stories

“The Mark of the Apocalypse ” by Rachel Frankki

“Burial Boy” by Bro Yaboi

“Georgie Porgy?” by Christine Hungerford

“Why Did Adeline Have To Know?” by Sophia Nelson

“The Coffee Effect” by Brittany Minocha

“Misunderstood” by Daniel Eanes

“Anonymous” by Emilie Conroy

“The Girl Who Built the Rocket” by Claire Langille

“Here's a business model for ya...” by Karen Iseminger

“If I Wasn't Smelling Gas” by Robert Tyler

“New Tricks” by Kelly Zimmer

“Really” by Debra Vanetten

“Dear Alaska” by Sierra Allen

“Yes, today was a bad day...” by Sammie Pallas

“Love and War” by Alyssa Shields

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a person trying to learn a new skill or hobby they find intimidating but want (or need) to learn anyway.

Write about one character’s fundamental misunderstanding of another character’s job.

Write about something you consider yourself an expert in, but do it from the perspective of a total novice.

Write about a character’s secret area of expertise, something most of their acquaintances would be surprised to learn they know tons about.

Contest #15

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

160

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: