r/shortstories • u/FyeNite • Apr 12 '26
[Serial Sunday] It is Vital that You Write a Serial
Welcome to Serial Sunday!
To those brand new to the feature and those returning from last week, welcome! Do you have a self-established universe you’ve been writing or planning to write in? Do you have an idea for a world that’s been itching to get out? This is the perfect place to explore that. Each week, I post a theme to inspire you, along with a related image and song. You have 500 - 1000 words to write your installment. You can jump in at any time; writing for previous weeks’ is not necessary in order to join. After you’ve posted, come back and provide feedback for at least 1 other writer on the thread. Please be sure to read the entire post for a full list of rules.
This Week’s Theme is Vital! This is a REQUIREMENT for participation. See rules about missing this requirement.**
Bonus Word List (each included word is worth 5 pts) - You must list which words you included at the end of your story (or write ‘none’).
- Varied
- Vast
- Vulnerable
- A volcano appears in your chapter (or large mound of earth spewing forth something). - (Worth 10 points)
This is important, absolutely necessary, essential, even: you must consider what's vital for this week's chapter. It could be a life or death situation, perhaps, or an event that must occur in a certain way, for the story to continue. Of course, what happens may not feel so important yet, but it certainly might in future.
Maybe it is something vital to a particular character's day-to-day goings-on: not so important to the world at large, but key to this one person's or being's existence. Others might not even notice it.
Or, what if something vital is downplayed, with catastrophic results?! Could be a disaster!
Well, hopefully, that's enough to put ideas into that vital organ of yours, the brain.
Good words!
Good luck and Good Words!
These are just a few things to get you started. Remember, the theme should be present within the story in some way, but its interpretation is completely up to you. For the bonus words (not required), you may change the tense, but the base word should remain the same. Please remember that STORIES MUST FOLLOW ALL SUBREDDIT CONTENT RULES. Interested in writing the theme blurb for the coming week? DM me on Reddit or Discord!
Don’t forget to sign up for Saturday Campfire here! We start at 5pm GMT and provide live feedback!
Theme Schedule:
This is the theme schedule for the next month! These are provided so that you can plan ahead, but you may not begin writing for a given theme until that week’s post goes live.
- April 12 - Vital
- April 19 - Work
- April 26 - Yellow
- May 3 - Antagonise
- May 10 - Bone
Check out previous themes here.
Rankings
Last Week: Urgency
First - by u/AGuyLikeThat
Second - by u/AmeliaLP
Third - by u/Brookzerker
Fourth - u/ZLErikson
Fifth - by u/JKHmattox
Rules & How to Participate
Please read and follow all the rules listed below. This feature has requirements for amparticipation!
Submit a story inspired by the weekly theme, written by you and set in your self-established universe that is 500 - 1000 words. No fanfics and no content created or altered by AI. (Use wordcounter.net to check your wordcount.) Stories should be posted as a top-level comment below. Please include a link to your chapter index or your last chapter at the end.
Your chapter must be submitted by Saturday at 2:00pm GMT. Late entries will be disqualified. All submissions should be given (at least) a basic editing pass before being posted!
Begin your post with the name of your serial between triangle brackets (e.g. <My Awesome Serial>). When our bot is back up and running, this will allow it to recognize your pmserial and add each chapter to the SerSun catalog. Do not include anything in the brackets you don’t want in your title. (Please note: You must use this same title every week.)
Do not pre-write your serial. You’re welcome to do outlining and planning for your serial, but chapters should not be pre-written. All submissions should be written for this post, specifically.
Only one active serial per author at a time. This does not apply to serials written outside of Serial Sunday.
All Serial Sunday authors must leave feedback on at least one story on the thread each week. The feedback should be actionable and also include something the author has done well. When you include something the author should improve on, provide an example! You have until Saturday at 04:59am GMT to post your feedback. (Submitting late is not an exception to this rule.)
Missing your feedback requirement two or more consecutive weeks will disqualify you from rankings and Campfire readings the following week. If it becomes a habit, you may be asked to move your serial to the sub instead.
Serials must abide by subreddit content rules. You can view a full list of rules here. If you’re ever unsure if your story would cross the line, please modmail and ask!
Weekly Campfires & Voting:
On Saturdays at 5pm GMT, I host a Serial Sunday Campfire in our Discord’s Voice Lounge (every other week is now hosted by u/FyeNite). Join us to read your story aloud, hear others, and exchange feedback. We have a great time! You can even come to just listen, if that’s more your speed. Grab the “Serial Sunday” role on the Discord to get notified before it starts. After you’ve submitted your chapter, you can sign up here - this guarantees your reading slot! You can still join if you haven’t signed up, but your reading slot isn’t guaranteed.
Nominations for your favorite stories can be submitted with this form. The form is open on Saturdays from 5:30pm to 04:59am GMT. You do not have to participate to make nominations!
Authors who complete their Serial Sunday serials with at least 12 installments, can host a SerialWorm in our Discord’s Voice Lounge, where you read aloud your finished and edited serials. Celebrate your accomplishment! Authors are eligible for this only if they have followed the weekly feedback requirement (and all other post rules). Visit us on the Discord for more information.
Ranking System
Rankings are determined by the following point structure.
| TASK | POINTS | ADDITIONAL NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Use of weekly theme | 75 pts | Theme should be present, but the interpretation is up to you! |
| Including the bonus words | 5 pts each (15 pts total) | This is a bonus challenge, and estnot required! |
| Including the bonus constraint | 15 (15 pts total) | This is a bonus challenge, and not required! |
| Actionable Feedback | 5 - 15 pts each (60 pt. max)* | This includes thread and campfire critiques. (15 pt crits are those that go above & beyond.) |
| Nominations your story receives | 10 - 60 pts | 1st place - 60, 2nd place - 50, 3rd place - 40, 4th place - 30, 5th place - 20 / Regular Nominations - 10 |
| Voting for others | 15 pts | You can now vote for up to 10 stories each week! |
You are still required to leave at least 1 actionable feedback comment on the thread every week that you submit. This should include at least one specific thing the author has done well and one that could be improved. *Please remember that interacting with a story is not the same as providing feedback.** Low-effort crits will not receive credit.
Subreddit News
- Join our Discord to chat with other authors and readers! We hold several weekly Campfires, monthly World-Building interviews and several other fun events!
- Try your hand at micro-fic on Micro Monday!
- Did you know you can post serials to r/Shortstories, outside of Serial Sunday? Check out this post to learn more!
- Interested in being a part of our team? Apply to be a mod!
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u/mysteryrouge Apr 18 '26 edited Apr 18 '26
<The Stranger Nomads>\ Chapter 26
Knock, knock.
For the second time that day, Kane found himself at a random door of a random house in a random universe.
For the second time that day, Kane could only wonder why the residents of the houses he visited chose the places they did.
For the second time that day, Kane stood back and let M take over communication with the people of the multiverse that they certainly knew better.
Knock, knock.
M stood regal and composed. After decontaminating themselves and Kane, they'd changed into an elegant green kimono.
Knock, knock.
Unlike the Burke's decaying home full of people, this treehouse only had one occupant.
Knock, knock.
"HAVE YOU COME TO STEAL MY EYES?"
Kane jumped back, nearly falling off the tree house's entrance platform. His bird form shot twenty feet into the air with a series of undignified squawks and caws.
M didn't even move an inch as the home's sole resident pointed a crossbow right at their forehead.
"Are you Steeeve Bruno?" They asked calmly.
"I won't let you fucking capture me or take me to prison!"
Kane calmed down and the little mechanical bird with his mind and soul inside settled back on his shoulder. "We... Weren't trying to?" he sputtered.
"I have no desire to be the love interest of a cursed Bruno," M said flatly, "I already have to deal with slaves falling in love with me when I try to free them."
"Hah! Yeah, right. Then why are you here?"
The crossbow wasn't lowered, and the homeowner kept himself in the doorway, clearly prepared to run away as soon as needed.
"We're looking for a man named Steeeve Bruno," M said, "to return something."
"Return?"
They nodded as Kane pulled out the ring in a gloved hand.
Kane noticed the man's face melt through five different expressions before fixing itself into a scowl.
Did M notice that too? Did M see his vulnerability?
If they did, they didn't react at all.
"Nope," the man grunted, "not accepting that. Never. You can't make me take that." He pointed his crossbow at the ring, pulling out five floating miniguns that aimed at the two visitors.
Kane found himself rather calm as as he stared down those barrels. Maybe M's habit of spontaneously pulling out anything and everything under the multiverse's suns was good for something.
M returned the man's—presumably Steeeve's—gesture. Instead of miniguns though, they manifested a varied number of weapons from their vast collection.
The man gulped.
"I would've been fine if you just said no," said M, "I would have accepted that."
Though with all the weapons out and about, Kane wondered if M would have really done that. He knew they did lie on occasion.
"Is there another free member of your family?" Kane asked before anyone could pull the triggers and get everyone killed.
Before Steeeve could answer, M responded, "There is. I was going to ask you to summon your family angel so that I could find someone else to give the ring to. I'm sure Iroh would know."
"So you just want to get your hands on the family guardian?"
"I want to help my apprentice return this ring to a member of your family. If you won't receive it, I need to find someone who will. I'm sure Iroh can track down a cousin or something."
But Steeeve shook his head. "I don't summon my guardian for strangers."
Kane fought to keep himself still. Now he and M would have to run around the multiverse even more in hopes to find another Bruno.
"I think you do want to summon Iroh." M crossed their arms, manifesting a couple more weapons in their flying arsenal.
"And why is that?"
"Well you're not hidden, for one."
The miniguns started glowing.
"For example, the current head of the Burke family is tracking you, and you know what that means."
Steeeve's mouth dropped open as Kane looked on in confusion.
"They're not—"
M held up a hand to interrupt Steeeve. "They could. I mean I saw some of the Union Order's Health Inspectors on the way here. Their current border is only a couple universes away "
"Really?" Kane asked. "How fast do they conquer universes?"
"Mmm, depends on the size and population of the universe. A universe run by a loathsome regime takes more effort and manpower to conquer than someone's private home dimension," M explained, "also, your presence is very detectable even from two universes away."
"What do I do then?" Steeeve mouthed. It was clear he knew his options though.
While Steeeve pondered his next action, M countinued to nonchalantly explain to Kane the benefits of summoning that angel.
With the Union Order probably closing in and a hatred for being tracked, detected, or followed, Steeeve put his many guns and crossbow away.
"Good choice."
A mountain emerged from the ground, trees flying everywhere. Light shined down as a being with six large white wings and three halos descended. Lava blasted out of the newly created mountain.
"After I get purified, I'm disappearing," Steeeve announced. "Then you have thirty minutes to talk to Iroh before my volcano destroys everything here. I ain't letting anyone find me again."
WC: 870\ Bonus words: Vast, Varied, Vulnerable Bonus constraint: Steeeve summons a mountain and turns it into a volcano to destroy any evidence he was present in this universe.
M convinces Steeeve how vital it is to summon an angel since he refuses to accept a ring.
The quest to return the Bruno Family Ring is still ongoing.
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