Write a story in the form of a list.

Posted in Narrative on Dec 22, 2023

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✍️ 62 stories

“Best Practises” by Kelita Sim

Submitted to Contest #230

Newspapers are very handy. You can do a lot with such a humble item:1. Reading:Of course, you can read them – if you’re that way inclined. Personally, I've never found the appeal of sitting on your backside all day and shuffling through just to make unsolicited commentary especially about people’s lives, and things that aren’t your business or in your control. But I digress...2. Pack delicate items:I may not read the paper for news, but I do watch the local news channel every day at every interval. I don’t read the paper because th...

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“The People v Reece Leach” by Dylan Martin

Submitted to Contest #230

Case Number: 010147858 Date: 24 July 2023 NAME OF DECEASED: Madelyn Leach, Female, 41, White CAUSE OF DEATH: Anaphylactic Shock NATURE OF DEATH: Accidental, Possible Homicide PRIMARY SUSPECT: Reece Leach, Male, 12, White ADDRESS OF OCCURRENCE: Benihana, 2105 Northern Blvd, Manhasset, NY 11030 REPORTING OFFICER: Michael Quackenbush, Shield No. 27846 RESPONDING EMT: Anne Eklund, EMS ID No. 6321-0191-0448 WITNESSES: Fynn Bachmann: General Manager, Male, 57, White Yūto Hamasaki: Head Chef, Male, 44, Asian Hachirou Egawa: Waiter, Male, 3...

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“A Morning With ME” by Miriam Culy

Submitted to Contest #230

Wake up. Stretch out your ankles, try not to scream. Hide under the duvet, assess the pain. How would you rate the pain on a scale of 1 to 10? F*ck off, you can’t give pain a number. Take the painkillers you left on your bedside. The co-codamol not the paracetamol. Scroll through social media as you wait for it to take effect. It does not. Continue scrolling through social media. Realise you should have eaten before taking painkillers. Search bedside drawer for food, eat the half-squashed oat bar hidden there. Scroll through more social medi...

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“The Scar” by Todd Crickmer

Submitted to Contest #230

The Scar I had known Melanie for six months before ever asking her out. We both work for the same company, but in different departments and even in different buildings on the corporate campus. We met at a company picnic last summer, and I think there was an immediate, shall I say, interest on both of our parts. She was a shy girl, but sweet in many ways and something about her had always intrigued me. Our first two dates had been rather generic – out to dinner, a movie, and even a little light necking. But never anyt...

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“Sammy’s Mixtape” by Paul Leonard

Submitted to Contest #230

Subject: Your 13th Birthday Mixtape! Scheduled to send: 00.01 Saturday 30 December, 2023 *** Happy birthday, Sammy! 13! A teenager! So, it’s another one of my birthday emails. I hope you don’t mind them. I wish I could be there with you, but this is the best I can do. I can (just) remember what it felt like to be 13. It can be tough. Confusing. But it can (and should) also be the best time. A time to make friends. To try new things. Try it all! Give everything a go! Have fun! You’ll be an adult with a job, a credit card, a mortgage and b...

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“It's the Being Unknown” by Krista Tritt

Submitted to Contest #230

“Do you know I could break beneath the weight of the goodness, love, I still carry for you? That I’d walk so far just to take the injury of finally knowing you. It ain’t the being alone… It ain’t the empty home, baby… You know I’m good on my own… Baby, you know it’s more the being unknown. And there are some people, love, who are better unknown.” Unknown / Nth by Hozier Step 1: Get off the floor. This floor. The only thing that feels solid, unshakable, and unmovable in the midst of this spiraling hole. Yes, get off of that. Step 2...

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“Christmas list” by Rose Lind

Submitted to Contest #230

WarningSwearing.Possible trigger relating to domestic violence and toxic family issues1. Don't think about it!That was yesterday's list. Oh shit I'm thinking about it. Maybe number 1 should have been a little more positive - like - "Think about butterflies!" Scratch that-Number 1- Think about butterflies!2. Don't Phone!Yes, that's easy, I text. I'm glad I made that number 2. I feel like I have some success, but really- I always text! Tick that!3. Only smoke in the morning! That's a hard one. It's almost lunchtime. Can tick that, too!4. Don't...

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“Survival In Cat Sitting” by Cheryl Kemp

Submitted to Contest #230

10:00 a.m.: I arrive for my pet sitting gig and I can feel the cats are wary and stand-offish. I’m sure I can remedy that but I begin by reading the multi-colored mosaic of sticky notes left all over the kitchen counter. Everything is efficiently labeled, then I see it- the notebook. As I scan the many detailed pages of instructions I can only marvel over how these animals have trained their human. I will not be dictated to by a pack of felines! 5:00 p.m.: It’s time to dish up dinner. I must use new, clean bowls with each feeding and I can’...

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“A letter of welcome (to whom it may concern)” by Eddie McKenzie

Submitted to Contest #230

We of the esteemed Society of Luxure and Beon (for the fabulously hedonistic and lavish) wish to congratulate you on your entry into our outermost circles. This is not a privilege that is given to just anybody and we hope that you can both understand and respect the gravity of this honour and act accordingly. Your enjoyment of the finer things in life have not gone unnoticed and we offer you a platform for which to delve into whatsoever pleasures you might wish to indulge. It is of vital importance that you heed the rules of th...

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“The 15 Commandments” by Zoe C

Submitted to Contest #230

People are impossible to pin down, but lists are black and white, no grey areas. Soon I will break out of this prison, they don’t call me a mad genius for nothing. Well, sometimes they forget the term genius. They will learn. I, Lex Luthor, shall rule over Metropolis first and then the world. These are my commandments. God only had 10, I have 15! Thou shalt not wear thy underpants outside thy trousers. Why do some people feel a need to overshare in public? They are deviants and should be named and shamed. Are we dealing with ...

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“Just Another Manic Monday” by Tyler Cook

Submitted to Contest #230

5:37 a.m.: Opened my eyes. 5:40 a.m.: Mentally created a list of things that need to get done during my waking hours. 5:45 a.m.: Started coffee maker. 5:46 a.m.: Stared into the abyss awaiting the completion of the caffeinated ambrosia that fuels me in my day to day life. 5:50 a.m.: Drank my coffee while playing on my phone absentmindedly. Playing games and scrolling through social media in silence as I prepare for “the awakening.” 6:07 a.m.: “The awakening” happened. There was a thud, slamming door, and pattering of footsteps down the ha...

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“A MOST MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS” by Julia Corliss

Submitted to Contest #230

Every December 25th Christmas arrives Bringing surprises and Unexpected happenings While magic reigns Supreme. With Love As fuel, It all begins The night before Christmas When families Practice Their traditions: Caroling Stocking hanging And more. With faith that Gifts will appear Under the tree On Christmas morn Carolers sing Jingle bells ring. Sometimes snow falls Sometimes not. Calls of Happy-Merry Christmas fill the air Kisses are shared Under the mistletoe And it doesn’t stop there. Santa’s sleigh Is loaded And down chimneys he go...

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“To the American Republic of Mars” by Ben LeBlanc

Submitted to Contest #230

GOVERNMENT DISPATCH: TOP SECRETFile No. 14575Coded messageEnter safe key...decoding....Subject: State of the United States of AmericaTo: The Leaders of the American Republic of Mars Today marks one week since the United States fell to the invaders. Yesterday, the former President of the United States opened the airlock without a spacesuit. As Chief Expert of the Republic (I built this place) I will take the oath of office tomorrow. All my supporters are invited.Rest assured, my administration is actively exploring ways to respond to the...

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“The First Meeting” by Steven Lebowski

Submitted to Contest #230

“One more time, run me through it boss, real serious and focused like. Pretend I’m him.” “Are we serious with this guy?” A static disrupted voice buzzed from the flickering hologram standing beside them. ‘Boss’ pressed a button on his wristpad and the hologram flicked out. “Thanks,” winked Bolace. “Now, let me hear it.” Marzen, ‘boss,’ took a deep breath, stood up straight, and began. “The Agency is stocked bottom to top floor with equipment in every room, and I have specs on every piece. “I3s: The entire building is under surveillanc...

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“A Neuroscientist's Study Break at the Christmas table” by Liv Valen

Submitted to Contest #230

A Neuroscientist's Study Break at the Christmas tableDéjà vu – already seen: If you've ever participated in one big Christmas family gathering, you know them all. You know what's coming. The only change this year is that I'm preparing for my temporal lobe exam, and different déjà-categories have been on my mind for days now. I don't just dream about the exam items; apparently I even think with them.Déjà gôuté – already tasted: The cranberry sauce’s sourness constricting my saliva and its tanginess makes my taste buds do a double take, as if ...

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Write a story in the form of a list.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 62 stories

“Best Practises” by Kelita Sim

“The People v Reece Leach” by Dylan Martin

“A Morning With ME” by Miriam Culy

“The Scar” by Todd Crickmer

“Sammy’s Mixtape” by Paul Leonard

“It's the Being Unknown” by Krista Tritt

“Christmas list” by Rose Lind

“Survival In Cat Sitting” by Cheryl Kemp

“A letter of welcome (to whom it may concern)” by Eddie McKenzie

“The 15 Commandments” by Zoe C

“Just Another Manic Monday” by Tyler Cook

“A MOST MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS” by Julia Corliss

“To the American Republic of Mars” by Ben LeBlanc

“The First Meeting” by Steven Lebowski

“A Neuroscientist's Study Break at the Christmas table” by Liv Valen

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story framed by a single scene: something happens, a flashback or inner monologue intervenes, and then the story ends with the rest of the original scene.

Write a story in which a character achieves a new level of clarity about how they’re really feeling.

Start your story with someone uttering a very strange sentence.

Write a story that hides something from its reader until the very end.

Contest #230

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

362

Contest entries

108

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: