text: # Happy Saturday, serialists! Welcome to Serial Saturday! \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # This week it’s all about GOALS. Let’s talk about wants and needs. Get out your notebook! Questions to ask yourself when thinking about serial goals: Do your characters *want* something? * How badly do they want it? * How far will they go to get it? * What’s standing in their way? Other people, distance, finances, knowledge, or outside forces? * Are there lines a character *won’t* cross to get what they want? * Will their wants change? Will the journey enrich them more than the destination? A character’s want doesn’t have to always be a grand plan. Sometimes it’s as simple as wanting a nice quiet night at home while the world falls down around their ears. Sometimes it’s just being the best version of themselves. The best student, friend, parent, or follower. Sometimes it’s working towards the weekend or that sweet, sweet ice cream sundae that makes it all worth it. Sometimes it’s . Next, what do your characters need? * Are their needs actually important to the story, or anyone else in it? * What will happen if their need isn’t met? * Do any of those needs conflict with each other? * Why do they need that item *right now?* Needs won’t always be physical. In fact, most of the time they’re not, unless the thing your character needs is a drink of water after wandering in the desert for three days. At some point your characters may come to a point when they are willing to sacrifice what they want in order to get what they need, or vice versa. Finally, what story do *you* want to tell, as the author? Do you want to tell a story of humility and compassion? Finding causes worth fighting for? Discovering that the real treasures were the friends we made along the way? You don’t have to know the answer to all of these questions right now, but it is what we’ll be thinking about this week. Even the most wholesome slice of life stories have these important elements that keep us engaged as readers. Setup and payoff can be simple wish fulfillment, or it could be ten layers deep. This little post isn’t meant to cover all the delicate facets of wants, needs, and story goals, but it should get you thinking about where you want to take your story and what your focus should be. ***You do not need to set up and accomplish the want, need, or goal in this single installment.*** Wants, needs and goals should be a theme we see as a cohesive thread that pulls your story together. This is the serial post to do lay that groundwork, if it hasn’t been an established theme for your universe already. &#x200B; **\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** **You have until \*next\* Saturday, 8/22, to submit and comment on everyone else's stories here.** \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* # Top picks from last week’s assignment, : **Undisputed fan favorite with the most votes:** /u/Kammerice, with his of Mouse Noir. For those who are not apprised of Kammerice’s mouse investigator story, I wholeheartedly recommend catching up with it, you will not regret it! This week the **Smoking Hot Serial Sash** (my top pick of the week) goes to two authors for absolutely nailing the spirit of the assignment: /u/Ryter99, for in the tragic tale of the Bundarr we know and love, And /u/Mazinjaz, for And in no particular order, a couple other fan favorites: /u/Mobaisle_writing, /u/Chineseartist, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # New to /r/ShortStories and Serial Saturday, but want to join in the fun? We appreciate all contributions made to this thread, and are happy to offer the freedom of choice for our current and new users alike. All submissions are of course welcomed. We hope you enjoy your time in the community. **The Rules:** * In the comments below submit a story that is between **500 - 750** words in your own original universe. * Submissions are limited to ***one*** serial submission from each author per week. * E**ach author should comment on at least 2 other stories** during the course of the week. * That comment must include ***at least one*** **detail** about what the author has done well. * Authors who successfully finish a serial lasting longer than 8 installments will be featured with a modpost recognizing their completion and a flair banner on the sub. * Authors are eligible for this highlight post only if they have followed the 2 feedback comments per thread rule. *Yes, we will check*. * While content rules are more lax here at /r/ShortStories, we’re going to roll with the loose guidelines of "vaguely family friendly" being the rule of thumb for now. If you’re ever unsure if your story would cross the line, feel free to modmail! \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ # Take a look at our inaugural Serial Saturday post for some things to keep in mind. **Join us for Serial Saturday’s Campfire!** * Saturdays we will be hosting a Serials Campfire on the main voice lounge. Join us to read your story aloud, hear other stories, and share your own thoughts on serial writing! We start on Saturdays at 9AM CST. **Don’t worry about being late, just join!** * There’s a *Super Serial* role on the Discord server, so make sure you grab that so you’re notified of all Serial Saturday related news! # Reminders: * Authors that complete a serial with 8 or more installments get a fancy banner and modpost to highlight their stories. * Make sure your post on this thread also includes links to your previous installments if you have a currently in-progress serial. Those links must be direct links to the previous installment on the preceding Serial Saturday post. Join to chat with prompters, authors, and readers! Have you seen the ? No? Oh boy! Here's the current cycle's challenge schedule.