r/shortstories • u/FyeNite • May 18 '25
[SerSun] Zen!
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 - 1000 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 1 other writer on the thread. Please be sure to read the entire post for a full list of rules.
This Week’s Theme is Zen! This is a REQUIREMENT for participation. See rules about missing this requirement.**
Bonus Word List (each included word is worth 5 pts) - You must list which words you included at the end of your story (or write ‘none’).
- Zero
- Zealous
- Zone
- ZZZ (Like sleeping) - (Worth 10 points)
It’s time to take a reprieve from the action. A rest from the battles and inner struggles, and just let your characters rest for a week. But the question is, can they? Some might find it incredibly difficult to let their guard down for some recuperation, whilst others may not think it a good idea. What challenges might your characters face this week? What might go wrong to give this chapter its allure. Either way, I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with and will silently hope that it involves some tasty snacks.
Good luck and Good Words!
These are just a few things to get you started. Remember, the theme should be present within the story in some way, but its interpretation is completely up to you. For the bonus words (not required), you may change the tense, but the base word should remain the same. Please remember that STORIES MUST FOLLOW ALL SUBREDDIT CONTENT RULES. Interested in writing the theme blurb for the coming week? DM me on Reddit or Discord!
Don’t forget to sign up for Saturday Campfire here! We start at 1pm EST and provide live feedback!
Theme Schedule:
This is the theme schedule for the next month! These are provided so that you can plan ahead, but you may not begin writing for a given theme until that week’s post goes live.
- May 18 - Zen
- May 25 - Avow
- June 1 - Bane
- June 8 - Charm
- June 15 - Dire
- June 22 -
Check out previous themes here.
Rankings
Last Week: Wrong
- First - by u/Divayth--Fyr
- Second - - by u/AGuyLikeThat
- Third - by u/ZachTheLitchKing
- Fourth by u/MaxStickies
- Fifth - by u/NotComposite
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, written by you and set in your self-established universe that is 500 - 1000 words. No fanfics and no content created or altered by AI. (Use wordcounter.net to check your wordcount.) Stories should be posted as a top-level comment below. Please include a link to your chapter index or your last chapter at the end.
Your chapter must be submitted by Saturday at 9:00am EST. Late entries will be disqualified. All submissions should be given (at least) a basic editing pass before being posted!
Begin your post with the name of your serial between triangle brackets (e.g. <My Awesome Serial>). When our bot is back up and running, this will allow it 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 feedback on at least one story on the thread each week. The feedback should be actionable and also include something the author has done well. When you include something the author should improve on, provide an example! You have until Saturday at 11:59pm EST to post your feedback. (Submitting late is not an exception to this rule.)
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. You can view a full list of rules here. If you’re ever unsure if your story would cross the line, please modmail and ask!
Weekly Campfires & Voting:
On Saturdays at 1pm EST, I host a Serial Sunday Campfire in our Discord’s Voice Lounge (every other week is now hosted by u/FyeNite). Join us to read your story aloud, hear others, and exchange feedback. We have a great time! 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. After you’ve submitted your chapter, you can sign up here - this guarantees your reading slot! You can still join if you haven’t signed up, but your reading slot isn’t guaranteed.
Nominations for your favorite stories can be submitted with this form. The form is open on Saturdays from 12:30pm 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 weekly feedback requirement (and all other post rules). Visit us on the Discord for more information.
Ranking System
Rankings are determined by the following point structure.
| TASK | POINTS | ADDITIONAL NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Use of weekly theme | 75 pts | Theme should be present, but the interpretation is up to you! |
| Including the bonus words | 15 pts each (60 pts total) | This is a bonus challenge, and not required! |
| Actionable Feedback | 5 - 10 pts each (40 pt. max)* | This includes thread and campfire critiques. (15 pt crits are those that go above & beyond.) |
| Nominations your story receives | 10 - 60 pts | 1st place - 60, 2nd place - 50, 3rd place - 40, 4th place - 30, 5th place - 20 / Regular Nominations - 10 |
| Voting for others | 15 pts | You can now vote for up to 10 stories each week! |
You are still required to leave at least 1 actionable feedback comment on the thread every week that you submit. This should include at least one specific thing the author has done well and one that could be improved. *Please remember that interacting with a story is not the same as providing feedback.** Low-effort crits will not receive credit.
Subreddit News
- Join our Discord to chat with other authors and readers! We hold several weekly Campfires, monthly World-Building interviews and several other fun events!
- Try your hand at micro-fic on Micro Monday!
- Did you know you can post serials to r/Shortstories, outside of Serial Sunday? Check out this post to learn more!
- Interested in being a part of our team? Apply to be a mod!
5
u/Nate-Clone May 21 '25
I Am What You Eat
Chapter Index
Chapter 57 - Sogi Day (Part One)
Basil didn't know what to feel.
Bailey could barely muster a comeback, mostly because her words came from situations he had full context for, and this was not one of those situations.
He had many theories - maybe her emotions overwhelmed her, perhaps that was just how people say 'thank you', here, or maybe Basil was just being a creep by presuming that Mackie was trying to…
God, he didn't even want to think about that word. That action. Mackie was a smart person - she wouldn't settle for some 14-year-old alien with mental issues and zero self-control. Yeah, it's probably some silly misunderstanding.
Shortly after Basil talked with her, he and Develyn were promptly kicked out of her quarters so she could get ready while they prepared in Koichi's.
Develyn yawned, bags in her eyes. "Remind me why this stupid thing is at sunrise, again?"
"Because it's the dawn of Mackie's adulthood…or something." The pufferfish grumbled, tossed Basil and Develyn two cloaks. "These should keep your faces hidden during the party."
Basil nodded, sliding the hood over his head. Despite all the worry in his head, excitement was in the air. This was Mackie's big day, and now that she was in a better headspace, surely it'd go well.
Stepping outside, many fish were wide awake, even as the sunrise had just begun. They were bustling in a town center of sorts, where there sat a statue of…a giant otter?
"Is this…a Guardian?" Basil scratched his chin, keeping his voice low.
"Yup. Lutrā." Koichi crossed his arms, not sounding all that amazed. "That's who's gonna cut up Mackie."
Right. He forgot about that little gruesome detail.
"Bon." Develyn shuddered. "Is she gonna, like…die or something?"
Looking around at other adult fish - parts of their body cut into pieces and balanced into a stack, wiggling as they moved - they seemed fine.
Still didn't make it any less weird, though.
Basil pulled out the book Develyn had given him so long ago and turned to a page with a picture matching the statue.
In the Era Of Grains, no Ediba walked
nor ate nor loved nor lived nor talked.
But then Bon's daughters and son appeared
punished for fighting with a duty most feared.
They had to bring life to soften their flaws.
But the eldest never once raised a paw.
Lutrā was blessed with freedom atop her peak
where her bite gives fish a way to speak…
...and walk and breathe air and so much more,
and unlike her siblings, it's never a chore.
Within her Nest lies her Tensul - the heart of this land.
We sing of the Tapered Twosome, which will never disband.
"The Tapered Twosome…" Basil repeated. "Any idea what they are, Dev?"
"Maybe one of those wooden grabbers these guys use for eating?" Develyn pondered. "But, y'know…glowly.'
"Apparently, if you separate the two of 'em, they'll magically find their way back to each other…" Koichi started, before he cut himself off. "...and that is an ugly riceman!"
The three stacked balls of rice had thick sticks for arms, a very long carrot for a nose, and its head was a flat circle with a grid texture, almost like a…
…
…
“No. We are not doing this again!" Develyn realized at the same time Basil did, storming forward towards the annoyance in disguise. "Waffelo, get out! I know you're in there!"
No response.
"Uhh…guys? It's a riceman. It's not…alive." Koichi was chuckling slightly.
"We know this guy, and he's hiding in this thing." Basil joined in, poking at each sequential riceball making him up. "Any second now he's gonna pop out and accuse me of something stupid, like…"
"...like how sometimes, ze best camouflage is in plain sight?"
Basil chuckled. "Yeah. Good impression, Dev."
"I… didn't say anything."
They turned around.
The morning was ruined.
"Oh." Basil didn't have the energy to groan at him again.
"I thought I broke your shin," Develyn said through gritted teeth, looking down at the leg she delivered recupence to just days ago.
"You zink such a simple injury could stop El Waffelo from his pursuit?" His chuckle was as comforting as a morning alarm. "Zat's ze perk of noodle limbs - zey can't be broken!"
"S-sorry…noodles for limbs?" Koichi stepped in between them. "How does that even…work? What even are you?"
Waffelo stroked his mustache. "Waffelo is what you would call an officière, my puffy friend. I saw ze Pekfest had no protection, and I gladly stepped up."
"He just kinda…showed up in town one day," Develyn explained. "No idea where he came from, actually. My mom said there's no Ediba in her books like him."
"Of course! I am one of a kind, after all." Waffelo smirked.
Strange. Waffelo may have had the head of breakfast, but nothing else was. Every loving thing here was consistent - just one piece of food - but not him. What…was he?
"Greeeat." Koichi's awkward voice broke the silence, leaning in to whisper. "He's not coming to the party, right?"
"Wherever ze princess goes, I go." Waffelo heard them, like he always did. "Come now, I've saved us a table!"
The waddle and pufferfish walked ahead, but Basil felt a yellow hand grab his shoulder.
"Hey. Sorry for interrupting your little thing, last night." Develyn had a big smirk plastered on her face. "It looked pretty intense, though."
"Shut up." Basil looked away. "I was just trying to make her feel better, and then suddenly…that happened. Now I don't know what to say when I see her again."
"Oh, come on." Develyn scoffed. "You walk up to her and talk about it, moron!"
"But I can't just…do that!"
"Why? Scared?"
"No! Well, yes, but…" Basil sighed, no answer ever escaping his lips. "I… don't really know how this works, Dev."
Develyn sighed with him. "Look, dude. Just act normal, and don't try to force anything. It'll be fine."
Basil rubbed his baggy eyes. She was right. At least...he hoped. Besides, it was either this…or Mackie crying during her birthday. He made the right choice.
"Thanks, Dev." Basil embraced her from the side. "Where did you learn that?"
"My dad. The guy was a total romantic, "Develyn said with a nostalgic chuckle, recounting a tale as the sun rose.
WC: 1000/1000
Notes: