Start your story with one character making a vow that they never would have made the year before.

Posted in Holiday on Oct 25, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 104 stories

“KING v. DARKNESS” by Skyler Woods

Max King was driving his son to school when it happened. The father enjoyed making his child laugh. He made a vow that he would quit smoking before New Year's Day. He also promised his son that he would take him to Disney World during his time off from work. A bad driver took Max's attention away from his son. Max blew his horn at a motorist who was driving too slow in front of him. He didn’t know things would get worse. The trouble began when Max went to pick his son, Aaron, up from school. He was told by Aaron’s t...

36 comments 36

Read story

“The Real Thing ” by Writer Maniac

“I vow that I will never fall in love ever again,” I say, as the other guys make their vows almost a few seconds before it is the first of January. My words are lost in the joyful cheering when the clock strikes twelve, but I still mean it. I’ve never meant anything more in my life. Love is not real. It’s the type of thing that you can’t find because it...

43 comments 43

Read story

“Speaking to Silence” by Amiable Sorceress

new moon: new yearWords, words, words. The ones I think, the ones I am thinking, about her. She has been the only person I have spoken to, but not through these-forms of written language. Language is bordered and hesitant, probably a trickster if you hear it from me. Words and I, we go way back, before even the tiniest bacterium swam the seas. (You wouldn’t believe how talkative trees are) People, they are fairly new to us, but it is quite an achievement for her, being the only human I’ve ever spoken to. And my,...

31 comments 31

Read story

“Jean’s Vow ” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Jean's Vow“Monsieur, the all-time pianist, Madame Agustin is inviting you to do a show with you—that is if you want to." The assistant, Andre offered him. “Andre. What have I told you about my relationship with music? I said I don’t ever want to hear it again. That includes not playing it. I haven’t even touched my violin for 10 years. Go away and tell her that I refuse.” Jean Ander replied coldly. “But Monsieur—” Andre got interrupted by Jean. “Do you wa...

30 comments 30

Read story

“Strangers on a Train” by Maya W.

“Some birds sing when the sun shines bright. Our praise is not for them, but for those who sing in the dead of night. We raise our cups to them.” Suyin plopped herself down by the train’s windowsill, gazing out the reflective glass to see shimmers of rain falling down from the clouds. From the right angle, she could almost see her own reflection in the window, right above the bronze colored wood. Sighing,...

40 comments 40

Read story

“Rhythm of the Waves” by Yolanda Wu

Olive knew of rapid heartbeats. Shortness of breath. The sting in the air that pricked his skin. The wind that slapped against his cheeks.The people he had walked past mere seconds ago were now blurs in the corner of his eyes. His entire family was here - his mum, his dad, his stepdad, his two brothers.It was surreal.Blue was standing in front of him with a cerulean suit to match his eyes. A white rose in his breast pocket to match his shirt. His silken hair was pulled back into a bun like the day they had met....

47 comments 47

Read story

“Easier Days” by Kristin Neubauer

I will never eat another apple pie. Never again. I wouldn’t have said that last year or any year before that. But now, the thought of an apple pie shatters me. It started with a Facebook post from an ER doctor treating COVID patients. He wrote about baking his single use N95 mask in order to sterilize it before using that same mask again. And again. And again. “It comes out warm and toasty and cl...

47 comments 47

Read story

“Blown Away” by Wisteria 4001

Author’s Note: Hi! First Western! It’s kinda cliché but I let myself off with cliches when it’s my first time. And I finally broke the first person curse! The female main character...not so much. This is based on the song Blown Away by Carrie Underwood. I took a lyric (“There’s not enough rain in Oklahoma to wash the sins out of that house”) from it too, so hopefully Reedsy doesn’t take it down...the way she sings that line us just so satisfying and I’m not sure why. I hope you enjoy this because I’m really proud of it! I’ve been...

20 comments 20

Read story

“ Wedding vows” by Coco Longstaff

“I take you to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”“I take you to be my lawfully wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”"You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessi...

15 comments 15

Read story

“Going Back” by W.W. Skybelle (Inactive)

TW: child abuse, gun violence The bishop began his homily, but I was only half paying attention. I could feel sweat gathering in my hands. Did I really want to do this? A year ago, I would’ve said, “I’m never doing this!” But now, I wasn’t so sure. Last year, I had stumbled in here. I had no home. No family. Well, not anymore. As soon as my parents found out what I did, they slammed the door in my face and told me to get lost. No real

34 comments 34

Read story

“Blood, Bone, and Broken Hearts ” by Emmie Greensgate 🏗🔚🔚👫

Trigger warning: self harm Kara had killed him. I had loved him. I will never be the same. And so, hatred and vengeance boiling in my blood, I stood on the dark, shadowed street and, raising my knife to the moon, I plunged it into my hand. My blood ran down my sleeve, staining the white red. It dripped onto the rain-soaked cobblestones, my skin slashed but feeling no pain. "Aeti Aeito Amnada Asara," I chanted, traci...

76 comments 76

Read story

“The Choice” by Anne McSommers

Trigger warning: Suicide "I choose myself’" Les sighed as he made the vow, and he turned his collar up against the harsh wind. He looked down over the edge of the building. This building was 100-126 feet tall; he knows that because stating the estimated building heights from the number of floors was something Cal used to do as they walked by them. Every time they walked by one over 8 floors actually. It was a little-known fact but if you fall from a distance 48 feet you have a 5...

9 comments 9 SHORTLIST ⭐️

Read story

“White Flower” by Kylie Wallis

Kira Sorenson thought about her upcoming birthday. It was going to be a day that she would never forget for as long as she lived. Which could be centuries, seeing as she was a hybrid. Her father Jared, who was a vampire, met her werewolf mother Natalie in the late eighties.Mixed species relationships were becoming even more common as the decades passed. Nobody who knew them was surprised when the couple got married. They moved into a large house in Astell Grove, owned by the Sorenson clan.After many yea...

5 comments 5

Read story

“Commitment” by Karen Kinley

My trembling legs nearly gave away my attack of nerves. Thankfully, they were hidden under many layers of organza and tulle making up the lower half of my wedding gown. I pressed my knees together to quell the shaking.The priest had already turned to me, waiting for me to recite the vows I had memorized and practiced countless times. Although his countenance was relaxed, his eyes flashed, revealing his impatience.The man I was about to marry faced me, a small smile playing on his lips. My hands were pla...

19 comments 19

Read story

“For Honor and Blood” by Tim Maddox

“I have called you all here to ready the men to head to Serendia. My intention is to head to Ludune province and aid House Scur against the Kaladun invaders.” Mordecai quickly glanced around the room at each of his lieutenants. The Graecians, Alexios and Mateo, were stunned and turned to each other as if to ask the other whether they had heard correctly. Hakeem’s eyes fell into the fire so as not to betray the thoughts behind them. Ibrahim, the Emir’s official representative to his council, hid his mouth in his hand. The two Thero...

2 comments 2

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who has finally managed to succeed at a long-standing New Year’s resolution.

Winter – 99 stories

Write about someone whose job is to help people leave their old lives behind.

Adults – 252 stories

Write about someone who doesn’t remember their past — and doesn’t want to.

Thriller and Suspense – 207 stories

Write about two characters who each want to change the same thing, but resolve to go about it in very different ways.

Teens – 87 stories

Contest #75

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: New Year, New You

$50

Prize money

749

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 08, 2021 EST

Won by R. A. 🏆

Title: The Violinist

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Tired of MS Word?

Join the revolution and write your book in a tool designed for authors. 🙌

Includes FREE typesetting to print-ready PDF & EPUB files, track changes and collaborative editing.

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Start your story with one character making a vow that they never would have made the year before.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 104 stories

“KING v. DARKNESS” by Skyler Woods

“The Real Thing ” by Writer Maniac

“Speaking to Silence” by Amiable Sorceress

“Jean’s Vow ” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

“Strangers on a Train” by Maya W.

“Rhythm of the Waves” by Yolanda Wu

“Easier Days” by Kristin Neubauer

“Blown Away” by Wisteria 4001

“ Wedding vows” by Coco Longstaff

“Going Back” by W.W. Skybelle (Inactive)

“Blood, Bone, and Broken Hearts ” by Emmie Greensgate 🏗🔚🔚👫

“The Choice” by Anne McSommers

“White Flower” by Kylie Wallis

“Commitment” by Karen Kinley

“For Honor and Blood” by Tim Maddox

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who has finally managed to succeed at a long-standing New Year’s resolution.

Write about someone whose job is to help people leave their old lives behind.

Write about someone who doesn’t remember their past — and doesn’t want to.

Write about two characters who each want to change the same thing, but resolve to go about it in very different ways.

Contest #75

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

749

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Tired of MS Word?

Explore more writing prompt ideas: