Category Archives: Private Submissions
Writing Group: A Roll of the Bones (PRIVATE)
Hello, soothsayers and scam artists!
We’ve all heard the expression “playing with fate”. What if we could take it in a more literal direction? Distill fate—perhaps even someone else’s—into something concrete, and then… actually play with it? We’re curious. That’s why…
This week’s prompt is:
A Roll of the Bones
MASSIVE RULES CHANGES BELOW!
We’ve made some really big changes to the rules! Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of this post to see them before submitting!
Writing Group: A Different Kind of War (PRIVATE)
Hello, soldiers and civilians!
Did you ever think the pall of war had missed you? That fighting was something other people got wrapped up in? Well, I’ve got news for you: there are all kinds of war, and someday, you’re bound to be drafted into one of them. That’s why…
This week’s prompt is:
A Different Kind of War
MASSIVE RULES CHANGES BELOW!
We’ve made some really big changes to the rules! Make sure you scroll down to the bottom of this post to see them before submitting!
Writing Group: Tempting the Behemoth (PRIVATE)
Hello, monsters and monster hunters!
Standing in the shadow of giants can be a humbling experience. See a whale in the water beside you or an elephant at the zoo and you can feel it. But what is it like to be the giant looking down? We can only speculate. That’s why…
This week’s prompt is:
Tempting the Behemoth
RULES AND GUIDELINES BELOW!
Make sure you scroll down and read them if you haven’t! You may not be eligible if you don’t!
Writing Group: The Soul Industry (PRIVATE)
Hello, demons and debtors!
I’ve got a question for you. What is the worth of a soul? Can it be measured out? Because if the answer is yes, I’m already beginning to see all kinds of fun business opportunities. Apparently the rest of the community feels the same. That’s why…
This week’s prompt is:
The Soul Industry
RULES AND GUIDELINES BELOW!
Make sure you scroll down and read them if you haven’t! You may not be eligible if you don’t!
Writing Group: Archive of Minds (PRIVATE)
Hello, scriveners and scribes!
If it’s true that fragments of one’s soul can be found in their words, which it is, then a book becomes an approximation of the author. And if that’s true… well, what does that make an entire library? A question that is in itself a love letter to writing. That’s why…
This week’s prompt is:
Archive of Minds
RULES AND GUIDELINES BELOW!
Make sure you scroll down and read them if you haven’t! You may not be eligible if you don’t!
Writing Group: The Bestiary (PRIVATE)
Hello, field researchers and druids!
How many strange and fantastical creatures are there out there, living out their lives, completely unbeknownst to us? More than you’d expect, if this writing community has anything to say about it. That’s why…
This week’s prompt is:
The Bestiary
RULES AND GUIDELINES BELOW!
Make sure you scroll down and read them if you haven’t! You may not be eligible if you don’t!
Writing Group: A Fleeting Glimpse (PRIVATE)
Hello, paranoiacs and obsessives!
Have you seen it, too? The… the shadow? The thing at the corner of your vision that always manages to move out your line of sight just in time? It’s hard to forget, isn’t it? Could be useful to sit down for a while and just try to reduce to words. That’s why…
This week’s prompt is:
A Fleeting Glimpse?
RULES AND GUIDELINES BELOW!
Make sure you scroll down and read them if you haven’t! You may not be eligible if you don’t!
Writing Group: The Love Story Of [???] & [???] (PRIVATE)
Hello, lovebirds!
Not exactly February anymore, is it? Valentine’s day is long gone. So what’s this weird, saccharine thing about? Why all the romance? Well, it is about to be April—April 1st, to be precise—and there has been a mighty hunger among the Discord community for something… strange. A joke, which just won’t go away. That’s why…
This week’s prompt is:
The Love Story of [???] & [???]
RULES ARE MODIFIED FOR THIS WEEK!
Make sure you scroll down and read them if you haven’t! You may not be eligible if you don’t!
If you haven’t picked up in it by now, this week y’all are gonna be writing slash-fic.
Yes. You read that right.
NOTE: this is not an excuse to write erotica. Most of the usual rules apply, but the thing we’re losing this week is the ban on fan fiction (read the new temporary rules for more on this). So go crazy. Slot whatever characters, people, deities, entities… I don’t know… objects? Sure. Objects. Slot whatever things you want into the [???] placeholders in the prompt and write that story.
I’m looking forward to the sheer discomfort you’re all about to make me feel. I’m sure you are too.
But! For those who are still aching to write something a little more serious, you can do that! Just slot two of your original characters into those spaces and tell us that story. Heck, you could even write “The Love Story of Fear & Necessity” and present us with something truly abstract and fascinating about sentient emotions, grappling with each other within a person.
There’s still room for whatever brand of creativity you want to put to work here…
But there’s also room for some of the goofy things I know y’all have been aching to write forever…
You depraved creatures. You know who you are…
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Remember, this is part of our weekly Writing Group stream! Submit a little piece following the rules and guidelines below, and there’s a chance your entry will be read live on stream! In addition, we’ll discuss it for a minute and give you some feedback.
Tune into the stream this Friday at 7:00pm CST to see if you made the cut!
The whole purpose of this is to show off the creativity of the community, while also helping each other to become better writers. Lean into that spirit, and get ready to help each other improve their confidence in their writing, as well as their skill with their craft!
Rules and Guidelines
We read six stories during each stream, three of which come from the public post, and three of which come from the much smaller private post. Submissions are randomly selected from among the top ten most-liked of each post, so be sure to share your submissions on social media and with your friends!
- English only.
- Prose only, no poetry or lyrics.
- One submission per participant.
- Use proper spelling, grammar, and syntax.
- Submit your entry in a comment on this post.
- Submissions close at 4:00pm CST each Friday.
- Include a submission title and an author name (doesn’t have to be your real name).
- Keep submissions “safe-for-work”; be sparing with sexuality, violence, and profanity.
- Your piece must be between 250-350 words (you can use this website to see your wordcount).
- Write something brand new (no re-submitting past entries or stories written for other purposes).
- Try to focus on making your submission a single meaningful moment rather than an entire story.
- THIS IS DIFFERENT: Please format your submission as “Submission Title: The Love Story of [???] & [???]” by Author Name and be sure to separate paragraphs. Of course, replace [???] with the name of each character/person in question. (Example Submission)
- YOU MAY WRITE FAN FICTION THIS WEEK ONLY. No slander or defamation, however. You can make characters act silly, but please don’t portray Shrek as a rapist.
- PROVIDE CONTEXT. After your story, include a small blurb in parenthesis about where these characters came from. If they’re original characters, just say that. This will not contribute to your word count. (Example: (Context: This story includes Gollum, from Lord of the Rings, and The Pale Man, from Pan’s Labyrinth)).
- Original art may be included in your submission, but is not guaranteed to be shown on stream. Only .jpeg format images shared via a direct link will be accepted. (Example Submission) (Information on “Direct Links”)
- No additional formatting (such as italics or bold text) will be applied to the text of submissions. Symbols or instruction indicating such formatting may render your submission ineligible.
- You must like and leave a review on two other submissions to be eligible, and your reviews must be at least 50 words long. If you’re submitting to the private post, feel free to leave these reviews on either the private or the public post. The two submissions you like need not be the same as the submissions you review.
- Understand that by submitting here, you are giving us permission to read your submission aloud live on stream and upload public, archived recordings of said stream to our social media platforms. You will always be credited, but only by the author name you supply as per these rules. No other links or attributions are guaranteed.
Comments on this post that aren’t submissions will be deleted, except for replies/reviews left on existing submissions.
Writing Group: Can We Keep It? (PRIVATE)
Hello, quarantine pals!
Wouldn’t it be lovely for things to be interrupted by something pleasant? A little welcome intrusion into all the gloom and monotony? Something lovely to find and keep and hold on to during this decidedly un-fun period? I think so, and apparently the rest of our community does as well. That’s why…
This week’s prompt is:
Can We Keep It?
RULES AND GUIDELINES BELOW!
Make sure you scroll down and read them if you haven’t! You may not be eligible if you don’t!