Write about a time you approached a situation with one strong feeling or belief, only to have your perspective shift completely by the end.

Posted in Nonfiction on Nov 8, 2024

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?

✍️ 42 stories

“The Lingering Echo of Footsteps” by Jody Grawey

Submitted to Contest #276

The Lingering Echo of Footsteps It was a night I’ll never forget—my heart racing, my scream stuck in my throat, my entire body frozen in panic. The sound of those footsteps echo in my mind to this day. In the early 1970s, I was a carefree 21-year-old from the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, hungry for adventure. Much to my mother’s chagrin, it didn’t take much to entice me to explore Europe with just a backpack, tent, and the trusty 'Europe on $5 A Day' guidebook. So off I went. It felt like walking through the pages of a history book, only ev...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Greece, I will never forget you” by Filip Cucu

Submitted to Contest #276

It has always been rather tough for one like me, shy and often misplaced, always sitting gatherings out by the corner of everybody’s eyes, to get properly acquainted with strangers in a natural and fun way. I don’t know whether the impression I make on others is ever strong enough or too strong and I have always tried to be reserved and ‘play it safe’, so to speak. Whenever I choose to initiate a conversation or get to know someone else, I pick my words carefully and I make it through; however, if I am faced with an unexpectedly diffic...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Some Kid's Angst” by Fredrich TheFrogdrick

Submitted to Contest #276

What made you read this? It’s a stupid story. You should go back, choose something else, before you realize how silly this story is going to be. This is your last chance. I'm about to start droning on. … You’re still here? Why? Nevermind, I don’t want to know why. I don’t need to know that you’re only reading because you pity poor little me. I’ll pretend you’re reading because I’m good at writing. Even if you like my writing you might not like what I write about so I’ll warn you that this story isn’t worth the time it takes to read. Wh...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Choice” by Burton Sage

Submitted to Contest #276

The ChoicebyBurt Sage I want you to give me a very short oral biographical sketch of who you are,” Edith said to William. “How do you describe yourself?” Edith, a marriage counselor with three decades of experience, was meeting with William Randolph Pierce III and his wife, Susan, in her meeting room. Susan had requested the session, and William had reluctantly agreed. “My name is William Randolph Pierce, III, and I am a tenured Professor of Physics at Dartmouth University,” William began. “I am one of the youngest tenured professors at Dar...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Shh… Confessions from the library” by Sarah Jupp

Submitted to Contest #276

What images spring to mind when you think about libraries (if you ever do)? Shelf upon shelf of musty books - loose pages and old bookmarks drifting languidly to the ground as you browse the coffee-stained contents? Bulky filing cabinets that ominously threaten crush injuries, as their rickety drawers are slid open and index cards rummaged? Perhaps vigilant, careworn mothers, trying to do “the right thing” by immersing their toddlers in literature, while desperately hoping to escape before the next meltdown disturbs the smothering silence? F...

1 comment 1

Read story

“What Links Us to Dolphins and Bonobos” by Jen Ned

Submitted to Contest #276

Dear Reader, In a less prudish society, this text might never have come into existence, as it wouldn’t have been worth mentioning. But—unfortunately—writing about certain topics is still frowned upon. Even if it’s about something that connects us to dolphins and bonobo apes. So, it can only be a beautiful thing! It’s about my first time. No, no, I don’t mean that first time, the one that BuzzFeed-reading teenagers longingly anticipate and work toward—with a boyfriend, a kiss, holding hands in the hallway, and those three big words: “I’m read...

1 comment 1

Read story

“One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Yen” by Graham Bathgate

Submitted to Contest #276

“You should be in prison!” I told him straight, no regrets for the ill-will which he totally deserved. I knew I could condemn with impunity, as I was the President. He deserved incarceration for negligence! At the very least dismissal from the union. Gordon Gooding, the Treasurer of our English language school union … my Treasurer wasn’t complying with my demands for access to the financial records. Seized by the conviction he was botching the books, I deftly concluded that he was fleecing our teachers’ union fund. As President of the...

0 comments 0

Read story

“What If The State Is Disequilibrium? (Novel excerpt)” by Linda Frothinger

Submitted to Contest #276

“When an object sits at rest or moves along a straight line with no change in momentum, it will continue in this undisturbed state” (Isaac Newton)The road stretches ahead straight—its path outlining terrain against an arc of color along the northern sky—for logging trucks used to build the lodge. I guess, because why else does it etch a line from here to there except to accommodate. An arrow. The night shows only a blanket of cloudless light shielding a three-quarter moon. Ahead shadow marks shallow pockets left by spring rains. Their predic...

0 comments 0

Read story

“No Cardiac-Pulmonary activity” by Annie Chibesakunda

Submitted to Contest #276

I grew up as a curious little girl, always asking "Why?" whenever I didn’t understand something. One day, my world was shaken. My grandfather passed away after heart surgery, and it left me completely bewildered.“Daddy, if Grandpa went for a heart surgery, how come he died?” I asked, my voice trembling with confusion.“I don’t know,” my father replied quietly. I could see the sadness in his eyes, the kind of sorrow that he probably wouldn’t let me see in front of him. As per tradition, men were supposed to be strong, and crying was not an opt...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Estoy Solo” by Thomas Jackson

Submitted to Contest #276

The sounds of Medellin hit differently. Cars rumbled by, mopeds honked their salutations, and only the occasional blare of neighborhood music could sheathe them. Normally, I wear headphones when I travel. Like always. But not that day. On my first solo trip, jetlagged and in an unfamiliar place, I was spooked. Netflix ‘Narcos’ being at its height, didn’t help. I stared at my phone’s GPS (roaming charges be damned) and kept peeking at my taxi driver. Was he legit? No clue. At the airport, they all had ‘Taxi’ on t...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Why I stopped believing. ” by Nichelle O

Submitted to Contest #276

12/30/2020 My mom sent me a text early this morning. Dad is having trouble breathing. I am taking him to the hospital. I was alarmed but I knew God would protect my dad and my family. Four days earlier my entire family got diagnosed with the Coronavirus, the doctor's office filled with silence as the news was let out. We had just been talking about how good our 2020 had been despite the pandemic. Somehow we got blessed by God during a tragic year. We...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Eureka” by Colin Hanner

Submitted to Contest #276

(This story discusses prison conditions, violence, and human suffering. Reader discretion is advised.) A local university was seeking a writer for a year-long position in its prison education program, and as part of the job, I was to go into the Facility—a century-old maximum security prison—three to four times a month and visit with incarcerated students, many of whom had been incarcerated for decades and would continue to be well after they graduated from the program. Some, I learned shortly after taking the job, would never leave. Until I...

0 comments 0

Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about an encounter with someone new to you who changed your life forever.

Nonfiction – 104 stories

Write about a date you went on that took an unexpected turn.

Nonfiction – 37 stories

Write about something you do now that has become routine, but that the old you — or friends and family from your past — would never believe if they couldn’t witness it today with their own eyes.

Nonfiction – 22 stories

Write about a relationship or friendship that was unexpected or so outside your usual type that you kept it a secret from your loved ones. (Bonus points if it didn’t stay secret for long!)

Nonfiction – 23 stories

Contest #276

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Unlikely Encounters with Narratively

$250

Prize money

230

Contest entries

110

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 15, 2024 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

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!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Write about a time you approached a situation with one strong feeling or belief, only to have your perspective shift completely by the end.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 42 stories

“The Lingering Echo of Footsteps” by Jody Grawey

“Greece, I will never forget you” by Filip Cucu

“Some Kid's Angst” by Fredrich TheFrogdrick

“The Choice” by Burton Sage

“Shh… Confessions from the library” by Sarah Jupp

“What Links Us to Dolphins and Bonobos” by Jen Ned

“One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Yen” by Graham Bathgate

“What If The State Is Disequilibrium? (Novel excerpt)” by Linda Frothinger

“No Cardiac-Pulmonary activity” by Annie Chibesakunda

“Estoy Solo” by Thomas Jackson

“Why I stopped believing. ” by Nichelle O

“Eureka” by Colin Hanner

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about an encounter with someone new to you who changed your life forever.

Write about a date you went on that took an unexpected turn.

Write about something you do now that has become routine, but that the old you — or friends and family from your past — would never believe if they couldn’t witness it today with their own eyes.

Write about a relationship or friendship that was unexpected or so outside your usual type that you kept it a secret from your loved ones. (Bonus points if it didn’t stay secret for long!)

Contest #276

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

230

Contest entries

110

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: