Start your story with one character telling another, “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”

Posted in Novel 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?

✍️ 132 stories

“Chasing dreams” by Dorra Bohli

Submitted to Contest #66

-It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat! -How can it not count, I’ve tried so har! I’ve wanted to do that my whole life, my whole life I wanted to be a writer, and I’ve been in this city for three months and it didn’t get me anywhere. I have to leave! -How can you say that, you’re talented, you have to work and try harder, you’ll be published -I don’t see anyone but you believing in me really! And that’s because you’re my boyfriend -No, it’s not because of that! It’s because I know you’re talented. Your writings speak to the...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Survivors” by Miranda Keaton

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” My mother mumbled into my ear as I continued to move my armor around my body. “It doesn’t matter Mom. There is no point in me trying because if I risk winning then I get sent off to the next level.” I tied my hair into a ponytail. “If you lose then you risk getting killed.” She zipped up the back of my chest piece. She was worried; that was more than evident. Her hands were shaking when she handed me the letter a week ago. “Calling Me To Action: For The Better Of Your Lif...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Fools” by Adele Moulton

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat,” Rowen grumbled to Aria, who had made herself busy tampering with her sword. She looked up, irritated. “Listen, clodhopper,” she retorted, “I know what I’m doing. Besides, there are more important things than winning.” She turned away from him to focus on the task at hand. Taken aback, Rowen took a moment to find something to say. He’d expected Aria to take the competition seriously, and she was in the semi-finals of the tournament. Why would she give up her shot at the title now? ...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Fatherly Advise” by Clark House

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” The words ran through Blake Mackey’s mind just as they had for most of his life. His father use to follow that line with, “If other people beat you, you can get up from that. You are the only one that can keep you down.” Blake’s father was a boxing fan and loved using the analogies that came with it. Blake on the other hand could not bring himself to watch it for more than a couple of minutes. Something about the thought of people willingly doi...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Lemonade” by Aakriti Anil

Submitted to Contest #66

"It doesn't count if you're already planning your defeat." Reema from the kitchen shouted over Vidhya.Vidhya was all ready to quit the hearing. She had decided to sign off the petition she filed to save her home. The day was of the final court hearing. Whereas in intense surrounding Vidhya forgot her diet, life and smile. While sitting in the dining. Reema stood inside the kitchen. While preparing Lemonade, she was blubbering her thoughts to make Vidhya realised her faults. But in last she stooped at the only question she wants to ask- ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Defeat” by A.K. Truss

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat” The words echoed in my head. That's what she had said the last time I had lost this futile competition. An embarrassing loss that I still hadn’t lived down, but here I was competing again and this time I planned for victory. I remembered the last competition like it was yesterday. I hadn’t thought of her as an opponent but as a distraction, now I knew how wrong I had been to think that. I had been preparing all day. We had planned for the competition t...

5 comments 5

Read story

“Simply Time to Go” by Barbara McMillan

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you are already planning your defeat.” That had been Mother’s mantra. Lula had heard it a million times through the years. Now she said it aloud, hoping she was right and that she sounded convincing since it was all the explanation she intended to offer. The walls were thin, so she knew someone besides the baby who was lying on the floor in the corner, out of her way, was likely to hear her. This was the day her new life would begin. The last load was in the trash bin and the room was bare. Leaving foreve...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Victory” by Crys De

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn't count if you're already planning your defeat" Bob said. “I am not planning for my defeat, I am just making sure I am prepared if I am defeated" Trevor said. “Well then, my apologies. It just does not seem that you are preparing for a victory either" Bob responded. “I do not want to jinx it" Trevor claimed. “Oh, ok. Well Sven is much less likely to win than you" Bob assured Trevor. “Yes, but he is also known to cheat. And this is a big event, it could lead to one of us getting into the pros” Trevor replied. “Well...

0 comments 0

Read story

“A Proposal” by Liz Dolence

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat,” John said, annoyed. “Of course it still counts,” Ken insisted. “I’m still going to talk to her, aren’t I?” “But you won’t get anywhere with that attitude.” “How do I know I even want to get somewhere with her?” “Look at her,” John reasoned, “It’s worth a chance. And you are going to be single forever if you are waiting for the perfect person to just stroll into your life. Plus, she’s been giving you ‘come hither’ glances all evening.” “Maybe I don’t have any problem being single...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Fall of Olia” by Lee-Ann Wahl

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” Those were the last words my mother had said before she died. At the time, I had thought she was saying it to herself, telling herself not to accept defeat even as she was cut down by the enemy. Now I am not so sure. Perhaps she was saying it to me too? “Commander Geonoff!” Someone yells as they barge into my tent. It is my first officer, Efrem Goulde. “They’re mounting an attack from the South!” Snatching my helmet from the table beside me, I pulled it over my head, tucking m...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Developmental” by Gwen Grimes

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” “But it certainly helps, doesn’t it?” It was months prior to my great soirée. Harper, my counterpart, would not cease her nagging on my attentiveness to every possible detail and possibility surrounding this milestone of an event. “The end result will be the same no matter what. There’s nothing you can do!” “You know that isn’t true, there’s plenty I can do. And it’s not my defeat per se; I see it as a daring victory that’ll go down in history.” “Arthur, you must re...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Aella Ayer ” by Megan Faith

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re planning your defeat.” Those were the last bits of advice Aella heard from her grandmother before they fought their last fight together. …………………………………………………………………………………………. Aella was the youngest of the entire Ayer family, powers passed down from generation to generation. The Ayer’s heroes began with a woman who refused to take her husband’s name. She took her mother’s instead, much to the public’s outrage. Once her village discovered she had unimaginable powers, they let her do as she pleased.&nbsp...

0 comments 0

Read story

“PROMOTION” by Sriparna Bandyopadhyay

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” The stunt director’s voice was cool and reluctant. “No sir; not like that. Okay I take the risk… I mean accept the challenge.” The youth chuckled. The heroine was absent. The hero was furious while the group dancers were crestfallen and confounded. The dancers who were supposed to perform with the heroine had arrived well ahead of time as per stipulated call time. They were to move and shake around the hero alone and the couple too in a few shots; but that could have been done l...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Ready, Set, Go” by A Mehendale

Submitted to Contest #66

“It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” He said it just before I left, the two of us sat in the dark, side by side and pinkies locked. “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.” Just that, a single sentence cutting through the night’s silence. An acknowledgement of a sort, the closest thing to a goodbye the two of us would allow ourselves. Of course, I didn’t understand what he’d meant at the time. Too weighed down by the thoughts of what I was about to do, with the uncertainty of my future, of the risk...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Fifty/Fifty” by Christopher Cayen-Cyr

Submitted to Contest #66

"It doesn't count if you're already planning your defeat." Head Judge Foley spoke the words as Inmate A sat on the stool with his guitar, hopeless. He kept his head down, avoiding eye contact like a young Perseus afraid of facing Medusa. "If you want to live another day, I suggest you give this performance your all." The poetry of his song impressed me. Both inmates undeniably had talent, and that was all I knew. There were specific clauses in our contracts stipulating we could not look into their pasts under any circumstances to mainta...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Halfway through a fierce competition, your character is given the opportunity to cheat their way to victory: do they take it?

Short Story – 52 stories

Write about a character who makes a dramatic life change to pursue a goal they’ve secretly always wanted.

Novel – 120 stories

Write about a contest with life or death stakes.

Adventure – 145 stories

Write about a character who’s finally on the verge of achieving their lifelong dream.

Dramatic – 135 stories

Contest #66

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Ready, Set, Go!

$50

Prize money

584

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 22:59 - Nov 06, 2020 EST

Won by David G. 🏆

Title: Mahalo King Cod Filet

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

Start your story with one character telling another, “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 132 stories

“Chasing dreams” by Dorra Bohli

“The Survivors” by Miranda Keaton

“Fools” by Adele Moulton

“Fatherly Advise” by Clark House

“Lemonade” by Aakriti Anil

“Defeat” by A.K. Truss

“Simply Time to Go” by Barbara McMillan

“Victory” by Crys De

“A Proposal” by Liz Dolence

“The Fall of Olia” by Lee-Ann Wahl

“Developmental” by Gwen Grimes

“Aella Ayer ” by Megan Faith

“PROMOTION” by Sriparna Bandyopadhyay

“Ready, Set, Go” by A Mehendale

“Fifty/Fifty” by Christopher Cayen-Cyr

🌟 Similar prompts

Halfway through a fierce competition, your character is given the opportunity to cheat their way to victory: do they take it?

Write about a character who makes a dramatic life change to pursue a goal they’ve secretly always wanted.

Write about a contest with life or death stakes.

Write about a character who’s finally on the verge of achieving their lifelong dream.

Contest #66

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

584

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: