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

Posted in Novel on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 120 stories

“Second Chances ” by Brittley Fisher Bose

Submitted to Contest #66

The brown seat that she was sitting in was cold and more than a little uncomfortable. The dark lighting of the waiting room was not much better, and whatever talk show was playing quietly on the television did not seem interesting in the least. Angie Hartwell was a very busy woman who just moved to Delaware from Los Angeles. The difference in the states of California and Delaware were like night and day. In California, there was always something to do at night, but in the first state, it seemed like the nightlife stopped around one in t...

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“The Reapers” by B O

Submitted to Contest #66

He had finally managed to capture her. He slumped against the stony wall in this forgotten cave catching his breath as her voice carried with the echo. A small wooden ship sinks about a hundred meters from the shore. Half of it is on fire. The sun sets in gold in front of them. When the ball of light hits the horizon, it spreads like oil in water. Below, the depleted men clad in armor slowly start to creep onto the shore. Their steel boots sinking into the wet sand like anchors. “Quiet, Luna…” he whispered. “They’ll hear you.” “T...

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“Strange Attachments” by Rena Mistinguett

Submitted to Contest #66

She heard her email alert ding. The latest message in the inbox held one attachment. When her eyes met the magical unopened box on the screen Hazel’s heart raced, feeling something she hadn’t felt in years and years. Excitement. Pure raw giddy excitement. She liked this feeling, she missed it. Hazel thought about how close she was to finally laying her eyes, her feet, her being on the land she always wanted to meet. She double clicked the box. There was the magic ticket. The place, the p...

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“mr.thompsons sweets n treats” by GeorgeAnne Andrews

Submitted to Contest #66

mr.thompson's will stated that you mya thompson inherit sweets n treats mam... mam... im sorry he gave me a bakery? yes mam it states right here in his will mya looks at the will in disbelief her dad mr.thompson and her had never been close in fact they hadn't talked in years. mam if you could sign here mya snapped back into reality and quickly signed the papers and rushed out of the office myas mom and dad had gotten a divorce when she was young, her mom won shared custody of her so she only ever saw her dad once a...

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“Hidden Life” by John Jenyo

Submitted to Contest #66

Where do I start? Okay, I'm a boy showered with love and care by all around me. While growing up, I see my self born will a lot of luck. I believed that no matter what, I will succeed without putting in the necessary work. Although, I work hard but I relied on that feeling of luck. At age 5, I was matured to begin primary school education. Upon meeting people, who I haven't seen before and also a tough looking female teacher, I cried and begged to go back home to where I will be in my comfort zone. What surprised me is seeing other k...

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“Act of Freedom” by Dorothy Zhang

Submitted to Contest #66

If you have the talent and the mind to join us, this will be your chance to achieve your dream… The words of the group of performers echoed in her head as fifteen-year-old Julia gazed at the show poster that they had sent. The group of travelling performers, who came once every season to their village, putting on shows of fantastical stories for the children, has, for the first time in twenty years, invited people to join them! Ever since she was little, Julia always loved their shows. The sight of the actors performing—their passion, their...

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“Jane's Awakening” by Lisa Zaabu

Submitted to Contest #66

It’s the first Monday back at the hospital after Jane’s first vacation at her new job. It’s actually Wednesday, but Jane works shift work and Wednesday starts her workweek. Also, Jane has been at her job for six and a half months, slowly accruing time off. The hospital lights are sterile and uninviting after two weeks in the woods of the Adirondacks. “Good morning, Jane! How was your vacation? You won’t believe the patients we had while you were gone! Have you talked to, Mike, yet?” asked Kristen, Jane’s coworker that is too talkative this ...

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“Same old fight, but worse” by Milán S.S

Submitted to Contest #66

Bags? filled with things I most certainly don’t need. Car? same old junk I’ve had since I turned eighteen. Equipment? all loaded and hidden under the back seats of the car. I’m finally going away, about to start a new life far from my family and friends, please note the sarcasm. There’s only one stop to make on my way, Alissa’s house. We’ve never been only friends, and now don’t even like each other, but for some messed up reason we are together in this. “Are you getting in or what?” I yelled from the driver's seat. She rolled her eyes, as s...

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“Dreams just come!” by HIA CHOUDHARY

Submitted to Contest #66

No matter everyone was so happy and so was I and why I shouldn't be? I scored ninety-five percent in my tenth grade. I was sure of choosing literature as my subject for further studies but in a moment my entire world turned in such a way that I ended choosing biology. I tried to convince my parents for one month to let me opt for literature but in the end they made me opt for biology. I wasn't like that I wasn't good enough in science but it was about my dream ,my passion of becoming a writer. Dreams don't wait for the right moment they just...

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“Eye Candy” by Frankie OwO

Submitted to Contest #66

(Yeah, I have nothing to do with the Characters here, since I just made them up in a matter of 5 minutes) I hear the music playing in my head. I guess that's the only thing that can get me to escape reality.Wack!"Hey! Wake up, sleepyhead!" The person behind me had yelled at me."I-I'm sorry. I'll, uhh, just uhm-" I replied."JUST PASS THE PAPERS IN FRONT OF YOU! What the hell are you waiting for..?!" They said. Welcome to my life. As you can see, I'm kind of the worst at getting it together. I have no idea where I'll be ...

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“Ski Lesson” by Andrea Holck

Submitted to Contest #66

She is walking along the corridor between the church and her room in the convent when she hears someone yell, “Run for cover motherfucker!” It’s not the command that alarms her—nothing so exciting ever happens to her—but rather the voice carrying those profane words: it is childlike. Sweet, even. She stops at a window, and keeping herself out of sight, peers carefully outside. Across the street, in the parking lot of the old parochial school, is a boy with his back to her. He crouches behind an improvised snowbank, his bare hands hurriedly p...

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“The President” by Martha Sanipe

Submitted to Contest #66

Palfrey’s was abuzz that Friday. Frank Palfrey was making an announcement, and everyone sensed it was something big. He’d scheduled a meeting of the board of directors for two that afternoon, and they were all jittery. A few stopped by my desk to find out what I knew.First came Gord Crandall, self-styled ladies’ man. He referred to all female employees under 40 as “Gorgeous,” “Babe” or “Doll. I still wonder if he actually knew any of their names.I looked up as he approached my desk. “What can I do for you, Mr. Crandall?”“Hey, gorgeous, has y...

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“Hunt Down” by Thompson Emate

Submitted to Contest #66

Getting an ideal regular paid job wasn’t something Karen was used to. She has had a swell time using what she has to get what she wanted. She has had strings of relationship just for the fun of it. She has travelled to cities to explore and have a one night stand. Svelte, blonde hair with an irresistible ethereal beauty, she’s sometimes called a 'goddess of beauty'. She walks with a gait that one can't help but turn and look. She relishes being the cynosure of all eyes and a scent of attraction. She once asked a friend how does she feels bee...

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“A Long Time Comming” by Bryan Ramos

Submitted to Contest #66

Lecturing about the success of others had dented Josephine’s ambition. She grew in contempt of speaking and glorifying the success of other writers. Her own success lied on the fact that she spoke about them in the first place, but that was her job; to teach about the greats and how and why they were so great. Her students never looked like they cared, and Lord knows Josephine barely cared either. During today’s class they were talking about the “Lost generation” of writers; a niche and odd bunch of troubled souls. Most of them died miserabl...

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“The Marathon” by John Laird

Submitted to Contest #66

The Marathon My name is Samuel Winston and I have a story to tell. But first, a little history before we get to the main course, so bear with me. My wife, Melody, and I were in our late twenties when we met Jacob and Laurie Larrabee. Newly married, we were moving into our new home in Palo Duro. Shortly after the truckers finished unloading and transferring our belongings into our home, our neighbors appeared on our doorstep, welcoming us to the neighborhood. The elderly, gray-haired woman held forth an aluminum foil-covered casserole dis...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 120 stories

“Second Chances ” by Brittley Fisher Bose

“The Reapers” by B O

“Strange Attachments” by Rena Mistinguett

“mr.thompsons sweets n treats” by GeorgeAnne Andrews

“Hidden Life” by John Jenyo

“Act of Freedom” by Dorothy Zhang

“Jane's Awakening” by Lisa Zaabu

“Same old fight, but worse” by Milán S.S

“Dreams just come!” by HIA CHOUDHARY

“Eye Candy” by Frankie OwO

“Ski Lesson” by Andrea Holck

“The President” by Martha Sanipe

“Hunt Down” by Thompson Emate

“A Long Time Comming” by Bryan Ramos

“The Marathon” by John Laird

🌟 Similar prompts

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

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

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: