r/WritingPrompts • u/katpoker666 • 2d ago

Off Topic [OT] Fun Trope Friday: Evil Landscape & Gothic Horror!

9 Upvotes

Welcome to Fun Trope Friday, our feature that mashes up tropes and genres!

How’s it work? Glad you asked. :)

 

  • Every week we will have a new spotlight trope.

  • Each week, there will be a new genre assigned to write a story about the trope.

  • You can then either use or subvert the trope and/or genre in a 750-word max story or poem (unless otherwise specified).

  • To qualify for ranking, you will need to provide ONE actionable feedback. More are welcome of course!

 

Three winners will be selected each week based on votes, so remember to read your fellow authors’ works and DM me your votes for the top three.

 

Next up… IP

 

It’s October. The time of falling leaves, jack o’lanterns, and candy. And blood… so much blood. This month will be focusing on all things horror with maybe a treat or two to sweeten the pot. Please note this theme is only loosely applied.

 

"The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls." — Edgar Allan Poe

 

Trope: Evil Landscape — The trope is where a cemetery, temple, forest, etc. is considered holy... to the forces of evil. Whether it was the site of great and terrible crimes, incredible bloodshed, unholy rituals to malevolent beings or other atrocious acts, the very ground itself and any surrounding lands are now cursed. Exact results vary, but the most common are that evil is stronger, good is weaker and things buried here don't stay down for long.

 

Genre: Gothic Horror — Gothic horror is one of the oldest of the horror genres. Darker, edgier and on the Romanticism end of Romanticism vs. Enlightenment (in fact, it quite literally emerged alongside the Romantic movement in the late 18th century as a reaction against the values of the Enlightenment), it tends to play on both the thrill and the fear of the unknown and places a great importance on atmosphere. It's usually heavily symbolic, sometimes even dreamlike.

 

Skill / Constraint - optional: Smelling salts are required.

 

So, have at it. Lean into the trope heavily or spin it on its head. The choice is yours!

 

Have a great idea for a future topic to discuss or just want to give feedback? FTF is a fun feature, so it’s all about what you want—so please let me know! Please share in the comments or DM me on Discord or Reddit!

 

Last Week’s Winners

PLEASE remember to give feedback—this affects your ranking. PLEASE also remember to DM me your votes for the top five stories via Discord or Reddit—both katpoker666. This is a change from the top three of the past. In weeks where we get over 15 stories, we will do a top five ranking. Weeks with less than 15 stories will show only our top three winners. If you have any questions, please DM me as well.

Some fabulous stories this week and great crit at campfire and on the post! We had 11 stories, so we’re back to three winners. Congrats to:

 

 

Want to read your words aloud? Join the upcoming FTF Campfire

The next FTF campfire will be Thursday, October 22nd from 6-8pm ET. It will be in the Discord Main Voice Lounge. Click on the events tab and mark ‘Interested’ to be kept up to date. No signup or prep needed and you don’t have to have written anything! So join in the fun—and shenanigans! 😊

 

Ground rules:

  • Stories must incorporate both the trope and the genre
  • Leave one story or poem between 100 and 750 words as a top-level comment unless otherwise specified. Use wordcounter.net to check your word count.
  • Deadline: 11:59 PM EDT next Thursday. Please note stories submitted after the 6:00 PM EST campfire start may not be critted.
  • No stories that have been written for another prompt or feature here on WP—please note after consultation with some of our delightful writers, new serials are now welcomed here
  • No previously written content
  • Any stories not meeting these rules will be disqualified from rankings
  • Does your story not fit the Fun Trope Friday rules? You can post your story as a [PI] with your work when the FTF post is 3 days old!
  • Please keep crit about the stories. Any crit deemed too distracting may be deleted. This is a time to focus on our wonderful authors.
  • Vote by next Friday at 11:59 AM EDT to help your favorites rise to the top of the ranks (DM me at katpoker666 on Discord or Reddit)!

 

Thanks for joining in the fun!  

5 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/katpoker666 • 9d ago

Off Topic [OT] Fun Trope Friday: Undead Laborers and Folk Horror!

15 Upvotes

Welcome to Fun Trope Friday, our feature that mashes up tropes and genres!

How’s it work? Glad you asked. :)

 

  • Every week we will have a new spotlight trope.

  • Each week, there will be a new genre assigned to write a story about the trope.

  • You can then either use or subvert the trope and/or genre in a 750-word max story or poem (unless otherwise specified).

  • To qualify for ranking, you will need to provide ONE actionable feedback. More are welcome of course!

 

Three winners will be selected each week based on votes, so remember to read your fellow authors’ works and DM me your votes for the top three.

 

Next up… IP

 

It’s October. The time of falling leaves, jack o’lanterns, and candy. And blood… so much blood. This month will be focusing on all things horror with maybe a treat or two to sweeten the pot. Please note this theme is only loosely applied.

 

"Humanity is mind-controlled and only slightly more conscious than your average zombie." — David Icke

 

Trope: Undead Laborers — When someone uses The Undead, such as zombies and reanimated corpses, as a cheap labor force for simple but time-consuming tasks, such as mining. From a business perspective, using undead workers is a very cost-efficient strategy: zombies and skeletons don't need to sleep or eat, never get sick, and are unlikely to spontaneously form undead trade unions due to lacking free will. As such, it is one of the least morally objectionable ways to use Human Resources, although it always depends on where exactly the dead are coming from and what the local culture considers desecration.

 

Genre: Folk Horror — Folk horror is a subgenre of horror that draws on folklore, rural settings, and ancient rituals to evoke fear and unease. It often explores themes of isolation, the supernatural, and the tension between modernity and ancient beliefs.Includes folklore elements, rural settings, and rituals.

 

Skill / Constraint - optional: Someone trips in some form.

 

So, have at it. Lean into the trope heavily or spin it on its head. The choice is yours!

 

Have a great idea for a future topic to discuss or just want to give feedback? FTF is a fun feature, so it’s all about what you want—so please let me know! Please share in the comments or DM me on Discord or Reddit!

 

Last Week’s Winners

PLEASE remember to give feedback—this affects your ranking. PLEASE also remember to DM me your votes for the top five stories via Discord or Reddit—both katpoker666. This is a change from the top three of the past. In weeks where we get over 15 stories, we will do a top five ranking. Weeks with less than 15 stories will show only our top three winners. If you have any questions, please DM me as well.

Some fabulous stories this week and great crit at campfire and on the post! We had 18 stories, so we’re back to five winners. Congrats to:

 

 

Want to read your words aloud? Join the upcoming FTF Campfire

The next FTF campfire will be Thursday, October 15th from 6-8pm ET. It will be in the Discord Main Voice Lounge. Click on the events tab and mark ‘Interested’ to be kept up to date. No signup or prep needed and you don’t have to have written anything! So join in the fun—and shenanigans! 😊

 

Ground rules:

  • Stories must incorporate both the trope and the genre
  • Leave one story or poem between 100 and 750 words as a top-level comment unless otherwise specified. Use wordcounter.net to check your word count.
  • Deadline: 11:59 PM EDT next Thursday. Please note stories submitted after the 6:00 PM EST campfire start may not be critted.
  • No stories that have been written for another prompt or feature here on WP—please note after consultation with some of our delightful writers, new serials are now welcomed here
  • No previously written content
  • Any stories not meeting these rules will be disqualified from rankings
  • Does your story not fit the Fun Trope Friday rules? You can post your story as a [PI] with your work when the FTF post is 3 days old!
  • Please keep crit about the stories. Any crit deemed too distracting may be deleted. This is a time to focus on our wonderful authors.
  • Vote by next Friday at 11:59 AM EDT to help your favorites rise to the top of the ranks (DM me at katpoker666 on Discord or Reddit)!

 

Thanks for joining in the fun!  

28 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/Ok_Fisherman8770 • 2h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] "I fail to see why you are so incredibly protective of that monster that was hiding in your attic." "Call my daughter a monster again and I'm tossing you on that pyre you built for her."

56 Upvotes
4 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/60s_timer • 3h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] "Now, to decide whether you pull the lever and save five lives for one, or… what did you just do?" "It's obvious. The lever is snapped from the holster and placed on the track. Trolley is derailed, all six lives are saved." The dastardly villain can't speak. "You can't do that. I couldn't. No!"

49 Upvotes
4 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/reallygoodbee • 9h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] "Magical girls normally only use small amounts of their magic. 10, 20%. I'm at 195% and rising. Once I get you and the crew to safety, I'm going to find a safe place to burn up. Good bye. I love you so much."

140 Upvotes
10 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/Kitty_Fuchs • 10h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] As king there have been many attempts on your life. You have become accustomed to checking every shadow and behind every corner, so when the next assassin simply walked up to you and openly introduced themselves, you knew that this would be your last day.

121 Upvotes
7 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/MadFunEnjoyer • 7h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] "Congratulations, Adventurer, you've defeated the dark lord and liberated the entire world from his tyranny. As a reward, you are marrying your one‑sided love interest, a demon‑elf lady, instead of going back to your boring life in your boring world."

58 Upvotes
3 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/Clear_Ad4106 • 6h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] "Will I get any help for this mission?" "You get this cool pin." "What does it do?" "Nothing. I just think it's cool, I bought it on a souvenir store." "For a deity who sends me on a divine quest I kinda expected more..." "If you don't want it I'm happy to keep it." "*Sigh* I'll take the pin."

47 Upvotes
2 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/AtiJua • 13h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] You wake up in your fairytale world. Now you have to explain to your intense elven lover why he can't just use magic to fix your disability.

131 Upvotes
13 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/MaximoCozzetti84 • 2h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] “So, you’re telling me that people ‘reincarnate’?” “Not quite. Remnants of them remain, sometimes finding a way into some newborn. Some believe it’s hereditary, but that’s beyond the point.” “I still don’t get why we’re talking” “‘Cause I wanted to tell you something: I forgive you, Judas”

12 Upvotes
3 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/WildEarth2372 • 5h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] Everyone knows that, if you’re born with the right genetic mutation, you may develop superpowers during puberty. You thought that meant you were in the clear…until you started menopause.

19 Upvotes
1 comment

r/WritingPrompts • u/nPMarley • 2h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] The virtues of Good and Law are often the hardest to uphold together and priorities must be decided when they conflict. Today a paladin who has chosen to prioritize Good crosses blades with one that chose to prioritize Law instead.

8 Upvotes
3 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/Worldly_Lab_7061 • 16h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] "So what you're telling me is i'm the chosen one?", "No, kid, I'm sayin' you're the one that was chosen.", "Is there a difference?", "A pretty important one."

109 Upvotes
5 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/HonestAbe1809 • 12h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] The city was scandalized after it was revealed that the city’s premier superhero owned the nearby prisons in his civilian identity. He was using his “superhero” identity to personally increase the incarceration rate.

56 Upvotes
4 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/Megamen1927 • 6h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] Because you are a famous supervillain, your son has always struggled to make friends, leaving him lonely and reclusive—and things only got worse when he was rejected by a girl. Trying to help, you took a drastic step: you bribed a girl to go out with him.

14 Upvotes
1 comment

r/WritingPrompts • u/LivingLab12 • 4h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] In your world, super powers are gained by those who were isekai'ed to another world and returned. A person's power reflect the world they came from. They laughed when you said you came from candy mountain. But they have never seen someone boiled by hot caramel or impaled by peppermint spears.

10 Upvotes
3 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/Aggravating-Week481 • 3h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] The alien space crew hosting an intervention for the lone human on board for their 'petting and adopting every alien creature they see' problem

7 Upvotes
1 comment

r/WritingPrompts • u/DankAndOriginal • 4h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] Day 7 since you have been transported to a strange new world. Out of desperation, you started asking people to answer your riddles three or pay the troll toll. It seems like the locals are oddly into having a bridge troll.

7 Upvotes
1 comment

r/WritingPrompts • u/60s_timer • 5h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] "It evokes a horror most Eldridge, that traitor to the dynasty-" Hang on. You meant eldritch, right? "Eldritch? No, I said Eldridge." What is an Eldridge horror? "It means a horror for the wise leader. Like a mutiny to the ship captain, overthrowing of a king. Old power being foretold its end."

5 Upvotes
1 comment

r/WritingPrompts • u/ParanormalActivity97 • 14h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] You buy what you think is a cheap, plastic replica of a famous magical item from a movie. You later learn the hard way that it is entirely real.

37 Upvotes
3 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/21_chickens • 6h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] A genie grants your hastily worded wish to be able to spend more time with your friends... but not in the way you expect. The next day, you find that everyone on Earth has spontaneously disappeared except for you and your buddies.

7 Upvotes
1 comment

r/WritingPrompts • u/Numbskull_b • 23h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] I thought you had to be pure of heart to be chosen as Pope? "I am pure of heart, all I have is pure hatred, hatred of tyranny, of injustice, hatred for the those who would do harm to the innocent and the unfortunate. The wrath of God's judgment is still holy in nature."

151 Upvotes
4 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/younGrandon • 8h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] It felt wrong. I should show gratitude and, indeed, show pride that my brother was selected. He'd return to service, reformed to embody the will drilled into us. He'd be more than me. But would he still remember to bring food for our shift?

9 Upvotes
2 comments

r/WritingPrompts • u/Keelera2 • 7h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] You’re volunteering for Career Day at the local elementary school when Zombies attack. To the kids happy surprise, you are able to use skills from you picked up at your job to now keep them safe. The kids all want to be like you now.

6 Upvotes
1 comment

r/WritingPrompts • u/Megamen1927 • 5h ago

Writing Prompt [WP] Even though you’re a supervillain, you managed to get your child into an exclusive school for the children of heroes. During meetings with teachers, it’s incredibly awkward to be in a room with 15 people whom you’ve either fought, sent to the hospital, or who have put you in prison.

3 Upvotes
1 comment