Just because I'm a bit new to this, and forgive me if I sound dumb here, if I understand your instructions correctly then what we do is write a story and post it to our own Substack but embed the link to this page, then post the link to the story in the Pitch comments? Or is it 'the gathering' discussion thread? Or is it this comments thread?
Any reassurance that I'm not a dumbass gratefully received.
Definitely not dumb, Evelyn! Those are great questions. You can post the link to your story in all three places if you like. The Gathering is an opportunity for everyone to do it in one place, which consolidates everyone's effort and provides the most exposure. The Pitch is another opportunity to post it, as some readers are active in that thread every month, but may not have participated in the Prompt Quest. Hope that helps!
I started my story just after I posted my question, and finished it an hour or so ago. A little final edit, and then it's done. So I totally appreciate your lunar awards. It's a brilliant idea. I love having prompts and deadlines - otherwise I just end up procrastinating, worrying about procrastinating, getting downhearted, worrying some more, procrastinating some more, and on and on it goes.
What someone really needs to do is tell me that my life depends on it. That would work. Mind you, on that note I need to keep reminding myself of our current poverty and that my freelance translation job is about to be taken over by a machine...
Well, at least machines can't write good stories...
Your life depends on it! Okay, not really, but I will say your life should be improved by it, by telling wonderful stories and by becoming a part of a community of helpful, supportive fiction writers. I'm glad you find value in our little quest. 😁
Forgot to say, community is something I greatly appreciate and something I've been sorely missing. I recently joined the indie authors server on Mastodon (which I believe is actually run by a SF writer - there's a lot of SF people on there) and everyone is so nice! It's so refreshing and I think I may well be done with twitter now...
That's wonderful! It does take some searching and often times it's better to find a smaller community in these places than the long shot potential of a large community on a place like Twitter.
There I was, minding my own business as I sweated it out in the gym, but the damn SF prompt I'd read an hour earlier just wouldn't leave my head. You're going to get a story now, Brian!
I've managed to do it. Somehow, I kept it within the limits of what would qualify as flash fiction. It was lots of fun to write a fantasy story in this word limit. Thank you so much for the prompt!
Am I right in thinking I post a link here? Sorry, I'm barely two weeks into substack.
You bet! Post here, post in the gathering and in a few weeks post in The Pitch... oh, and also enter it in the next season of the Lunar Awards... because that's how we roll. 😁
Well, I didn't think I was going to participate this time around, because I'm already juggling a short story and a novel... but I got an idea yesterday that won't stop nagging at me. So... I guess I'm in, lol
Oh, game on! I might have to flip a coin to decide which prompt to follow - they are both so good. OK, here goes. I have a Yes/No coin. Yes = Sci-Fi and No = Fantasy. Best two out of three: Yes. No. No. That's Fantasy folks! I was not expecting that! I definitely have more experience with science fiction than fantasy, so this should be interesting.
🤣 You can write both! I made it sound like you can't, but I just didn't want people to feel overwhelmed like they had to do both. I look forward to reading yours, David!
I think I'm going to! I'll follow the fantasy prompt and submit it for Prompt Quest 1 and then I'll follow up with the science fiction story just for fun.
Just because I'm a bit new to this, and forgive me if I sound dumb here, if I understand your instructions correctly then what we do is write a story and post it to our own Substack but embed the link to this page, then post the link to the story in the Pitch comments? Or is it 'the gathering' discussion thread? Or is it this comments thread?
Any reassurance that I'm not a dumbass gratefully received.
Definitely not dumb, Evelyn! Those are great questions. You can post the link to your story in all three places if you like. The Gathering is an opportunity for everyone to do it in one place, which consolidates everyone's effort and provides the most exposure. The Pitch is another opportunity to post it, as some readers are active in that thread every month, but may not have participated in the Prompt Quest. Hope that helps!
That definitely helps, thank you.
I started my story just after I posted my question, and finished it an hour or so ago. A little final edit, and then it's done. So I totally appreciate your lunar awards. It's a brilliant idea. I love having prompts and deadlines - otherwise I just end up procrastinating, worrying about procrastinating, getting downhearted, worrying some more, procrastinating some more, and on and on it goes.
What someone really needs to do is tell me that my life depends on it. That would work. Mind you, on that note I need to keep reminding myself of our current poverty and that my freelance translation job is about to be taken over by a machine...
Well, at least machines can't write good stories...
Your life depends on it! Okay, not really, but I will say your life should be improved by it, by telling wonderful stories and by becoming a part of a community of helpful, supportive fiction writers. I'm glad you find value in our little quest. 😁
Forgot to say, community is something I greatly appreciate and something I've been sorely missing. I recently joined the indie authors server on Mastodon (which I believe is actually run by a SF writer - there's a lot of SF people on there) and everyone is so nice! It's so refreshing and I think I may well be done with twitter now...
That's wonderful! It does take some searching and often times it's better to find a smaller community in these places than the long shot potential of a large community on a place like Twitter.
It does, thank you. Although I confess I procrastinated on the editing front. I did finally post it though: https://open.substack.com/pub/inadifferentplace/p/fragment-of-a-time-capsule?r=2s9hod&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
I'll link it in the gathering too though so see you then. I hope that link works, I've been getting glitches in my matrix recently.
I am glad that you asked, Evelyn! I was thinking the same. Also new here 😂
There I was, minding my own business as I sweated it out in the gym, but the damn SF prompt I'd read an hour earlier just wouldn't leave my head. You're going to get a story now, Brian!
Very cool! I look forward to your entry. I'll end up sending a reminder at the half way point as a cattle prod.
No need for cattle prods! 😧. I wrote a ~2490 word story as if possessed by the spirit of EE 'Doc' Smith himself, and here it is: https://reiditwrite.substack.com/i/142420516/bandita
Woo hoo!! Go Brian!
Now I have to write my own entry. 😁
Well what do we have here? Looking forward to that fantasy prompt!
Awesome, I look forward to reading it!
Just made my final edits. This bad boy will be posted tomorrow morning just in time for The Gathering. Thanks again for this!
Got it done! Prequel to what’s currently happening in The Môrdreigiau Chromicles. This went places I did not expect, one of those “along for the ride” writing sessions. https://open.substack.com/pub/projectstarfish/p/trr-the-prophet-and-the-cupbearer?r=1mk6at&utm_medium=ios
Wonderful, Leanne, thanks for sharing. See you at the gathering!
Finally managed to hack out this short story based on the fantasy prompt.
https://joshtatter.substack.com/p/the-colossal-shade?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
You're no hack, Josh! Thanks for sharing and I hope to see you at the gathering!
Prompt Quest 1 complete.
Written Upon Our Souls.
Sometimes we find it impossible to leave our lives and responsibilities, even in the face of war and certain death.
https://portension.substack.com/p/written-upon-our-souls
(Will also post this to The Gathering when that happens.)
Thanks for participating and sharing, Jay -- see you at the gathering!
Phew, I just made it out of the cursed catacombs in time to post my story. Thanks, Brian. Great fun! https://speclectic.substack.com/p/the-tomb-of-zalvasio
I've managed to do it. Somehow, I kept it within the limits of what would qualify as flash fiction. It was lots of fun to write a fantasy story in this word limit. Thank you so much for the prompt!
Am I right in thinking I post a link here? Sorry, I'm barely two weeks into substack.
https://open.substack.com/pub/hannadelaneywrites/p/take-your-daughter-to-work-day?r=2byo0o&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
You bet! Post here, post in the gathering and in a few weeks post in The Pitch... oh, and also enter it in the next season of the Lunar Awards... because that's how we roll. 😁
Well, I didn't think I was going to participate this time around, because I'm already juggling a short story and a novel... but I got an idea yesterday that won't stop nagging at me. So... I guess I'm in, lol
Now you're committed. 😉
Oh, game on! I might have to flip a coin to decide which prompt to follow - they are both so good. OK, here goes. I have a Yes/No coin. Yes = Sci-Fi and No = Fantasy. Best two out of three: Yes. No. No. That's Fantasy folks! I was not expecting that! I definitely have more experience with science fiction than fantasy, so this should be interesting.
🤣 You can write both! I made it sound like you can't, but I just didn't want people to feel overwhelmed like they had to do both. I look forward to reading yours, David!
I think I'm going to! I'll follow the fantasy prompt and submit it for Prompt Quest 1 and then I'll follow up with the science fiction story just for fun.
And The Sky Turned Liquid
https://benwoestenburg.substack.com/publish/post/142783961
So there's my post, I hope. I don't do these very often because I have a hard time writing short pieces. But I think I may have pulled it off.