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

Posted in Winter on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 37 stories

“10 Things To Do Instead of Writing New Year's Resolutions” by Emily Sperber

🏆 Winner of Contest #25

1. Hang out with friends Your friends are the kind of people that make New Year’s resolutions. The five of you, too broke to go anywhere, sit around your studio apartment. One has her legs hanging off the arm of the one chair you have. One is sitting next to you on the futon. The others are splayed, their bodies like starfish, on the ground. They use their fingers and each other to remember the resolutions they think of on the spot. Maybe they could actually eat breakfast instead of skipping it or replacing it with coffee. Maybe they could g...

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“Tradegy Year” by Nicole Chen

Submitted to Contest #25

New Years is a holiday filled deep joy. Families gather together with beaming faces as they stare at the ticking clock. But in a small, poor building, orphan kids cried and weeped as they recounted another year of losing their loved one. The wealthy, the poor; they all came together. No matter anyone's status, everyone gained during the New years. But could those children too? Holly sniveled at their loss and thought for a moment once again how a poor woman like her, could afford to take on those little ones as her own. Each and every day th...

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“Life Resolutions ” by Maria Gelman

Submitted to Contest #25

I hate New Year’s Resolutions.I tried to peek from behind the door. I had heard a smashing noise, but that was about it. “Dad?” My voice was barely a whisper.Instead of seeing him near the door, he was sitting at the table, beer bottle in his hand.“Guess that New Year Resolution didn’t work out, huh, champ?” he asked, and I realized he was speaking to me.Cautiously, I nodded as I stepped out from the other room. “Where’s mom?”“She went out after finding this.” He waved the beer bottle in the air. “Typical.”I glanced at the wall to see a brok...

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“Biggest Lie Ever Told” by P. J. Quirindongo

Submitted to Contest #25

January 1, 2020. I grumbled as I glanced at the calendar that hung on the wall next to my shiny desktop. I snorted and headed toward my small kitchen and fetched myself a hot, steaming cup of coffee. I have always hated this time of year, for it means that my family expects me at their house for their annual activity: New Year’s resolutions. I headed back to my desk and sat. As I turned on my desktop PC, I glanced one more time at the calendar and at the date. A thought came into my gray matter. Perhaps I could continue with my family’s trad...

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“A Resolution for Resolutions” by Caroline Ryder

Submitted to Contest #25

It’s not my fault. It truly isn’t. New Year’s Resolutions are too difficult to accomplish. In past years I, Angelica Lector, used to kid myself into thinking I could use my gym membership or finally read those books I promised I would read or simply make an effort to be a charitable person… It’s too hard. I know, the resolutions I listed sound easy and maybe depending on the person you are, these things are second nature. However, I am not a good person. I mean, I try my best to be a good friend, daughter, and human being, but I am no saint....

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“Resolute” by Courtney Myers

Submitted to Contest #25

What better way to start a new year than with a knife in your gut?The blade, a crude meat knife rather than a proper dagger, had stabbed into Yonah’s stomach beneath and to the left of his navel. He intended to catch the accursed thing with his right handーforged from meteorite iron and skeletal in appearanceーbut someone else swung at the eight-year-old girl hiding behind him and clutching at his left arm. At that moment, Yonah’s protective instincts decided both his and her fates; his steel hand grabbed the incoming sword and shattered it wi...

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“Anomalies of Recollection” by Arthur Tiberio

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #25

On the first year of his travels with the notable Montery June, it had never occurred to the boy that he should keep a journal. His master kept the habit, and he perceived it to be a very popular pastime in certain circles, but he never quite made the connection between the grand slopes of the mountains and golden fields before him, and the groggy feeling, in the back of his mind, that someone ought to be getting this down somewhere, so that it would not be forgotten. He came to regret this very much, later, but that was then.And this is now...

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“Not Even the Back to Front Ones” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #25

Ellen Bairstow was determined not to make an issue of it, and she never mentioned it first, but she was also determined that she wasn’t going to be a hypocrite – not only, or perhaps not primarily, because she had an aversion to hypocrisy, but because, as her mother had once (more than once, come to think of it) said, lies have legs and she had no wish to embroider or elaborate on a throwaway remark made for the sake of it and to fit in. “And what are YOUR New Year’s Resolutions, Ellen?” asked Priscilla Carp...

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“The Resolution in my Soul” by Elena Welsh

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #25

The start of a new year is not a novelty for me anymore. The air that fills lungs with pollution and hope, the echoes of colour illuminating the sky and raucous laughter that reverberates between houses and keeps you awake well past midnight. All of this is familiar to me, worn into the grooves that line my face and flowing in the webs of blue that protrude from my thinning extremities. I once felt such excitement with the coming of another year, a prodigal “new beginning.” I haven’t written a New Year’s resolution in twenty years. At a cer...

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“After Midnight” by Christine Astor

Submitted to Contest #25

I refuse to make resolutions this New Year’s. Why should I? There are twenty-six minutes to midnight and nothing inspiring me to endure them. All that awaits me on the other side of midnight is a new day in a new year. It's an empty promise. I have nothing to celebrate. How can it matter when I have no one to kiss after the countdown? Those bastard doctors lied to me. They gave me hope. They flaunted their statistics and pumped me so full of survival stories, I almost forgot Nadia had cancer at all. I had every reason to trust them. Pe...

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“ENGAGE!” by Tonnye Fletcher

Submitted to Contest #25

"Pshaw!" What was the point? Terry thought.At 43, he was too old for fairy tales and happily ever after dreams. He had lived enough of the real world to know it was a fool's errand to wish, to dream, or to make those ridiculous "New Year's Resolutions" . . .every time he had tried, there was never success. . . ."Might as well let fate have its say. That's how it's going to be anyway. No point in fretting about it." he said aloud to himself.He wasn't sure why he was letting this work challenge get to him. He usu...

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“No Resolutions” by Whitney Trang

Submitted to Contest #25

“New Year’s resolutions are stupid,” Noemi said indignantly. “Oh come on,” Lidia laughed. “It’s a way to improve yourself. New year, new you?” “I like myself just fine. I don’t need to change. I’m happy.” “Okay. That’s… that’s good, Noe.” Lidia placed a hand on Noemi’s shoulder. “I know you’ve had a rough time the past several months. With Cierra… You deserve happiness too.” “I’ve got to get back to work.” Noemi looked down at her watch. “Lunch is over.” “Okay. Remember,...

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“Attic” by G. K. Derickson

Submitted to Contest #25

New Year’s resolutions are stupid. If you’re going to do something just do it. That’s Jays philosophy. Rain pours against the window as a crack of lightning lights up the sky. He sighs dropping his book onto his lap, tired of reading the same page over and over. He really should finish cleaning up the attic, it’s as good as a time as any, but every time he starts, he’s reminded of all the things Kat will never finish. It’s been three years since she died, yet he still hasn't do...

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“Do Resolutions Really Work?” by Dawn Mandzik

Submitted to Contest #25

New Year’s Day and the first day of a new decade. The roaring twenties decade. Let’s hope these next ten years are better than the ones a hundred years ago, Sarah thought rolling over in bed. Looking out the window she realized the sun was up. Stretching, she smiled to herself. The house was clean, spotlessly clean, and all the snacks and drinks were prepared. Everything was ready for their annual Resolutions Party. Not much to do but gather the paper and pens and wait for their families to arrive...

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“Forced Resolve” by Synia Sidhe

Submitted to Contest #25

“We’ve got everything,” Ahmed deposited an armful of plastic bags onto the chipped coffee table in his living room.“Took you long enough, it’s almost midnight.” She tapped her wrist where a watch would be if this was 1997, but this wasn’t 1997, and nothing was there but pink skin. “I had to hunt around to find a place that was still open.” Ahmed defended himself, sliding his slim frame onto the secondhand sofa. Him and his girlfriend smushed together in the center where the sofa sagged. They’d only been dating a few months, so every hol...

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Ended on 23:59 - Jan 24, 2020 EST

Won by Emily Sperber 🏆

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

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 37 stories

“10 Things To Do Instead of Writing New Year's Resolutions” by Emily Sperber

“Tradegy Year” by Nicole Chen

“Life Resolutions ” by Maria Gelman

“Biggest Lie Ever Told” by P. J. Quirindongo

“A Resolution for Resolutions” by Caroline Ryder

“Resolute” by Courtney Myers

“Anomalies of Recollection” by Arthur Tiberio

“Not Even the Back to Front Ones” by Deborah Mercer

“The Resolution in my Soul” by Elena Welsh

“After Midnight” by Christine Astor

“ENGAGE!” by Tonnye Fletcher

“No Resolutions” by Whitney Trang

“Attic” by G. K. Derickson

“Do Resolutions Really Work?” by Dawn Mandzik

“Forced Resolve” by Synia Sidhe

🌟 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 accomplishing one of their resolutions.

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

Contest #25

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

263

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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