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

“Death is My Best Friend” by Heather Adamsky

Submitted to Contest #15

Death had always been a significant part of my life, as it is in everyone’s. Even those fortunate enough to have not yet experienced the death of someone close to them, death is the one thing in this world that never changes. Ever since I was a child I had been in and out of the hospital due to my infamously weak immune system. The nurses even reserved me a room with the name “Rachel” across the door in big black letters. I grew up walking the halls of the hospital, listening to the harrowing sounds of a flatline or seeing people being...

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“Reaper” by Gen Reyes

Submitted to Contest #15

There was once a reaper. Not the classical kind, a simple human being that could summon a scythe when it was that person's time. Though this same reaper wished it didn't have this job. It hated taking lives because it had to watch people scream and cry for them to come back. To come back to life. “Stop playing around!” “Don’t Die on me please!”“I'm not ready for this!!”“My baby!”Again and again this reaper watched tears roll and people beg for them to be taken instead. This was one of the few jobs where it might end in such a way. There was ...

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“A Dective's Business” by Sheila Trott

Submitted to Contest #15

What were the chances? Chris Murphy asked himself silently. A detective’s business broken into? Chris shook his head. There was no escaping it. As soon as he reported the break in and he had to report it, right, several detectives from his squad would be in his shop. They would find out what Chris does in his spare time and what he kept secret for three years. He could hear it now, all the teasing and joking. Well, no need to put it off. He took out his cell phone and dialed his Captain. “Captain Johnson, there’s been a break in at 761 Mulro...

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“Research and Forethought ” by Emma Goertz

Submitted to Contest #15

The room was dark and quiet, each curtain had been stapled to the wall to prevent even the smallest stream of light from peaking through the cracks. The dark outlines of chairs and all manner of furniture stood out against the grey walls of the apartment. Mira sat upright in her bed, surrounded by the absolute darkness. Good thing I got rid of that horrid white paint on the walls, Mira thought as she remembered how bright and open the apartment had been when she first moved in a few months back. The place was now the perfect environment for ...

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“Reluctant Expert in Crime” by Elizabeth Pinaire

Submitted to Contest #15

"Daren, don't forget to get me that report from earlier on my desk before you leave," my superior barked at me, tapping his knuckles on my desk as he passed it. "Yes, sir." I dropped my gear off and grabbed a drink from the water cooler. I had just entered the station after being out all day on calls. Shuffling back to my desk, I flipped open my work issued laptop and began typing up my report.11/9/20XXReport by Officer Daren Richardson Title: Officer from the XXXX PrecinctA phone call was relayed to us by 911 operators from s...

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“A Reluctant Man” by Mike Sandels

Submitted to Contest #15

I’m The Real, Unexpected Man-Prophet!The moniker is a burden. There’s no doubt about it. I know all! (I’m told it’s called ‘omniscience’.)Whatever.I remember when I started out, in the beginning. I was always so worried, thinking, “I can do this. Ain’t going to be that tough. What’s the problem? It’s been done before. First of all, I‘ll watch a whole bunch of movies...” (Now, this might seem simplistic, but you haven’t heard the rest of my plan. Okay? (Christ...))SO, after awhile, I was getting jiggy on the specifics of the job, and who shou...

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“The Man Who Knew” by David Weaver

Submitted to Contest #15

At twilight I saw Brian’s crappy old Nissan Cherry hiding under the trees in the corner of Tesco’s car park. He obviously had little money left now, despite a reasonable career; he’d once made Vice-Principle at the local comprehensive but then he wrote the article in the local rag - that was the big no-no for the Board of Governors. You can do all that conspiracy stuff in the specialist publications for the sci-fi fantasists because most of them don’t take it seriously anyway. He would have been under the radar with them, just another ‘enthu...

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“Red Academy ” by Claire Bastow

Submitted to Contest #15

“Again!” Miss Madeleine’s voice rang out, her thick and indistinct accent echoing against the mirrors that lined the room, the only other sound that shared the space was that of the young girl’s breath as it came in jagged puffs as she tried to balance her wobbling leg once more to bend into Plier.“Again!”The tendons in her ankle felt like they were going to snap. The young girl had been practicing since the first break of dawn this morning and it would have been well into the afternoon. But Miss Madeleine was set on making sure she was perf...

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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

“Death is My Best Friend” by Heather Adamsky

“Reaper” by Gen Reyes

“A Dective's Business” by Sheila Trott

“Research and Forethought ” by Emma Goertz

“Reluctant Expert in Crime” by Elizabeth Pinaire

“A Reluctant Man” by Mike Sandels

“The Man Who Knew” by David Weaver

“Red Academy ” by Claire Bastow

🌟 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: