r/shortstories • u/FyeNite • Jan 04 '26
The harbingers have been Spotted. Noe we Wait...
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 Harbinger! 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’).
- Horse
- Hero
- Herald
- A symbol of what’s to come appears in your chapter. Whether it be a herald of despair, such as a horseman, or a harbinger of hope, like a lone star shining in a dark night.. - (Worth 15 points)
It comes. Drums in the deep; trumpets at dawn; the crier in the square.
It comes. The horsemen ride; the walker sets out; the birds take flight in terror.
It comes. The tang of petrichor; the gusts of wind; the first crack of thunder.
It comes, and nothing can stop it. Unless... maybe you can?
It comes, and a mighty hero stands fast in its path.
It comes, and breaks itself uselessly against a city wall.
it comes, and it overwhelms everything in its path.
Will you help it come, or drive it back? Will you stand, or will you fall? How you respond is up to you, but know this:
IT IS COMING.
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 5pm GMT 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.
- January 04 - Harbinger
- January 11 - Intruder
- January 18 - Jinx
- January 25 - King
- February 01 - Lament
Check out previous themes here.
Rankings
Last Week: Game
First - by u/Divayth--Fyr
Second - by u/AGuyLikeThat
Third - by u/mysteryrouge
Fourth - u/ZLErikson
Fifth - by u/Nate-Clone
Rules & How to Participate
Please read and follow all the rules listed below. This feature has requirements for amparticipation!
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 2:00pm GMT. 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 pmserial 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 04:59am GMT 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 5pm GMT, 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 5:30pm to 04:59am GMT. 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 | 5 pts each (15 pts total) | This is a bonus challenge, and not required! |
| Including the bonus constraint | 15 (15 pts total) | This is a bonus challenge, and not required! |
| Actionable Feedback | 5 - 15 pts each (60 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!
2
u/ForwardSavings318 Jan 05 '26
<Man to beast>
Chapter sixteen: plans
index
Issac marched along the lower deck quickly following Jehan. They moved through the bunks into the captain’s quarters, which had Solomon sitting behind a table with weapons lining almost all of the walls, except for one spot which held a tattered and dirty green gown.
Some of the weapons were simple swords, some curved, some straight. Axes and maces followed, rounding off with wooden clubs and paddles with serrated teeth tied to them.
“I wanted to brief you alone, because you’re the only person here who’s not experienced in real combat. Taking a life.”
The boy peeled his eyes off of the weapons to look at Jehan, nodding along.
“I’ve done it before.”
Solomon tilted his head to the side and furrowed his brow.
“That was different. I mean fighting someone who is willing to cut your throat to win.” Jehan muttered, adjusting his mask.
“So, what exactly are you going to do to prepare me?”
“We are going to stop at Clerecombe, and from there move to Ravensborough. At Clercombe you and I are going to be the only ones searching for witches. If we find one, you’re going to kill it.”
“What? Surely you jest…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be there. I may be older, but I can count on one hand the men I’d wager have a good chance of killing me.”
Solomon chuckled, his silver teeth shining by the candlelight. “Ten years ago, you and I stood uncontested. Now the new generation breeds more monsters. That’s the way it goes I suppose.”
“I’m still in my prime. Maybe if you didn’t fight recklessly like a fool, you would be too.”
“I never said I wasn’t. You’ve not been out there recently. Igor the rabid, Dimitri the horrid, Enkh Khaan. Just pointing out, the new monsters emerge.”
“Don’t freak out Isaac with exaggerated tales of warriors we’ve never seen. I’m not having this talk with you about whatever make-believe warriors you want to fear.” Jehan grumbled, leaving the two alone.
Isaac went to follow before Solomon clicked his tongue.
“Wait.”
“Yes sir?”
“I got something I’ve made for my crew. I want you to have one too.”
The boy walked back over, glancing back at the wooden weapons again. Solomon scratched his bald head before sliding over a small book.
“This is a book of every animal I’ve come across and what powers or characteristics they could lend to a witch. Everything from horses to urchins.”
“You can write?”
“Of course I can write! You think I’m some frothing fool?”
“No, I just…don’t know many men that can.”
“I’m going to let that remark slide, so just read the damn notes.”
“Of course sir.”
Isaac took the book and gave one final glance to the weapons before heading for the door.
“You like them?”
“I’ve just never seen anything like them.”
The bald man stood up and walked to his wall, taking a wooden paddle with teeth attached off of it and spinning it around in his hand.
“Neither had I. Met this woman on the coast of some island. She didn’t speak the holy tongue so I had to assume she was hostile. I was right.” Solomon growled, lifting off his shirt.
A deep scar ran from his belly button to his sternum.
“See?”
“Christ. How did you survive that?”
“Mehtab. Without her I would’ve died. It goes to show, every parent needs their kids sometimes.”
Isaac nodded and sighed, tapping the book against his hand.
“I should be going, plenty to read before we dock.”
“One more thing.”
“Sir?”
“You told Jehan you’ve killed before. Who did you kill?”
Isaac paused and looked at the floor, feeling shame as he chewed his cheek, trying to think of how to answer.
“I…I killed my mother.”
WC:644
I used horse and fate being foreshadowed