September 2026 Theme

Fun and Games

Because nothing says "good time" like a bit of organised fun.

Illustration by Stella Backman

Welcome to Whimsy numero three!

The theme for our September contest is… Fun and Games.

Choose one of the five whims below, find your unique Object in the prompt email, and write a 300-word tale of whimsy that explores this month's theme. Feel free to interpret your prompts as creatively as you wish, but we encourage you to try and incorporate them in a meaningful way. It's a whole lot more fun and rewarding!

If you need some inspiration, each of the whims comes with four mood words/phrases to give you a sense of the creative territory. You don't need to include these words in your story - they're just there to get your imagination going.

And that, wonderful writers, is how we Whimsy:

  • Pick a whim
  • Pair it with your assigned object
  • Spin a yarn of some variety about fun and games

Please note: the Fun and Games illustration and caption are not prompts.

Now it's time to follow your whim!

Choose your whim

Below are this month's five whims. You will confirm your chosen whim on the submission form when submitting.

The Great Contest
grand tournaments · ceremonial showdowns · duelling for honour · winning favour
Game Show Gaiety
eccentric hosts · hopeful contenders · who signed this off? · omg I'm on tv
Obligatory Training Montage
inspired preparation · fast-tracked greatness · unusual methods · dusting off the cobwebs
Sport, Apparently
invented sports · passionate fans · not your average athlete · and people play this?
Ooh Look, Another Side Quest
litRPG shenanigans · entirely off track · getting distracted · NPC over-investment
Deadline: 7th September, 11:59pm (CEST)
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Submit your story