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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#280: Talk That Talk

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ReedsyTalk to share your stories (and potentially get featured on our social accounts)!

As an aspiring author, one story element I constantly struggle with is dialogue. Writing realistic, engaging dialogue is no easy feat — but when done well, it can help readers get to know your characters better, advance your plot, and improve the overall pace of your story.

This week, let’s challenge ourselves by composing stories focused on dialogue. Who knows? You might discover something new about your characters based on what they say (or don’t say)!

🥇 Winner

“45 Seconds” by Jay Wayne

🏆 Winner of Contest #280

Hey, Tanner. It’s me again. Just checking in; I’ll try to keep it short. Was really missing you at our last game. Tony can’t catch for shit. Coach even asked him if he needed glasses, was genuinely worried about his depth perception being off or something. He’s a helluva runner, it’s why we wanted him, but man does he fumble hard. Got so frustrated watching him I almost slipped up and said that word again. You know, the one you always told me not to call people. I, uh, don’t talk like that anymore. In case you were wondering. Made a decision...

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⭐️ Shortlisted

“The Staff” by Keba Ghardt

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #280

There you are. Hello, sir. Busy day, soldier? Not especially, sir. Awful lot of people here. That’s not unusual, sir. That’s true, that’s true. Lots of people come here, feels like every day, to gather out past that balcony, just to get a look at his excellency the pope, and receive his blessing. That they do, sir. Incredibly powerful spiritual experience that people travel miles for, to actually behold God’s avatar on Earth, and you and I are tasked with the protection of his holiness, to preserve the authority of the Catholic church. I tak...

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“Never Let You Go” by Cameron Navarre

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #280

Mom? Can you hear me? 01110111 01101000 01100001 00111111 00100000 01001001 00100000 01100011 01100001 01101110 00100111 01110100 00101110 00101110 00101110 Mom, this is Chris…your son Chris, can you hear me?01100011 01101000 01110010 01101001 01110011 0111100…Chrisy? 01001001 00100000 01100110 01100101 01100101 01101100…I feel…so tired… They said you might feel…er…have a simulated feeling of grogginess. That’s the digital anesthetics tapering off. Chrisy…where am I? It sounds…I can hear your voice all around me… It’s okay Mom, I know you ar...

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This week's prompts

Write a story that solely consists of dialogue. (No dialogue tags, actions, or descriptions. Just pure dialogue!)

Dialogue – 186 stories

Start or end your story with a character asking a question.

Dialogue – 80 stories

Write a story in which two or more people have a conversation — without using any quotation marks.

Dialogue – 36 stories

Center your story around a character who overhears others talking about them.

Dramatic – 37 stories

Write a story that includes someone (or something) saying, “No, don’t!”

Dramatic – 44 stories

Stories

“45 Seconds” by Jay Wayne

🏆 Winner of Contest #280

Hey, Tanner. It’s me again. Just checking in; I’ll try to keep it short. Was really missing you at our last game. Tony can’t catch for shit. Coach even asked him if he needed glasses, was genuinely worried about his depth perception being off or something. He’s a helluva runner, it’s why we wanted him, but man does he fumble hard. Got so frustrated watching him I almost slipped up and said that word again. You know, the one you always told me not to call people. I, uh, don’t talk like that anymore. In case you were wondering. Made a decision...

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“Drowning Inside” by Howard Halsall

Submitted to Contest #280

What time do you call this, Maggie? I know. I’m sorry. The traffic— Don’t give me that. You’re never late. I had things to do. Things? Like what? Jimmy, don’t start. What’s with the sunglasses? They’re just sunglasses. Take them off. Jimmy, please. Take. Them. Off. Fine. What the hell happened? It’s nothing. Damn it, who gave you the shiner? Jimmy, leave it alone. Was it Neal? No. Terry, then. Jimmy— It was, wasn’t it? Fine. Yes. It was Terry. That son of a— Why?Jenkins! Keep your voice down. You don’t know about my problems, Sir...

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“Never Waste Broken Ribs” by Daniel Rogers

Submitted to Contest #280

"Just move already. You're not smart enough to need this much time." "Smarts? Hey? If I dumped everything I know about checkers into your head, it would explode. Now shut up. You've made me lose my train of thought." "So smart are you? You've seen the Tin Lizzie?" "Yeah, I seen it." "You admit you were wrong?" "Nope." "Ha! Old Clyde, the smartest man alive. Never wrong. Ha! The most stubborn man alive is more like it. Every family in America will have a motor car, you'll see, Mr. Ford will make it happen." "Pie in the sky. You've got as much...

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“Without Question” by Alexis Araneta

Submitted to Contest #280

14 December 2024My Sweet Princess Beatrice,Firstly, Daddy must apologise if I can’t answer your question about Moana speaking in Tahitian. You know that even if I’m all grown up, have navigated the sometimes-murky crests and troughs of life for longer than you have, there are little mind-bending queries I can’t respond to. As you will know, the more we shoot up towards a clear, cerulean sky, the more we reach our arms only to snag on even more curiosities, more puzzles, more uncertainties. I hope you could forgive me.All of that’s a long way...

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“AI or not AI that is interpretation” by John Rutherford

Submitted to Contest #280

“Hi Gemini – This is Randy Foakes from The Authors Forum; as the group’s administrator I've had an issue with your posting, and I’m giving you personally another warning due to you posting on the board an AI image. Your post has now been taken down from the group site. The post was titled – Having a Bad Day, and I’m just about to send a screenshot to your inbox. I kindly ask you not to send anymore posts with AI images. The group’s mantra is completely opposed to the use of AI in any creative form. If you continue to post AI images, we ...

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“Don’t Open the Door” by Alex V. Mortis

Submitted to Contest #280

"Did you really think you’d get away with this?""I don’t know what you’re talking about.""Of course, you do. I saw you. I saw everything.""What the hell are you talking about? I didn’t do anything.""Please, don’t play dumb. You know exactly what I’m talking about. The bag. The key. And… that.""Wait. You… you followed me?""Followed you? No, I stumbled upon you. I didn’t even know you were there until I saw you go inside.""Inside where?""Don’t do this, please. Don’t pretend you’ve forgotten.""I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.""T...

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“The Tuesday boys” by Trudy Jas

Submitted to Contest #280

Mention of child abuse, physical violence.The Tuesday boys.She wore her silence like a yoke, secrets weighing on her shoulders. Through the years she held her tongue, turned her head and pretended not to know, but each Tuesday the bile would rise in her throat.On those days she couldn’t look people in the eye or face the mirror. Many sleepless nights, the ghosts living among her self-loathing stirred. They crept around corners, seeped through crevasses, and challenged her silence. Fragments of what she had heard and seen clung to their shado...

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“Do Unicorns Pay Taxes?” by Mary Butler

Submitted to Contest #280

Content Warning: This story contains themes of systemic injustice, implied threats of harm, and depictions of stress and paranoia within a bureaucratic and oppressive system. Discretion is advised for readers sensitive to these topics.. Do unicorns pay taxes? A hell of a lot more than Jeff Bezos. Shit we all do! The fluorescent lights overhead buzz like a dentist’s drill. I feel it behind my eyeballs. My cubicle smells like stale coffee, and the fake woodgrain on my desk has a permanent mug ring burned into the laminate. I’ve seen it a...

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“Peaches” by Brynn Helena

Submitted to Contest #280

Tennis camp was fun, but honestly, I just did it for Charlie. My forehand was shit and I couldn’t serve even if I tried, but she was there so I begged to go every summer. Those summers live in my mind in a scrapbook covered in grass stains and orange juice. These dewy memories that sit in my chest like burning coals, keeping me warm even when we’re apart. It’s unbearable really, being apart from her, always has been. But college. But life, I suppose. I just wish we could go back. Jo?She’s offering me a peach, as she presses her thu...

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“The Winged Serpent of the Pyramids - Voyages of the Destiny's Dreams ” by Kristi Gott

Submitted to Contest #280

“Yaretzi, what is the green winged serpent carving that you wear on the string around your neck?”The child called Citlali, meaning “Star,” looked at Yaretzi, whose name meant “You will always be loved.”Citlali’s face was lit with curiosity.Their group of family and friends were a peaceful community, wandering the ocean shores, mountains, and forests.The nomadic group still told the story of the rebel from the pyramid. Quauhtli the Eagle, led them away from the pyramid and its warlike people.They lived on the tropical west coast of the long b...

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“The Goose” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #280

“Do I look nice?”She pulls down the front of her dress. When she purchased it, it fit like a dream. Those changing rooms seemed to exist in another universe. Everything was perfect, and then, once home, defects appeared. Love wasn’t trying to show too much cleavage, but she also didn’t want to look like a cloistered nun. Carter was laying on the bed, not dressed yet, on his phone like always. She walked over and pulled the dress down again hoping to catch his attention.“Carter?”“Mmm?”“Your girlfriend is asking you if she looks nice.”He peere...

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“Evil Breeds Evil” by Ty Warmbrodt

Submitted to Contest #280

TW: It's a story about a school shooting.Corey broods in his room alone after his only two friends unfriended him on social media, completely severing ties with him.“He’s such a dork. I don’t know why I hang out with him,” he heard his friend Patrick tell his other friend Zac when they thought Corey wasn’t listening.“Me neither. He makes it hard to meet girls. He’s such a loser,” Zac responded.People don’t realize that Corey hears everything. Now their voices echo through his head, talking over each other, insult after insult.“He’s stupid,” ...

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“Dialogue with a Therapist” by Orlando Chavez

Submitted to Contest #280

Hello. My name is Dr. S… please take a seat. How are you doing today? Good. I mean, could be better. Obviously if I was good I probably wouldn’t be here. I guess I could be good and still be here. Ahem. No need to apologize. What brings you here today? I’m not sure how to describe it. Ahem. I just don’t really feel like doing anything. Something feels out of joint. How long have you been feeling this way? As long as I can remember. Ahem… Have there been any changes in your sleep patterns? Trouble falling asleep, or oversleeping? Not really. ...

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“Get the Ghost” by Ghost Writer

Submitted to Contest #280

“Jamie! Call on line one!”“Hello?”“Can I talk to Jamie Trembly, please?”“This is he.”“Hi, this is Norman Wainwright. I’m the pharmacist at Chesterfield Pharmacy & Retail. How are you doing today?”“I’m fine. Is there a reason you’re calling me?”“Yes, we think there might have been a mix up.”“A mix-up. What kind of mix-up?”“You were recently diagnosed with gout, where you not?”“I was.”“Are you taking colchicine?”“Hold on, let me check… Yeah, colchicine, why?”“I was afraid of that. We got your prescription mixed-up with Jamie Bramley’s, ano...

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“The Christmas Wish” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #280

The Christmas Wish“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause.”-Francis Pharcellus Church; The New York Sun.December 24th. Last-minute shoppers were scurrying everywhere in search of the perfect gift or, for many, any gift that would fulfill their obligation to bestow a sufficient number of presents on their spouses, children, nieces, nephews, and neighbors. One little girl stood out in the crowd.“Virginia, what are you going to tell Santa you want for Christmas?”There was a look of sadness in the little girl’s dark brown eyes, a marked contrast...

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$250

Prize money

383

Contest entries

138

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 13, 2024 EST

Won by Jay Wayne 🏆

Title: 45 Seconds

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

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