: ✏️ 🌞 : ️ #WRITING CONTEST #248: Summer Solstice From: Laura @Reedsy

[Studio NI]

Submit a short story and WIN $50!

Summer Solstice 🌞 In the Northern Hemisphere, June 21st is the ‘summer solstice’ — the longest day of the calendar year and, in astronomical terms, the beginning of summer. In my part of the world, this season evokes a plethora of scenes: sunbathing on river banks, al fresco dining with friends, and trips to the seaside, all punctuated by the heady scents of summertime —  potent florals, sunscreen and food sizzling on the grill. The solstice celebration has its roots in ancient Paganism — where people would gather at sites like Stonehenge and wear protective garlands of herbs and flowers to ward off the evil spirits who, according to Pagan folklore, walk the earth more freely at this time. From a spiritual standpoint, the solstice is all about embracing the sun and its awesome power. Whether you love basking in the sun or prefer to stay inside with the curtains drawn, I thought this week's prompts could be a way for us Reedsians to mark the advent of summer too. Happy writing! Begin your story with somebody watching the sunrise, or sunset. Write about the longest day of the year, or a day that never seems to end. End your story with somebody stepping out into the sunshine. Write a story about somebody reminiscing on an event that happened many summers ago. Write a story about characters going on a summer road trip. Short Story Contest — $50 Reward Reedsy challenges you to create a short story based on these prompts. Winners will be featured on Reedsy Prompts and receive $50 via PayPal! In order to have your story considered, it is important you follow the submission guidelines below. The Latest Winner 🏆 Congratulations to Claire Lewis! Their short story, "In situ" is based on the prompt: Write a story that involves a magic window — or a window like no other. The 'Window of Opportunity' edition of our contest received 1138 submissions! Thank you to all who submitted! You can read all of the entries here. Submission Guidelines: Choose a prompt from this week's contest page.  Write an original story of 1,000-3,000 words. Tag your submission with up to 3 categories. Submit the story from your Reedsy Prompts profile before 11:59pm EST on June 25th. Any other questions? Check out our Terms of Use or FAQ! Looking forward to reading your stories! – Laura, Blog Editor @ Reedsy p.s - Are you interested in coming behind the scenes of the Reedsy Prompts contest as a judge? Head here for more information!

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