Fandom Weekly

It’s not always easy to be kind, but it’s often worth it. A little bit of kindness can turn around a bad day in a few minutes – maybe it’s a hug, or somewhere warm to wait out of the wind, or just a smile and a kind word, but it can go a long, long way.

Are your characters the ones showing kindness, or the ones who could use a little bit of it? Is there such a thing as being too kind, or is it worth it no matter what?

Write a story about unexpected kindness.

BONUS GOAL: “It costs nothing to be kind.”

If your submission features this line, it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!

Things could still work out well! Sure, it might take a miracle, but it’s possible, right? Someone could sweep in at the last minute! Something could change! But...it’s a real stretch. Wishful thinking might feel good in the moment, but it’s a false optimism. Whatever you’re hoping for, it isn’t going to happen.

Do your characters engage in wishful thinking? Or do they avoid it, and have opinions about people who give in to it? What would they wish for, if they did?

Write a story about wishful thinking.

BONUS GOAL: “You never know!”

If your submission features this line, it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!

The ocean might be beautiful, but it isn’t safe.

Maybe there’s a storm rolling in, whipping the waves into peaks that tower higher than ships while ominous clouds gather overhead. Maybe the tide’s going out, pulling the waves along the shoreline into treacherous riptides. Maybe there’s something lurking in the depths, stirring up the surface. Whatever it is, right now, the seas are rough.

How do your characters handle it? Are they skilled sailors or swimmers, risking the waves easily? Or would they rather stay on shore and watch?

Write a story about rough seas.

BONUS GOAL: “Never turn your back on the sea.”

If your submission features this line, it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!

For some people, it’s a dream role! Beautiful dresses, jewels, a fairy-tale romance – what could be better? Other people might note that there can be a lot of work involved in the position, depending on the setting; contrary to popular opinion, there’s often a lot of responsibility, diplomatic or otherwise, wrapped up in being a potential heir to a throne. Some princesses might hate their role; others love it and would never want to do anything else; and some of them might have very mixed feelings on the topic.

Others aren’t literal royalty at all! Maybe the princess is just a role your character is playing, on a stage, in a movie, or as part of a disguise for some sort of plan. Maybe it’s just a fond nickname between friends, for someone who isn’t royalty but acts like it sometimes.

Write a story about a princess.

BONUS GOAL: All That Glitters

If your submission features gold, it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!

Sometimes it’s the little things that really get you. The potted plant you could have sworn was out of the cat’s reach – except apparently it wasn’t. The lunch you were definitely going to pack, until you ran out of time. Someone needs to put gas in the car, and you have a meeting all morning, and there’s a horde of alien locusts on Main Street again so you’re going to have to work around that, too. It may or may not be anybody’s fault, exactly – except the alien locusts – but it sure is inconvenient!

Write a story about inconveniences.

BONUS GOAL: Cat-astrophe

If your submission features cats (alien cat-ish things count), it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!

Some things can’t be done alone. Maybe it’s a project that needs multiple pairs of hands to make it work, maybe it’s a long-term quest to save the world that’s going to require a lot of people and a lot of skillsets, or maybe it’s as simple as a cat that needs at least two people to corral her into a carrier to go to the vet; whatever it is, it’s going to need some people to work together.

How are your characters at working together? Does it come naturally to them, or do they struggle? What are they working together for?

Write a story about working together.

BONUS GOAL: “You’re not alone.”

If your submission features this line, it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!

A midsummer festival filled with dancing and flowers? A midwinter feast decorated with colorful lights? A solemn time for contemplation as the new year begins? Whatever the holiday, it’s often traditionally spent with family.

But family can be a tricky topic, especially when it comes to traditions. Do your heroes have somewhere to go home for the holidays? Maybe there’s a childhood home they look forward to visiting – or maybe they spend their holidays with their closest friends, and the home they built for themselves.

Write a story about coming home for the holidays.

BONUS GOAL: “I’m glad you’re here.”

If your submission features this line, it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!

n. purification or purgation of the emotions (such as pity and fear) primarily through art; a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension

Sometimes, you just need to feel things. A really good cry, a really good laugh, or a really good scream – whichever it is, it’s good for the soul. Sometimes you can get it through art, maybe a tragic play, or a comedy movie, or a romance novel; other times, you just need to confront your nemesis, or stand in the woods and scream, or laugh until you cry at something that isn’t actually funny.

How do your characters find catharsis? Do art or music work for them, or do they need something a little more concrete?

Write a story about catharsis.

BONUS GOAL: “Are you okay?”

If your submission features this line, it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!

For some people, it’s a beloved childhood tradition, going door to door in costumes (sometimes elaborate, sometimes not) for candy. Other people take the “trick” part much more seriously, spending their Halloween playing pranks on friends, enemies, or anyone who doesn’t provide the promised treat. And many other people didn’t grow up with the tradition at all, and find the whole thing a little strange.

Did your characters trick-or-treat? Would they, if they had the opportunity? Are they in it for the candy, the tricks, or both?

Write a story about a trick – or a treat.

BONUS GOAL: Meow!

If your submission features a cat (or more than one), it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!

Some forests are peaceful, beautiful places, perfect for a romantic walk or a quiet camping trip – but not this one.

Legends swirl about ghosts or monsters, ancient stories of something sinister waiting under the trees. Unknown creatures howl at night, and the shadows seem darker even at the forest’s edge. Sometimes people who go into the forest don’t come back at all – or they come back changed.

Write a story about a dark forest.

BONUS GOAL: “You’re going in there? Alone?”

If your submission features this line, it will earn an extra point to be tallied in voting!