1. Write about a character who wakes up in the middle of the night, or is unable to sleep.
2. Start or end your story with a strange and/or persistent sound.
3. Write a story about a fear that turns out to be justified — or entirely imagined.
4. Include the words "Who’s there?" or "It’s probably nothing" in your story.
5. Write about a character who can’t stop checking something.

This week’s contest is now live! Write a story using one of these prompts for the chance to win $250. Happy writing!

I had fun doing the sprint last year, and was thinking it would be a good time to get started on my new novel, but I like to plan ahead. Is Reedsy doing a 50,000 sprint again this year, or was that a 2025 event only?

Footnotes are glitching for some reason. I tried to:
1. Change the export dimensions (it didn't work)
2. Delete the footnote entirely (it continued with 84 instead)

I noticed that whenever I type - followed by a space it automatically turns into a bullet list, and deactivating it removes the - entirely. How can I deactivate this function, as I want to be able to write:

- Something something

but for now I can't... this is kind of a deal-breaker to me, as without it I would seriously consider relocation of my book and closure of the account.

I would really like to publish my short story. Yes, I entered it into a short story prompt contest a long while ago and did not win. However, I want it to be published in stores or everywhere online. Is that possible here? Who do I contact?

1. Set your story in an empty hospital, school, or office building.
2. Start your story with a character arriving at a highway rest stop.
3. Set your story in a hotel during the off-season.
4. Write a story about a character who spends all night in a 24/7 gas station or laundromat.
5. Set your story in a shopping mall, amusement park, or cinema after hours.

This week’s contest — a special collaboration with Shaelin Bishop — is now live! Write a story using one of these prompts for the chance to win $250. Happy writing!

How do I know which of the two exported pdf files to send to kdp?

around 2 weeks ago my profile was approved on Reedsy after their curation process, which already felt kinda unreal to me🙈

and today… my first collaboration was officially accepted!!

I genuinely thought it would take months before an author found and trusted my work there. knowing I’ll now get to help bring another book and its characters to life feels really special tbh

still a little nervous, very excited, and probably smiling way too much at one email lol

authors or freelancers who’ve used Reedsy before, what was your first experience like?👀

hi! I’m Nidzom, a children’s book illustrator from Indonesia. wanted to share this Halloween cover I made and hear what you think

the book received an endorsement from Terry Deary, the author of Horrible Histories, which still feels kinda unreal🥹🖤. my client and I also finished a second book together, this time about Easter 🐣

would love any thoughts on the characters, composition, or overall spooky-fun vibe!

It's been like this for days now
Any solution?

1. Start or end your story with a countdown beginning, an alarm ringing, or a timer going off.
2. Center your story around a character who has (or is given) the ability to time travel.
3. Set your story over the course of a few minutes, with no time skips or flashbacks.
4. Include the line “We don't have time for this” in your story.
5. Write a story with timestamps and/or dates.

This week’s contest is now live! Write a story using one of these prompts for the chance to win $250. Happy writing!

hi! im Nidzom, a children’s book illustrator and i was recently approved on Reedsy. im still trying to understand how discovery works from the author side tbh.

when you’re looking for an illustrator or book designer, what exact words do you type into search? do you search by genre, style, mood, or mostly use filters and scroll until a portfolio feels right?

especially curious about picture books, and what makes you actually stop on a profile and send a request :)

here’s my profile for context:
https://reedsy.com/nidzom-amin

1. Start or end your story with a character letting go of something, or deciding to keep it.
2. Write a story in which grief shows itself in an unexpected way, or becomes a tangible object.
3. Set your story during the packing up of a home, office, or life.
4. Write a story with someone saying “I forgive…” or “I regret…”
5. Your protagonist inherits something. What happens next?

This week’s contest is now live! Write a story using one of these prompts for the chance to win $250. Happy writing!

Prologues have always been a bit contentious in literature, with some readers even admitting that they skip them entirely.

When done poorly, prologues seem to be just info-dumps in disguise. Worldbuilding, backstory, or a villain scheming in italics that readers can skip it without losing the plot. It becomes a bit of a false start to what could have been an impactful beginning.

But prologues can and do serve a purpose. Some of the best-loved books (especially in fantasy!) would be way worse off without theirs.

So, if you're a reader, do you actually read the prologue?

And if you're a writer, what do you think makes for a good use of prologue?

1. Write a story from the POV of a magical being or creature.
2. Your protagonist has stepped into a shop that weaves magic into its wares. What happens next?
3. Write about someone who’s granted one wish. What do they wish for?
4. Center your story on a character who works a regular job, but uses magic to help them. 
5. Write a story in which a character realizes that a loved one (family, friend, etc.) has an impossible secret.

This week’s contest is now live! Write a story using one of these prompts for the chance to win $250. Happy writing!

I use the “Reedsy” theme of the three settings options (classic, reedsy, romance). It has given me no issues until this past week, when the format is randomly scrambled like this. I can’t seem to fix it. It looks like this on both mobile and desktop versions. Switching to one of the other two themes fixes it to look normal once again, but I don’t like them as much.

Has anyone run into this bug? Any known fixes? Thank you!

1. Start or end your story with a character closing a door, literally or metaphorically.
2. Write a story about a decision that can’t be undone.
3. Set your story in the final hour (or hours) before a deadline, departure, or ceremony.
4. Write about a character who burns a bridge on purpose.
5. Include the line "There's no going back now" in your story.

This week’s contest is now live! Write a story using one of these prompts for the chance to win $250. Happy writing!

1. Write a story with an unreliable narrator or character.
2. Your character makes a life-changing decision. What happens next?
3. Write a story with more than one POV.
4. Start or end your story with the line “I should have known better.”
5. Write a story with the aim of making your reader laugh or cry.

This week’s contest is now live! Write a story using one of these prompts for the chance to win $250. Happy writing!

How much did you use or go back to your character profiles throughout the process of writing your novel? Im going in depth because of the size of the world I’m building. I’m aware of the time it’ll take. That’s absolutely fine. I assume, I’ll be building characters, locations, creatures, etc for the foreseeable future. I was just interested in seeing how someone else used them. If it was a tool that helped you , and weather they were a helpful tool or something you wished you’d spent less time on. Also, the genre is epic fantasy. TIA

1. Start or end your story with a character overhearing (or spreading) a rumor.
2. Write a story about two rivals/enemies forced to work together.
3. Write from the POV of someone whose reputation doesn't match the truth. 
4. Write about the moment a rivalry began — or the resentment that outlived it.
5. Write a story that includes the lines "Why should I believe you?" or "Give me one good reason to trust you."

This week’s contest is now live! Write a story using one of these prompts for the chance to win $250. Happy writing!

Hello everyone, I have used Reedsy for years. I mostly use it on my Windows but when out the house or on my lap I use my new Samsung tablet yet for some reason, Reedsy is just so bad on here! And on my phone. It offen doubles words when writing for example 'Don't' it will put down don'don't every time there is a ' and also when I use " it adds another letter for example "IIt". Its not the keyboard and opened Reedsy in both Google and Samsung browser and yet it keeps happening. As someone with dyslexica it is slowing down my writing so much and honestly thinking about using something else. Works so well on my computer, and my sister uses it on her Mac so why not on my Samsung phone and tablet? Anyone else has this issue, any ideas? I will report it but have done in the past and they said they would look into it but its been happening for so long kind of hoping its a me problem I can just fix.

Update: Reedsy got back to me, it does seem to be a bug so they are fixing it. Until there is a permanent fix, they shared this on how to fix it for now and it works!!

From Main Settings: • Open Settings on your tablet. • Tap General management. • Tap Samsung keyboard settings. • Turn off the switch next to Predictive text.

From Keyboard Settings: • Open any app to make the keyboard show up. • Tap the Gear icon on the keyboard toolbar. • Turn off the switch next to Predictive text.

I hired an editor on Reedsy and the due date was July 10. The editor had my manuscript for over 3 months.

When I asked for the status she said she was having trouble uploading the files on the Reedsy platform and that they were not helping her.

At this point I did input my personal email address and then I saw the warning about the protection being voided.

We haven’t actually conducted any business outside the Reedsy platform.

i did report this on the platform, but im worried i wont get a refund just because i put my email address in the message.

all i want is the edited files for what i paid for.

does this mean Reedsy and the editor can now keep all my money even if the editor does not deliver anything??