REGISTRATION
Where do I register?
Is this a contest?
No, this is a community-building event where writers can offer advice to others, receive feedback, brainstorm, and more, while working on and completing a short story to be published. How much you win depends on how much you interact!
Do I have to register?
No, but you need to (by Aug 5th) to get the free poster, bookmark, and sticker sent to you. Please note that these physical gifts are only available to residents of the US, Canada, and the UK.
Do I have to register with my real name?
Yes, but your story can be printed with a pen name. Don’t worry, your name won’t be public.
Why do you ask what my story will be about? Can I change it?
That’s there primarily to make sure you’re a person signing up and not one of those pesky bots. While it might help spark some ideas, you aren’t locked into it and can write whatever you want during the event!
What if I don’t register?
You can still participate! While you won’t be able to get the physical freebies, you can submit your story at the end, have it included in the anthology, and receive a free digital copy.
Why aren’t you giving participants a free paperback of the anthology this year?
Unfortunately, we had to hold back on the physical copies this year due to the high cost of printing and mailing the books. Additionally, a quarter of the books we sent out this year were either returned to us or lost in transit. If you would like a physical copy of the 2025 anthology, it will be available on Amazon at the lowest price they will allow. We intend to make no profit on this book, as it’s for the participants of the WwoO, after all.
THE EVENT
When is the event?
Aug 10-23.
Can I start writing before the event?
Yes, if you got a creative spark, be sure to run with it before it flickers out! Remember to join us during the event to ask for and give advice, and to participate in the editing week as well!
Why are there two weeks of WWoO this year?
Last year, we observed that many participants were reaching out to one another to peer review their work. While we anticipated and encouraged writers to help each other brainstorm, give and receive advice, and act as moral support, what we weren’t expecting (but probably should have been) was for participants to go to each other for editing and peer review of their work. To further encourage editing, we’ve added a second week to the event to allow more time to peer review and edit each other’s works.
Do I have to be active both weeks?
You can be as active or passive as you want during the event.
Do I have to edit other people’s stories?
No, but the purpose of this event is to improve your own abilities and make friends who love writing and reading as much as you do. So, while it’s not required to peer edit and review, by not doing so, you will be forgoing a valuable opportunity.
Will Nat 1 Publishing still edit my story?
Yes! Each story will undergo one or two rounds of edits, following the same process as for our official anthologies. Authors always have the final say on their stories.
STORIES
Is there a prompt?
Nope, write what you want.
Is there a required word count?
Nope, word counts don’t make a good story—characters and plot do. Write what’s needed for a great story.
Does it have to be fantasy or science fiction?
It needs to have some degree of speculative fiction, but how much is up to you!
Can it be based on DnD/Pathfinder/LotR/etc?
Yes, but we can’t publish trademarked or copyrighted names and creatures, so please omit those. You can, however, set it in Faewalk, Nat 1’s shared universe. For more information, see the Faewalk page.
What about fanfic?
Same thing as game-related stories, we can’t publish any copyrighted or trademarked material, so if you write a fan fic, you’re going to need to tweak it to make it your own.
Can I write a poem or a comic instead of a short story?
Absolutely!
Can it be erotica?
No, there are many people with diverse lifestyles and sensitivities participating, and we want everyone to enjoy the finalized anthology.
Are there any restrictions?
We will NOT publish or tolerate discriminatory content, nor will we publish AI-generated content (and yes, we can tell if it is). For this anthology, we also do not want extreme violence or gore for the same reason we want to avoid erotica.
ANTHOLOGY
Where do I submit my story?
We will start taking finished submissions on August 20th. Here’s the link to the page where you’ll be able to submit your story.
Can I use a pen name?
Yes.
Do I need to participate on Discord to have my story included?
No, but you’ll be missing out on the community building and support. You do need to be a member of the Discord, though, when you submit and during the editing process. Not being a member will disqualify you from being included and getting the freebies.
Can my story be Faewalk canon?
If you want it to be, there will be a box to check when you submit. If it fits the world, you’ll receive a publishing agreement to include it in the next Faewalk anthology!
Will I be considered a Nat 1 published author and get an author page on the website or role on Discord?
This event does not meet the qualifications for being one of our published authors because we are accepting all submissions from people who fully participate. If you are a Nat 1 author already or will become one in the future, this publication will be included on your page
Will my story get an illustration?
No, stories for this anthology will not receive custom art due to the project’s scope.
What if I don’t want my story in the anthology? Do I still get my gifts?
When you submit your story, you can check an option saying not to include the story in the book. If you do this, you won’t receive edits, but you’ll still be eligible for the gifts you’re entitled to by pre-registering.