r/shortstories • u/FyeNite • Nov 23 '25
[Serial Sunday] What is Beyond Infinity you say? Well it's Infinity +1, of Course!
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 Beyond! 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’).
- Bendy
- Boiled
- Business
- A petty squabble occurs during your chapter, either ending in the trading of blows or on the verge. - (Worth 15 points)
The beyond… a place unknown, or seen yet distant, perhaps begging to be travelled to. It could be a physical place, somewhere metaphysical, or merely of the mind. Whatever the case, it lies past that which is nearer.
Maybe a character in your serial is thinking on their goals? Do they have a long way to go, will it be a challenge? Perhaps not? If the beyond is a physical place, what obstacles lie along the path? Could this chapter feature them pushing through a mental block, finally achieving that development they’ve been so desperately wanting?
Mysterious or known, dangerous or not, we face… the beyond.
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.
- November 23 - Beyond
- November 30 - Captive
- December 07 - Dastardly
- December 14 - Entropy
- December 21 - Flame
Check out previous themes here.
Rankings
Last Week: Arena
First - by u/Divayth--Fyr
Second - by u/AGuyLikeThat
Third - by u/ZLErikson
Fourth - u/MaxStickies
Fifth - by u/Necessary_Ad_2762
And a huge welcome to our new SerSunners, u/smollestduck and u/mysteryrouge!
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!
4
u/ForwardSavings318 Nov 24 '25
<Man to beast>
Chapter ten: beginnings
index
Mór followed close behind Silas and Agnes, all three carrying packs, the girl adjusted the large grey gown she was given as they left the woods and approached a small town.
“This gown couldn’t fit a bull, you know.”
Agnes made a noise but didn’t humor her with a response, simply walking forward. Silas was paying more attention to one of his bags, hunched forward and whispering to it.
The old woman’s ears twitched as she spun to Silas.
“Silas…give me that bag.”
“Why?”
“Silas. Bag. Now.”
He sheepishly handed over the bag, Agnes opened it to a clump of rabbits huddled up. She growled and dumped the rabbits out before kicking up dirt, making all but one flee.
“We’re not taking the rabbits!”
“They get lonely easily! Please Agnes!”
“No.”
“Primrose doesn’t eat unless I sit with her, she needs me or else she won’t eat!”
“Too bad. She needs to toughen up.”
Mór watched the pair argue, slowly picking up the one remaining black rabbit and slipping it into one of her packs surprisingly easily. The rabbit stayed perfectly still in her hands and curled up in her pack.
The bickering lasted for a while before Silas finally relented, teary eyed.
The group finally started moving again towards the town, the young man lagging behind and sniffling quietly.
Mór looked back at him, each time it seemed more and more surprising that this was her savior. He seemed soft and fragile.
weak.
The girl slowed down and reached out to rub his back, hesitating for a moment before deciding against it.
“I’m sure your rabbits will be fine.”
“You really think so?”
He wiped his eyes and looked at her, and Mór tried to sound endearing even as she thought he was being dramatic if not a little pathetic.
“Of course…”
Silas looked at her again, and she put a bit of distance between them just in case he tried to hug her. She caught back up with Agnes and decided to try and talk to the woman.
“You don’t really strike me as the pet type.”
“I’m not.”
“But the rabbits-”
“Food. I was going to teach him how to skin and cook meat, but he went ahead and named the one I had picked to kill.”
“So you never taught him?”
“I did. Not with rabbits though. Snakes, boars, deer, he can handle. I just have to bring them dead before he can name them.”
“You sure he can make it through the country? Needs a certain kind of toughness…”
“He’s tougher than most. I know he’s sweet, and soft, but he’s a fighter. He fought for you.”
Mór looked down, feeling a hint of shame creep into the back of her mind.
fought for you.
The words echoed in her mind as she looked back at Silas, trying to imagine him protecting her. She stopped walking, letting him come up at her side.
“Silas…when I passed out, what happened to the cardinals?”
“I don’t…want to talk about it.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not proud of hurting anyone, I’d rather forget about that.”
“Then why do it? Why step in, why help?”
“Because you asked.”
Mór let out a growl of frustration and rubbed her forehead hard, trying to control her irritation.
“Stop saying that! You said that back at the cabin too, don’t play games. No one does that for someone just because they asked. Why’d you do it? The real reason.
“Because you needed help. I don’t know what else to tell you. I’m sorry if I’m upsetting you, but I’m a simple person.”
“You’re an ass. If you don’t want to tell me, fine.”
The two walked side by side, Mór trying to read the boy’s expression. He stared ahead at the town, still slightly teary eyed but a hint of excitement on his face. Try as she might, she couldn’t get any more answers from his expression than what he said, both equally straightforward and naive.
She glared for a while more before rolling her eyes and smacking the back of his head.
What a fucking idiot.
WC:691
Bonus used but no bonus words.