Original Fic Challenge 2025

[haldoor.livejournal.com]

Made by @flipflop_diva

Hi everyone, and welcome to the Original Fic challenge for 2025! As the banner shows, this will run from 16 April to 31 May.

Even if you are not generally an original writer and prefer fanfic, I'm pretty sure you have it in you to write your own characters in your own setting, so don't be afraid to give this a go!

Long or short stories are fine for this challenge - complete something of around 1000 words, or just write a chapter or two of something ongoing. You can work on a WiP or you can start something new - either is fine! Of course, if you manage a novel-length story in our 6 week period, we would love that too, so please don't limit yourself if that's your plan!

We're here to help as well! flipflop_diva made our lovely banner for the posts, and she's going to help with participation & completion banners once the challenge finishes, and will of course be on hand to help me out if anyone needs advice, prompts, cheering, or anything else like that if I am busy. Otherwise, I am your go-to person! I will try to be on hand for any help you need from anything already mentioned to beta-reading, suggestions when you're stuck, or... well, anything original fic related!

I'll also be posting a check-in every week or so, with prompts and any other things original-related that I think might be useful. You are welcome to use those posts to tell us how you're doing or post snippets of your fic or ask for help, or any other fun things you think of!

There are no real rules for this one. Just write what you like, how much you like, and have something ready to post or posted by the end of May, and we'll call it achieved! I will only say that if you write and share at least a sample of your story (with as few or many others as you like, but we'd love to see some or all of it here!) by 31 May, and if your story is unfinished/a part chapter we'll call that 'participation' in the challenge, but if you either complete a short story (I'd say around 1000 words as an aim, but shorter is OK too), or finish a chapter or more of something longer, we'll call that 'completion' of the challenge.

Sound good? I think so! I have a few WiPs of my own in this category, so I'm going to see what I can progress during these challenge weeks!

Let's get started! *rubs hands together* What will you be working on?

Comments

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

I have two languishing projects — one from last year, one from like 2017 that Sharpiesgal has been waiting on me to finish. So, hopefully one of those two, but god only knows, Zayne's going to pull up, grab me by the collar, and take me off noveling.

For the record, I'm also available for questions, beta-ing, whatever anyone might need help with. I'm tied to this computer from 7:30-ish AM — 4:00 PM PST M-F, so mention me in a comment or send me a DM.

[haldoor.livejournal.com]

No matter what Zayne wants, I know you will come up with something for the challenge!

Thanks for being available to help out too!

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Hahaha — he'll find a way to have his way for sure. And thank you!

Anytime. Feel free to add my offer to this post or your next.

[haldoor.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Will do.

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to cheer you on or give you an ear if you need!

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Thank you! What I think I really need is someone yelling, "TF YOU DOING? PUT THAT BOOK DOWN! TURN OFF CHOPPED AND GRAB YOUR LAPTOP! *heavy sigh* GET OFF REDDIT!" 🤣🤣🤣

Sorry, I'm a bit punchy this morning.

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

I feel that! I've been sitting here since I got home from work and just... stagnating. In my defense, it was the first day of testing and I met my workout goal before 7:40 and had 9,900+ steps when I left work. I do have the goal to get 220 words daily until the end of the month. I'm happy to set up a check in with you or something if you'd like? We can talk on whatever platform...

[asphaltcowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Some days, that's exactly what we need to do.

If you'd like a check-in partner, that works for me. And I know you'll crush that 220 words a day!

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

Some days that's all we can do.

LOL I totally forgot about the check in partner.

[agdhani.livejournal.com]

I will be editing, so I dont think that counts...but if th one project makes it through to publication, i will call that a win..

[haldoor.livejournal.com]

Ah well, if you get any time in between editing, perhaps you could give us something! You give so much most of the time though - I won't be greedy! Good luck with the editing!

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

I'm in the process of re-writing my sister's favorite book of mine. I wrote the original in *winces* 1995... and it is very dated. Plus (I hope) my writing has grown since then. So I'm ditching everything but the actual premise and starting over. Slimming down characters, reworking plot holes, working on making it actually readable... ya know the normal things.

I probably won't have anything for publication at the end, but hopefully I'll have at least a couple of chapters (if the fanfic that is eating my brain will allow me to work on something else.) Eventually the novel WILL be published, but I don't think it's going to be ready in a month and a half. (Especially with state testing next week and then all the end of year projects.)

On the plus side, I've written SOME type of words for every day this month!

[haldoor.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a fantastic project! Even if you don't have it done in six weeks! I have a novel from about 20 years ago I've been trying to edit down to a publishable size and tidiness (like you say, hopefully my writing has grown since), which my brain (or muses!) tells me I'm finished with, so I have trouble getting back to, *sigh*, but I have others I've started but not finished too, so plenty of fodder for the challenge!

Good luck, anyway - we're here to cheer you on, so I hope you can manage a chapter or two in the time allowed!

[shanachie-quill.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Hopefully she'll still like it, but I'm also going to have two copies of the original printed with some minor modification. Those will be ours alone.

I mean mine size wise is fine, but the fact that they're looking for pay phones a couple of times. Among other things. Ugh I feel that. I think the only way I'm getting around that is by pretending it's an entire new novel.

I think my goal is going to be 2 chapters by the end of the challenge. And maybe I'll share a bit of it.