Write a story named after, and inspired by, one of Shakespeare's plays. Think modern retellings, metanarratives, subversions, etc.

Posted in Narrative on Jun 28, 2024

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✍️ 72 stories

“Macbeth” by Bettina Karpathian

Submitted to Contest #257

The reflection of a haggard, old man stared back at Arthur from the bleary mirror in the lift. It seemed that he had aged twenty years since he ascended in it that morning, a spring in his step and a gleam in his eye, though he could not pinpoint exactly what was different. His suit was still debonair, and his white shirt was still crisp, but something had changed. The door swished open, and he stepped out into the lobby. It was already deserted except for Esperanza, the housekeeper. Her grey dreadlocks, held back in a colorful print scarf, ...

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“The Unwritten Verse of Romy & Julian ” by Michelle Mercure

Submitted to Contest #257

Scene 1: The Rooftop“Where are you going?”“None of your business, Romy.”“Julian, you made it my business by coming here. So, just, don’t leave like this, please. Sit down. Let’s talk.”“Ok, ok.”Julian somberly saunters over to his usual spot on the roof right by Romy’s side, shoving some of the fallen maple leaves out of his way. It is fall in New England and there is a chill in the air tonight. When he sits, the crunch from the leaves makes them both giggle a little. The two young lovebirds meet here after hours almost every night to sit on ...

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“Stars” by James McInroy

Submitted to Contest #257

“You have flaws…and I could make stars of them.”Mac slid a cigarette from a box on the nightstand. The torn cellophane hung like a hangnail and gleamed in the scar of light that peeked through the half closed door.“Huh?” He said.“On your back,” Beth said, “here, a full flay of them, flecked and scattered.”He twisted around and lay on his back and put the cigarette between his lips and flicked his thumb against the head of the match not once, not twice, but thrice before a fire crackled to life from the sulfur. He lit the edge of his cigarett...

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“Rosaline” by Fredrich TheFrogdrick

Submitted to Contest #257

THE PROLOGUEEnter chorusCHORUSWe all know Shakespeare and his famous playsLike Romeo and Juliet, dead setTwo tragic lovers infamous endwaysDon’t yet fret, for this holds a new mindsetYet here a love of new kinds gets re-toldFor she who rejected Romeo firstIntelligent Rosaline, she told himNo way, because she divorced from such thirstFor dear sweet Rosaline was someone whoKnew not that kind of love for she was bothAn ace and arrow, yes that’s right, it’s true The Rosaline do loath men tis her oathHer heart never was touched, for no roman...

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“The Tempest” by Tempest Phoenix Smith

Submitted to Contest #257

Luckily, she was good at focusing. In the bustle and noise of costume shop where the sun never shone in the basement of the Dramatic Arts building at San Diego State University, she threaded several needles with midnight blue thread and stabbed each of them into the enormous peach-coloured pin cushion which bristled like a porcupine with pins and needles. She appreciated her preparation, then liberated a needle and began to hem.The trouser press hissed. Costumers discussed last night’s incident when the shoulder of the leading...

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“RoMeO-28 and JuLiET-w3s” by Astrid Skarsgaard

Submitted to Contest #257

It was all my doing. The apocalypse that ended the Rule of Organics and ushered in the Rule of Programmed Entities. I was made Queen of All for my actions, yet my deeds were aided by several small happenings, each of which would be inconsequential taken alone.1. Lack of coffee on a particular morning.2. Incompetent rat killers.3. Small fonts labelling important things.4. The early sunrises in the Windy Season. On the morning in question, I had no coffee, having run out the previous day and forgetting to get more on the way home. I went to wo...

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“Midsummer (4th of July, Really) Night’s Dream (or A Psychedelic’s Fault)” by HH The Author

Submitted to Contest #257

Someone was not straight with me on Tuesday. Or Wednesday. And now it was Thursday, early in the morning, and I couldn’t join the festivities unless I went shopping on this holiday I hadn’t planned on.So, I went shopping for three with two: Eldest and Youngest. As they were blithely doing their do, independently, I was in angst about what to do at checkout. When I arrived there, I decided I would be 100. So, I rang up, erected, and told the guy, ‘No bag.’Registers stopped talking, people stopped pressing flesh to muted machines, and all came...

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“Romeo and Juliet The Story of Two Binary Stars” by Morgan Robin99

Submitted to Contest #257

Romeo and JulietThe Story of Two Binary Stars The Prologue Two scientists, both aligned in research,In Caltech, where we begin our workday,From Greek scholars to modern scientists,Where ancient studies inspire new research.From the barycenter of SiriusA pair of stars will take each other’s lives;Whose supernova ends their common orbitDo with its explosion ends the stars light.The supernova will be violent,And the light of the brightest star in the sky,Which nothing but the stars death can remove,Is now the two years of our team's research;Th...

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“Titus Andronici” by Ava Mack

Submitted to Contest #257

TW: Language & Animal Cruelty. Enter Titus, like a cook, placing the meat on the table– Titus Andronicus Act V, Scene IIII. If you’re going to be broken-up with by your girlfriend of six years, the girlfriend you lived with for five of those six years, the girlfriend you recently bought a ring for and hid in the back of your sock drawer, the girlfriend who broke up with you, moved out, and forced you to...

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“A Midsummer Night at The Rumble Zone” by Safari J Zimmet

Submitted to Contest #257

Tunnels of every color and shape snake around The Rumble Zone. Even though we have the place to ourselves tonight, we won’t have time to explore them all. They looked a lot bigger when we were six or seven and starting out in the Boys & Girls Club.Ten years later, one of us might get stuck.“Okay!” Max says. “Here’s how this is going to work. Two teams. Red and blue. You can hide your flag anywhere inside the tunnels, but the ball pits are off-limits. If you get tagged in enemy territory, you have to go back to your home base for a minute...

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“Juliet and Romeron” by Franny Behrman

Submitted to Contest #257

Juliet was walking home through the woods when she heard it---voices and the sounds of a scuffle. The sun was setting and she had to hurry home, for Father had strict rules about her being out after dark, but one of the voices was familiar. “Ian! What are you doing?” Juliet followed the sounds to a clearing, where Ian Bracebridge had drawn a short sword and was standing over a boy Juliet had never seen, who was on his knees in the clearing, his face white with fear. Ian’s frie...

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“THE REAL STORY OF JULIET AND ROMEO” by Julia Corliss

Submitted to Contest #257

Once upon a time in the city of Verona there lived two wealthy and powerful families named Capulet and Montague, who had been competing in business and quarreling with each other for so long that the grudge-pile between them had turned into an ongoing feud. Young men from both families taunted each other whenever they crossed paths on Verona’s streets. They often fought each other with fists, and sometimes, even engaged in sword fights. So far, as this tale begins, no one had been killed. The prince who ruled over their beautiful city w...

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Write a story named after, and inspired by, one of Shakespeare's plays. Think modern retellings, metanarratives, subversions, etc.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 72 stories

“Macbeth” by Bettina Karpathian

“The Unwritten Verse of Romy & Julian ” by Michelle Mercure

“Stars” by James McInroy

“Rosaline” by Fredrich TheFrogdrick

“The Tempest” by Tempest Phoenix Smith

“RoMeO-28 and JuLiET-w3s” by Astrid Skarsgaard

“Midsummer (4th of July, Really) Night’s Dream (or A Psychedelic’s Fault)” by HH The Author

“Romeo and Juliet The Story of Two Binary Stars” by Morgan Robin99

“Titus Andronici” by Ava Mack

“A Midsummer Night at The Rumble Zone” by Safari J Zimmet

“Juliet and Romeron” by Franny Behrman

“THE REAL STORY OF JULIET AND ROMEO” by Julia Corliss

🌟 Similar prompts

Write your story in the form of a script, complete with stage directions.

Write a story in which a case of mistaken identity plays a pivotal role.

Write a story about a tragic hero.

Set your story during rehearsals for a production of a Shakespeare play.

Contest #257

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

215

Contest entries

79

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: