THE EVENT
Do I need to register?
Nope—unlike previous years, this event no longer requires you to register!
Is this a contest?
No, this is a community-building event where writers can offer advice, receive feedback, brainstorm, and more while working on and completing a short story for publication. How much you win depends on how much you interact!
When is the event?
The next WWoO will be held from April 5th to April 18th, 2026.
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 now?
During our first 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 provide more time for peer review and editing.
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, not doing so will mean you’re forgoing a valuable opportunity.
Will Nat 1 Publishing still edit my story?
Yes! Each story will undergo a round of proofreading. 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, many people with diverse lifestyles and sensitivities are participating, and we want everyone to enjoy the final 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 for WWoO 2026 on August 13, 2026.
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 reprint 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 criteria to be 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.
Why don’t you give out free gifts anymore?
Unfortunately, we had to hold back on physical copies and participation gifts due to rising printing and mailing costs. Additionally, a significant portion of the packages we send are either returned to us or lost in transit. If you would like a physical copy of the anthologies, they are available on Amazon at the lowest price allowed. We intend to make no profit on these books, as they are for the participants of WwoO, after all. We still send out a WWoO sticker to participants who complete the event, and we have some WWoO swag available on our website and on Redbubble.