Our first annual Winter Court Writing Challenge will be held from January 4—31, 2026!
Nat 1 Publishing is excited to announce our first annual Winter Court Writing Challenge, a free, community-focused speculative fiction event running from January 4–31, 2026! Throughout January, writers of all experience levels are invited to tackle four weekly challenges, each featuring a prompt and required components, to create original stories of 500 words or more. There’s no advance registration, no cost to participate, and no requirement to complete every challenge—though completing more earns you more chances to win a small end-of-event prize package. Even better? All eligible submissions will receive house edits and be published in a shared anthology, and all participants will get exclusive Squibble (the event’s mascot fae) stickers for each completed challenge, and a bonus sticker for finishing all four. Writers can join in for the creativity, the prizes, or the camaraderie—but to submit and win, you’ll need to be part of the Nat 1 Discord.
Step into the Winter Court this January and spend the month actually finishing new work alongside a supportive, creative community!