text: #Welcome to Serial Sunday! To those brand new to the feature and those returning from last week, welcome! Do you have a self-established universe you’ve been writing or planning to write in? Do you have an idea for a world that’s been itching to get out? This is the perfect place to explore that. Each week, I post a theme to inspire you, along with a related image and song. You have 500 - 850 words to write your installment. You can jump in at any time; writing for previous weeks’ is not necessary in order to join. After you’ve posted, come back and provide feedback for at least 2 other writers on the thread. Please be sure to read the entire post for a full list of rules. &nbsp; *** #This week's theme is Innocence! | This week we’re going to explore the theme of ‘innocence’. Two weeks ago we took a look at guilt, and what that meant for your characters and the world around them. So, let’s flip that. What happens when one of the innocent are pulled into the storm, punished even, for the crimes of another? Who is to be believed in this situation? What happens to a person’s trust in their friends, their family, their system? Do they stand strong, ready to fight injustice with everything they have, or do they give up, feeling broken and defeated? We, as people, often feel guilt, even when the events aren’t necessarily our fault. But how does that affect someone internally? Externally? How does this change someone? These are just a few things to get you started. This week, please keep in mind the subreddit rules, and treat the topic of mental health with respect. Remember, the theme should be present within the story in some way, but its interpretation is completely up to you. **Please remember to follow all sub and post rules.** You can always modmail us if you’re unsure. &nbsp; *** #Theme Schedule: - September 11 - Innocence (this week) - September 18 - Jealousy - September 25 - Knowledge &nbsp; *** **Most Recent Themes:** | | | | | *** &nbsp; #Rules & How to Participate Please read and follow all the rules listed below. This feature has requirements for participation! - **Submit a story inspired by the weekly theme, set in your self-established universe. Use to check your wordcount.** Stories should be posted as a top-level comment below. If you’re continuing an in-progress serial (not on Serial Sunday), please include links to your previous installments. - **Your chapter must be submitted by Saturday at 12pm EST.** That is one hour before the start of Campfire. Late entries will be disqualified. - **Begin your post with the name of your serial between triangle brackets** (e.g. <My Awesome Serial>). This will allow our serial bot to recognize your serial and add each chapter to the SerSun catalog. Do not include anything in the brackets you don’t want in your title. (Please note: You must use this same title every week.) - **Do not pre-write your serial.** You’re welcome to do outlining and planning for your serial, but chapters should not be pre-written. All submissions should be written for this post, specifically. - **Only one active serial per author at a time.** This does not apply to serials written outside of Serial Sunday. - **All Serial Sunday authors must leave at least 2 feedback comments on the thread each week (that’s one comment on two different stories).** The feedback should be **actionable** and include something the author has done well. You have until **Saturday at 11:59pm EST** to post your feedback. Those who go above and beyond (more than 5 actionable crits) will be rewarded with “Crit Credits” that can be used on our crit sub, r/WPCritique. - **Missing your feedback requirement two or more consecutive weeks will disqualify you from rankings and Campfire readings the following week.** If it becomes a habit, you may be asked to move your serial to the sub instead. - **Serials must abide by subreddit content rules.** This includes, but is not limited to, explicit suicide or suicide-note stories, pedophilia, rape, bestiality, necrophilia, incest, explicit sex, and graphic depictions of abuse or torture. You can view a . If you’re ever unsure if your story would cross the line, please modmail and ask! &nbsp; *** #Weekly Campfires & Voting: - **On Saturdays at 1pm EST, I host a Serial Sunday Campfire in our .** Join us to read your story aloud, hear others, and exchange feedback. We have a great time! (And Campfire is feedback is worth extra points!) You can even come to just listen, if that’s more your speed. Grab the “Serial Sunday” role on the Discord to get notified before it starts. - **Nominations for your favorite stories can be submitted .** The form is open on Saturdays from 12pm to 11:59pm EST. You do not have to participate to make nominations! - **Authors who complete their Serial Sunday serials with at least 12 installments, can host a SerialWorm in our Discord’s Voice Lounge, where you read aloud your finished and edited serials.** Celebrate your accomplishment! Authors are eligible for this only if they have followed the 2 feedback comments per thread rule (and all other post rules). Visit us on the Discord for more information. &nbsp; *** #Ranking System The weekly rankings work on a point-based system. Note that you must use the theme each week to qualify for points (but its interpretation is entirely up to you)! Here is the current breakdown: **Nominations (votes sent in by other users):** - First place - 60 points - Second place - 50 points - Third place - 40 points - Fourth place - 30 points - Fifth place - 20 points - Sixth place - 10 points **Actionable Feedback:** - Thread feedback (at least 2 required) - 5 points each (25 pt. cap) - Verbal feedback (during Campfire) - 5 points each (15 pt. cap) **Nominating Other Stories:** - Voting for your favorite stories - 5 points (total) **Looking for more on what actionable feedback is?** Check out or these previous crits from Serial Sunday: | | &nbsp; *** #Rankings for “Heartbreak” - **First place:** - by u/Zetakh &nbsp; - **Second place:** - by u/mattswritingaccount &nbsp; - **Third place:** - by u/rainbow\-\-penguin &nbsp; - **Honorable Mention:** - - by u/Loki_7000 &nbsp; *** ###Subreddit News - Join to chat with authors, prompters, and readers! We hold several weekly Campfires and a few other fun events! - You can now post serials to r/Shortstories, outside of Serial Sunday.