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Discover weekly, the best short stories

Looking for a steady supply of creative nonfiction short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

150+ Creative nonfiction Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. The creative nonfiction stories on this page deliver exactly what it says on the tin: true stories told in weird and wonderful ways.

Creative nonfiction Short Stories – Page 2 of 10

A Four-Year Old’s Story

Linda Kaye

Weekly Contest #350

Theres things I don unnerstand. I mean, like, I get Im a kid, but geez, I can’t wait to get growed up soon and peopled would take me more serious like, specially my mom and dad, but don get me wrong, I mean they are the best, ‘cause they are teachin me lots of neat stuff like my abc’s an how to swim, an I like that lots, an they are also teachin me to play baseball, my dad is - I mean T-ball ‘cause that’s where you start, an he knows ‘cause he was good in baseball before he got old and stuff, an I want to be just like him, even if I am a gir...

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The Warning Triangle

Weekly Contest #350

The loud crackle from my little red Mini car sounded electrical. I was on my own and although I didn’t exactly panic, I came close. I saw a driveway on my right so pulled and turned off the engine. When my shaking stopped, I undid my seat belt, got out of the car and locked it. I crunched up the long, gravelled drive and rang the bell on one of two houses at the far end. After explaining to the old gentleman who opened the door what had happened, I asked to use his telephone to call the AA. Looking over my head he mumbled, “I’ve got to find ...

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A fake accountant in the fog of Ferrara

Anna Cuccuru

Weekly Contest #350

A fake accountant in the fog of FerraraA lady with long wavy blond hair that fell just below her shoulders and a flashy baylage A lady with long wavy blond hair that fell just below her shoulders and a flashy hairBarbara was a kind lady, very kind and so kind and helpful that she was contacted by different clients in an accounting firm. The penalty was three and a half years in prison, a fine of 2600 euros was the sentence published by the city newspaper because the lady was on trial for fraud, embezzlement, impersonation and abusive exercis...

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Hindsight Is Hilarity

Weekly Contest #350

Note: While this story is intended to be a coming of age story with humor, mature themes are discussed in this story that do not include profanity or explicit language. Though it was certainly not the first time I prayed, it was probably my most desperate prayer for forgiveness for something I realized I probably did not need to be forgiven. Maybe only God, Jesus, and my deceased relatives could see me doing it. So, it was entirely possible that any of them could show up in one of my parents’ dreams and tell them what I was doing. It is a ...

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This Happens all the Time

Lari Levey

Weekly Contest #350

This Happens All the Time The four of us stared at the monstrous void where a 1200-foot, 20-story, 100,000-ton floating buffet had stood. Charlie bent over to whisper, “Maybe they moved it.” Our Alaskan cruise had just come to an abrupt halt. I had lost the ship. The pier was silent except for the waves lapping, and my sniffles turned into sobbing. “It’s my fault,” I cried. No one disagreed. I thought it said seven o’clock on the shipboard daily flier. It was one. “Let’s look around,” my husband said. The three of them left me with bags of t...

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The comically six worst online dates I've ever been on

Virginia Albert

Weekly Contest #350

#350 Comic Relief – Virginia Albert – 4//10/2026This week’s prompt: Write a story with the goal of making your reader laughThe comically six worst online dates I’ve ever been on In 2026 and years preceding, every single person with access to a Smartphone or even a computer felt the weight, the gravity, the nagging tug, the loneliness, the candy flipper, the seductress, the home of my future husband? – all in the form of dating apps. When you go on the App Store, there are more dating apps than in any other category, it seems. Apps from inter...

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Misunderstood

Marie Diaz-Cervo

Weekly Contest #350

The bell rang, and Room 12 settled into its usual hum—pencils scratching, chairs shifting, quiet whispers floating like dust in sunlight. In the back corner sat Eli, small for his age, hood pulled low, eyes fixed on the edge of his desk.“Stay there,” Ms. Carter said without looking at him. “You’re on timeout.”Again.Eli didn’t argue. He never did anymore. At first, he used to ask, “Can I come back now?” But the answer was always the same—not yet, or no. So now he stayed quiet, shrinking into the chair like he hoped he might disappear.The othe...

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April 31-Doomsday

Georgia May

Weekly Contest #349

Today is April 31. That’s weird to say! There’s never been an April 31 in history! Well, until today. I don’t know what time it is today or what day it is. The sun stopped rising and falling—that’s a lie. The sun didn’t stop moving; the Earth did. It all started on April 30, but no one knows what caused it: the Earth stopped orbiting, and a ton happened. I’m one of the few people who survived. Most of the city’s buildings collapsed, even the ones people said were indestructible. Dad calls it the Great Collapse. Dad says I should be happy th...

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Go Get Charlie

George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Weekly Contest #350

You’ve seen those machines where there are a lot of enticing toys spread underneath this giant silver four prong claw. When you stuff some coins into the slot, the claw begins to move. Using your dexterity and fine motor skills, you maneuver the claw to hover over one of the prizes at the bottom. You must be precise, because one wrong move will open the claw, sending your prize back into the heap at the bottom. With only a certain amount of time to maneuver the claw, you must also be decisive and in complete control. These are the skills req...

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It’s not my fault

Andrew Venn

Weekly Contest #349

Write a story from the point POV of a monster, infected creature or lone traveller. IT’S NOT MY FAULT “It’s not my fault that I was born this way, and I don’t like hearing people scream, ‘just before they run away”! “It’s not my fault that I have big horns ‘high-upon my head’, and I don’t have skin, I have some prickly spines, instead”! “It’s not my fault that your Dad only has one arm, when he tried to stroke ‘snappy the crocodile’ when he wasn’t calm! “Anywa...

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Summer Dreams

Veronica Coldiron

Weekly Contest #350

The extreme temperature of my first memorable summer was unusually humid for our area of Indiana, driving the heat index up into almost the 100’s. There hadn’t been much rain that year and it showed. Mrs. Shultz from next door couldn’t keep her prize roses alive long enough to compete in the garden club’s annual floral competition but to her credit, most of the other gardeners in the area were experiencing worse issues than she was. My mama was a Georgia girl, born and raised. Prior to falling in love with my dad and moving up north, she had...

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Dog Night Out

Weekly Contest #350

When I was 19 my mother bought me that book Smart Women, Foolish Choices after I broke up with my first really serious boyfriend. I think it was her subtle way of saying she thought I could do better. That book, followed by another subtle gift called Men are Just Desserts, started my life-long, journey in the world of romantic relationship self-help. If you need great relationship advice by the way, I'm happy to provide. Just don’t expect me to be a shining example of wedded bliss. I'm single. Always have been. My Rat Terrier, Spike, has bee...

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Finding a Way

Victoria MacDonald

Weekly Contest #350

Finding A Way In 1990, after taking a leave of absence to spend time with my son, I returned to full-time teaching in a small, self-contained, Junior Learning Disabilities classroom. My new group of ten students required intensive direction. I was blessed with an excellent, full-time Educational Assistant. Bev’s deep voice and gruff demeanor barely concealed her soft-hearted love and compassion for the kids. She’d worked at the school for years and knew many of the children since their kindergarten days. I appreciated her hard work. Togethe...

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THREE PROSE PIECES

Weekly Contest #350

3 PROSE PIECES (2238wds) 1. THE CESSPOOL If you live in a suburban area without sewers you know how precarious the system of disposing human waste can be. We become the cesspool Gestapo. There are signs in black marker in all the bathrooms: PLEASE DO NOT DEPOSIT PAPER TOWELS, TISSUES, TAMPONS, GUM WRAPPERS or anything other than one ply toilet tissue. When the cesspool in ou...

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350 Yards

Kay Smith

Weekly Contest #349

After everything, I have discovered that the darkness ends if you are willing to stop asking, "WHY ME?" Five years ago, my life ended. Everything I had ever known was gone. I struggled to do things I had learned by Kindergarten: brushing my teeth, combing my hair, dressing myself, and even tying my shoes. All of the hopes and dreams I had carried for forty-three years vanished in an instant: the beautiful property we had, the Multigenerational Forever Home we were building, driving to work with a cup of coffee beside me, the windows down, ha...

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