PARTICIPATION

Do I have to register?

Nope, you can just jump right in and start participating!

Is this a contest?

It’s not a contest; it’s a challenge. Overall, the Winter Court (WCWC) and Summer Court (SCWC) events are community-building events where writers can offer advice, receive feedback, brainstorm, and more, while working on and completing a short story each week for publication. However, the more challenges you complete, the more entries you will get to win a prize at the end of the event.

How much does it cost to participate?

Nothing—participation is free!

When is the event?

The next Winter Court will be held from January 3rd to January 30th, 2027.
The next Summer Court will be held from July 5th to August 1st, 2027.

Can I start writing before the event?

No—the first prompt won’t be released until the first Sunday of the month, meaning you won’t know what to write.

Do I have to do all four challenges?

Nope! You can do whichever prompts you want—but to maximize your chances to win the prize, you’re going to want to do all four.

Can I do the same prompt multiple times?

No, if you submit more than one story per prompt, only the first one will be included in the anthology, and you will only receive one entry to the final prize. But don’t let that stop you from writing more stories for yourself if a particular challenge sparks a flurry of ideas for you!

STORIES

How many prompts are there?

Each Court challenge has four prompts, one released on each Sunday of the month. Sometimes, there may even be spontaneous Bonus Challenges!

How long do I have to write the stories?

You have until the end of the month to submit your stories, meaning you have four weeks to complete the first challenge, three weeks for the second, two for the third, and only one week to do the fourth.

What are the challenges?

Each challenge consists of two parts: a prompt and a set of components. The prompt is a single sentence or theme that serves as the inspiration for your story. The components are five listed words or items, and your story must incorporate at least three of them in a meaningful way. For example, if one of the components is “red,” your story must include something red for that component to count.

Is there a required word count?

While word counts don’t make a good story—characters and plot do—for this challenge, you need at least 100 words per submitted story and cannot exceed 2,000 (That’s roughly 1-8 pages double-spaced).

Do all the stories have to relate to each other / do the challenges need to make a single story?

There is no requirement for your entries to link in any way — you can choose to make them into a single story broken up into four parts, but if you do so just remember that each one has to follow the prompt and contain the required components!

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 (and the prompt)!

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…so long as they include at least 100 words!

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 stories?

You can submit your completed stories on the WCWC Submission page or SCWC Submissions page. Be sure to select the correct week/prompt number when you send us your story!

How should the submissions be set up?

Please follow these guidelines when submitting a story:

• State the story’s title, your name, and your Discord handle at the beginning of the document.
• Either highlight or list at the end of the document the components you included (remember, you need to utilize 3 of the 5!).
• Save the document as a .doc or .docx Most word processing programs allow you to save or export as a .doc or .docx file. If you absolutely cannot get it, please reach out to us on Discord or the Contact Us page on this website.

What do I do if I make changes or edits to a story that I have already submitted?

If you make changes to your story/stories before the editing period, please do NOT resubmit it. During the final week of the event, there will be a separate form on the website for you to submit corrected works.

Can I use a pen name?

Yes, but you will need to give us your real name and address so we can send you your stickers—not to mention the prize if you win! Your real name won’t be public if you give us a pen name.

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 in the anthology and winning the prize.

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 author role on Discord?

This event does not meet the criteria to be one of our published authors because we are accepting all eligible submissions from those who fully participate. If you are already a Nat 1 author or will become one in the future, this publication will be added to your author 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? Can I still win and get stickers?

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 prize and the participation stickers.

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.

PRIZES

Will I get a copy of the anthology?

All participants whose submissions meet the criteria to win tickets and be included in the anthology will receive a free digital copy of the anthology. Paperback copies will also be available for purchase on our website and Amazon.

What are the stickers?

For every qualifying submission you send us, we’ll send you one physical sticker of Squibble (the event’s mascot) interacting with the prompt and components for that challenge. If you complete all four challenges, you’ll get a special fifth sticker.

When do I get the stickers?

All stickers will be sent out once the event has ended and the stories have been reviewed to ensure they follow the prompt and include the required components. Usually 1-2 months after an event ends.

What is the final prize?

This is a low-key event meant to get you writing and interacting in our Discord, but we do have a small prize package for one individual to win; it’s never the same, but it will be listed on its dedicated webpage during the event

How do I win the prize package?

You will automatically receive one entry per completed challenge, and an additional ticket if you complete all four challenges for a total of five tickets. One winner is chosen using a random number generator and will be messaged on Discord to let them know. Membership in the Nat 1 Discord is required.

Who is eligible for the prize package?

Residents of the United States are eligible for the prize package. Volunteer editors, beta readers, and slush pile readers are eligible to participate and win the final prize, but Nat 1 Publishing board members and probationary board members, as well as their immediate families, are ineligible to win the prize package but can have their works included in the anthology and earn the stickers.