Write a short story about someone in the self-help aisle of a bookstore. What book do they pick up?

Posted in Short Story on Oct 26, 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?

✍️ 90 stories

“Too young for poems” by Mahmudat Oshoala

Submitted to Contest #25

Ochaena's mother had been born blind. She'd never liked books and had passed that on to her daughter, who was now being forced to write a book report. In order to do that, she'd need to read one, something she rarely did.Whenever a teacher encouraged her to do so she'd shamelessly say; "I'm too busy with my napping and eating." The teacher would cluelessly respond; "I'm sure you can fit in some reading instead of lazing around your house.". Normally, she was a respectful kid. Her grades were good enough that the teachers were surprised by he...

0 comments 0

Read story

“A December 15th” by Breanna Jones

Submitted to Contest #25

December 15th. Damned in my own bed, I lay awake. 2:00 am, the penetrating clicking sounds fill my ears. With each tik, I feel my brain pulsing and my heartbeat quickening amongst the seconds passing by that I stare at the ceiling, I cannot see. My hands laid flat on my hips, and slowly, I began playing with the fabric of my shorts. The stitching on the sides are rough but they grasped on tightly to the cotton. 3:00 am, the light from my phone...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Let the Beast Off the Reins” by Joshua Potts

Submitted to Contest #25

Unclogging Your Life. Get Out of Your Own Way. Build Your Own Rainbow. None of these books could help Steven to help himself. He wasn’t the flowery kind. He was efficient. He had a severe haircut and a sharp suit. With a disappointed curl of the lip, he put the paperbacks back on their original shelves and made to leave. As he did, a fluffy salesperson stopped him. Oh no, he thought. I’ve been spotted. I knew I shouldn’t have come in here. “Didn’t you find what you were looking for, sir?” “I was just...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Self-Made Barbarian” by Roy Hayward

Submitted to Contest #25

I squinted through the dusty air. If anyone had heard the avalanche of books I had just knocked over, they weren’t coming to see what it was. But then looking around at the seemingly random stacks of books in twisty piles that reached up to the ceiling, all of which were covered with a thick layer of dust, and not a few spider’s webs, left no doubt that I had wandered into a seldom-used section of the bookstore. Maybe book avalanches happened quite frequently here?I had only brushed against a pile and it had acted like I had shoved it over i...

0 comments 0

Read story

“He Said It” by Kawanee Stalling

Submitted to Contest #25

Kenneth and Kelvin were not always close. They were only a year apart, with Kelvin being the senior. They argued like cats and dogs all the time. The few times it got physical, their mom let them know that it will not be tolerated, and they were punished accordingly. Competition came along with the fighting. Kelvin was quite the gymnast. He could do back flips, cartwheels, handstands, and contort his body all kinds of ways. When Kenneth noticed the praise that Kelvin was getting, and he started to feel the sensation of j...

0 comments 0

Read story

“I love you, but” by Soraya Raza

Submitted to Contest #25

Christmas was coming up and Patty dreaded the period. Another dinner, family, friends you had not see for ages and the infamous parties to look forward to. What would this year hold; more resolutions, more promises, broken, more ideas that lead to nowhere. More the point, when was David going to finally propose. They had been together 10 years now, that was a lifetime. They had lived together for 5 and she had hope that may be, may just this year, he was going to 'do the right thing'. After all, what was the matter with her? She harboured th...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Decisions, Decisions!” by Cazz Crabtree

Submitted to Contest #25

Making decisions is hard. Never quite knowing if what you want to do, is what you should do. Worrying about whether the path you go down is going to be the right one. How will you know? Where is it going to take you? What will the outcome be? Even the smallest of decisions can lead to the most life-altering of results. I looked down at the two books in my hands. One billed itself as a ‘lifestyle manual.’ It promised to change the way I organised my self, make my mornings more productive, make my after...

0 comments 0

Read story

“BOOK OF CHOICE” by Anne Segard

Submitted to Contest #25

Book of Choice “God, what if they keep records of people who buy these books. Oh, that’s silly of me, of course they don’t. I’m just scaring myself. I’ll find the book and take it to the counter as though it’s something people do all the time.” As I didn’t know what aisle to look in and I didn’t want to ask for directions so as not to attract attention, I was going to pretend that I wanted to look at every aisle in the store. I would in fact be a browser. A very dedicated browser. This would lengthen the time I spent in the store, but I fig...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Spine of Eight Books” by Sapphire Lewis

Submitted to Contest #25

If there was a prize for struggling Grace would win it. Recently her mom has passed away and she fell into some sort of a depression. She didn't want to label it depression because she never got formally diagnosed but that is what it felt like. She hasn't moved from her room in days, she can't remember the last time she brushed her teeth and she felt like her world was collapsing on her. Abby, her girlfriend wanted to help her so bad but she was on a business trip in New York and wouldn't be back for another 3 days, but they spent almost eve...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Dark one.” by Erin Sullivan

Submitted to Contest #25

Kathleen was feeling numb as usual. Going to her local bookstore had helped her to escape. Escape to places that brought comfort to her mind while reading the stories others would deem childish. This particular day was raining. The rain on this day was different. It made her feel more lost. More alone. Instead of choosing yet another story of dashing princes and scaly dragons, her aimless walk brought her to the self help section of the bookstore. She was looking and looking. For what in particular she wasnt quite sure. She just figured a bo...

1 comment 1

Read story

“For the love of a father...” by Elie B Hart

Submitted to Contest #25

Oh wow, could this be any more uncomfortableJack couldn’t control his nervous hands from fidgeting with the zipper on his jacket which did NOT want to connect with each other “Oh great” he audibly sighed he was uncomfortable enough as it was, standing amongst the rows and rows of books at the BEST BOOKS book store. He was a stout, strong man with an intimidating figure, one that seemed mildly out of place walking past the princess unicorns and tutu covered books. "Oh good lord” This was clearly the wrong isle, he must have mis...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Imperfect” by Lance Elliott

Submitted to Contest #25

Boisterous, bustling, and yet I'm still Bored. Target on a Saturday morning is more fun when you're not browsing the self-help section. Technically I'm not browsing anything mom is. She lives for this crap. I think it's all a crock of shit but whatever, I sigh and mom looks at me, I shrug and she turns back to the books. I know I'm not being fair I'm just bitter. Self help, I can't help myself. No one can help me, not even Rachel Hollis. Gal-pal Rachel, good ol' Rachel Hollis bringer of girl power and taking no shit. I should appreciate...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Empty Promises” by Reagan Bass

Submitted to Contest #25

If a glass is half empty, can you fill the rest with empty promises?It’s a three days after the New Year. She is one of many over the last few days to stand here, surveying the shelves of empty promises deceptively labeled ‘self-help books’. The aisle is pock-marked with gaps of titles destined to spend their days as shelf candy after their owner reads the first chapter. She wonders why she’s here again, eyes sweeping unseeingly across the colorful spines.If a self-help book is an empty promise, is the book lying to you or are you lying to y...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Sucker for Self-help.” by Pamela Pietersz

Submitted to Contest #25

‘Attention passengers to Amsterdam Central Station, all trains have been canceled until further notice due to collision with a person, our apologies for the delay’.A collective sigh and groan could be felt on the train platform as phones switched on and fingers swiped to the train time table app. She sighed, hands in pockets, and resisted the urge to check alternative routes home. Nobody was waiting for her anyway. She raised the volume on her headphones and mulled the announcement over in her head. ‘Due to collision with a person’. Was it d...

0 comments 0

Read story

“New Beginning” by Carol Keefer

Submitted to Contest #25

It’s a new year and with it comes the appending question “What will this year bring” Like so many others, Abigail was a single mom working just to keep her and her kid’s heads ‘above the water”, so to speak. It had been a hard-last year with the divorce from her husband Dave of fourteen years. “Not that she blames him, or anything” she quietly thought, “It’s just that well, maybe it was just as much as her fault” The day started off like any other day with Abigail running around trying to get her four-year-old daughter...

0 comments 0

Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a short story about someone writing Valentine's Day wishes.

Valentine's Day – 49 stories

Write a short story about someone reflecting on their previous year's resolutions.

Holiday – 33 stories

Write a short story about someone who refuses to write New Year's resolutions.

Winter – 37 stories

Write a short story about someone accomplishing one of their resolutions.

Holiday – 54 stories

Contest #25

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Resolutions

$50

Prize money

263

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 24, 2020 EST

Won by Emily Sperber 🏆

Title: 10 Things To Do Instead of Writing New Year's Resolutions

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 a short story about someone in the self-help aisle of a bookstore. What book do they pick up?

Submissions are closed

✍️ 90 stories

“Too young for poems” by Mahmudat Oshoala

“A December 15th” by Breanna Jones

“Let the Beast Off the Reins” by Joshua Potts

“Self-Made Barbarian” by Roy Hayward

“He Said It” by Kawanee Stalling

“I love you, but” by Soraya Raza

“Decisions, Decisions!” by Cazz Crabtree

“BOOK OF CHOICE” by Anne Segard

“The Spine of Eight Books” by Sapphire Lewis

“Dark one.” by Erin Sullivan

“For the love of a father...” by Elie B Hart

“Imperfect” by Lance Elliott

“Empty Promises” by Reagan Bass

“Sucker for Self-help.” by Pamela Pietersz

“New Beginning” by Carol Keefer

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a short story about someone writing Valentine's Day wishes.

Write a short story about someone reflecting on their previous year's resolutions.

Write a short story about someone who refuses to write New Year's resolutions.

Write a short story about someone accomplishing one of their resolutions.

Contest #25

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

263

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: