WHUMPTOBER is a month-long, prompt-based creation CHALLENGE (think: Inktober, but whumpier). There are four prompts for each day of the month, giving 124 for you to play with! There is also a list of 18 alternative prompts that can be subbed in for any day to give participants as much creative freedom as possible.
All prompts are meant to serve as inspiration without being taken literally (e.g. you donât have to include the exact wording of prompts into your work). Feel free to run rampant on interpretation. For example, if the prompt is âflame", you could create something with reference to a candle/campfire, your character could have suffered a burn, or the flame could be a reference to an âold flameâ - an old relationship. Itâs truly down to you!
You can produce work in any media you choose, including but not limited to: writing, visual artwork, photo/video/audio edits, paper crafts and elaborate recommendation lists (not just a list of links). You can participate as much or as little as you want (i.e. you donât have to do ALL the prompts if you donât want to) and prompts can be used in any order. They are also free to use even after the event ends.
Please make sure to read the Event Info and FAQ carefully, as most of your questions will be answered there already. For everything else, you are welcome to come to our ask box or ask questions in our Discord server here.
Information on how to TAG is here.
This yearâs AO3 Collection can be found here.
This yearâs playlist can be found here.
The âAnatomy of a Whumptober Promptâ post can be found here.
And our 'Resources for Writing Sensitive Topicsâ post is here.
Weâre very excited to see the community come together for yet another year of Whumptober! Go ham with the prompts, and support your fellow creators - we wish you all the best of luck, but most importantly: HAVE FUN!
Happy whumping,
Mods Vanne, Yenn, Kitty and Surro
Text versions of the prompts, including a google doc format, are posted below the cut!
A Google Doc of the prompts can be found here for easy copy-and-pasting!
Whumptober 2025 Prompt List
No. 1: âPlease donât cryâ
Lamb to Slaughter | Ceremony | Beg for Forgiveness
No. 2:Â âYouâve got a lot of nerve to dredge up all my fears.â
Prophecy | Sewer | Taking Accountability
No. 3: âI look in peopleâs windows, transfixed by rose golden glows.â
Isolation | Candlelight | Found Family
No. 4: âDonât be scared, Iâve done this before.â
Non-Human Whumper | Iron Rod | Loss of Powers
No. 5: âMy panicâs at the ceiling, but Iâm face down on the carpet.â
Quivering | Dream Journal | Phobia
No. 6: âNo grave can hold my body down.â
Caught in a Net | Medical Restraints | Pinned to the Wall
No. 7: âTell me that youâre okay, and Iâm fine.â
Trapped with the Enemy | Elevator | Pushed Beyond Breaking Point
No. 8: âOh horror, oh horror, what did you see?â
Self-Inflicted Injury | Held at Gunpoint | Dissociation
No. 9:Â âWeâll make it alright to come undone.â
Touch | Flashbacks | Scalding
No. 10: âThereâs nothing you can ever say, nothing you can ever do.â
Without Consent | Secrets | Lips Sewn Shut
No. 11: âCan you get through all the pain inside you?â
Hidden Injury | Laceration | Forced Reveal
No. 12:Â âItâll be for nothing.â
Cardiac Arrest | Sacred Place | Withholding Medical Treatment
No. 13:Â âHow dull is it to pause, to make an end, to rust unburnished.â
Never Enough | Insignia | Forced Retirement
No. 14: âIn the end, itâs worthwhile.â
Ignoring an Illness | Body Bag | Wounded Caretaker
No. 15: âYou can take a break, if you just tell me that it hurts.â
Failed Rescue Attempt | Body Part in the Mail | Live-Streamed Torture
No. 16: âIâve had the rug pulled beneath my feet.â
Repressed Trauma | Permanent Marker | Disorientation
No. 17: âTell me thereâs a hope for me.â
Internal Bleeding | Coma | Redemption
No. 18:Â âAs the world caves in.â
Dystopia | Ruins | Environmental Whump
No. 19: âYouâre on your own, lost in the wild.â
Dehumanisation | Living Weapon | On Patrol
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Welcome to Whumptober 2024 â Seventh Time's a Charm!
Please make sure to read the Event Info and FAQ below carefully, as most of your questions will be answered there already. For everything else, you are welcome to come to our ask box or ask questions in our Discord server here.
This yearâs AO3 Collection can be found here.
This year's playlist can be found here.
And the Anatomy of a Whumptober Prompt post can be found here.
Weâre very excited to see the community come together for another year of Whumptober! Go wild with the prompts, and support your fellow creators - we wish you all the fun!
Best of luck and happy whumping,
Mods Vanne, Yenn, Kitty and Surro
(Text versions of the prompts, as well as event information, rules and FAQ are posted below the cut!)
Whumptober 2024 Prompt List
No. 1: RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK
Search Party | Panic Attack | "If only we could hold on.â (Icysami x Renegaderr, Strangers.)
No. 2: TRUST ISSUES
Amusement Park | Role Reversal | âYou got away with the crime while the knife's in my back.â (Charlotte Sands, Rollercoaster)
No. 3: SET UP FOR FAILURE
Fingerprints | Wrongfully Arrested | "I warned you."
No. 4: HALLUCINATIONS
Hypnosis | Sensory Deprivation | âYou're still alive in my head.â (Billy Lockett, More)
No. 5: SUNBURN
Healing Salve | Heatstroke | "If my pain will stretch that far." (Lottery Winners, Burning House)
No. 6: NOT REALISING THEY'RE INJURED
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms | Healed Wrong | "It's not my blood."
No. 7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES
Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."
No. 8: SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Isolation Chamber | Forced to Stay Awake | "Leave the lights on." (Coldplay, Midnight)
No. 9: OBSESSION
Broken Window | Bruises | âFrame me up on the wall, just to keep me out of trouble.â (Fall Out Boy, Irresistible)
No. 10: BLOW TO THE HEAD
Slurred Words | Passing Out from Pain | "I can't think straight."
No. 11: SEEING DOUBLE
Convenience Store | Loneliness | âLeave no trace behind, like you don't even exist.â (Taylor Swift, Illicit Affairs)
No. 12: STARVATION
Underground Caverns | Cannibalism | "Just a little more."
No. 13: TEAM AS A FAMILY
Familial Curse | Multiple Whumpees | "Death will do us part." (Set It Off, Partner's In Crime)
No. 14: LEFT FOR DEAD
Hunting Gear | Blackmail | âBecause I want you to know what it feels like to be hauntedâ (tiLLie, kooL aiD mAn)
No. 15: CHILDHOOD TRAUMA
Painful Hug | Moment of Clarity | "I did good, right?"
No. 16: NECROSIS
Swamp | Wound Cleaning | "No, I can't feel anything."
No. 17: NOWHERE ELSE TO GO
Ruined Map | Shipwrecked | "We had a good run."
No. 18: REVENGE
Unreliable Narrator | Loss of Identity | âI see what's mine and take it.â (Panic! at the Disco, Emperor's New Clothes)
No. 19: BLOOD TRAIL
Abandoned Cabin | One Way Out | "Is there anybody alive out there?" (Bruce Springsteen, Radio Nowhere)
No. 20: EMOTIONAL ANGST
Shoulder to Cry On | Giving Permission to Die | "It's not your fault."
No. 21: BODY HORROR
Body Horror | Tattoo Gun | Spirit Possession | âLet the bedsheet soak up the tears.â (Apparat feat. Soap & Skin, Goodbye)
No. 22: BLEEDING THROUGH BANDAGES
Tourniquet | Reopening Wounds | "Oh that's not good."
No. 23: FORCED CHOICE
Public Display | Broken Pedestal | "I'm doing this for you."
No. 24: RADIATION POISONING
Collapsed Building | Equipment Failure | âI never knew daylight could be so violent.â (Florence + The Machine, No Light, No Light)
No. 25: SURGERY
Stitches | Being Monitored | "It's for your own good."
No. 26: NIGHTMARES
Breakfast Table | Parting Words of Regret | âI'm haunted by the lies that I have loved, the actions I have hated.â (Poe, Haunted)
No. 27: VOICELESS
Laboratory | Muzzled | âI have no mouth and I must scream.â
No. 28: DENIAL
CCTV | Exposure | "They caught me red handed."
No. 29: FATIGUE
Labyrinth | Burnout | "Who said you could rest?"
No. 30: RECOVERY
Hospital Bed | Holding Back Tears | "What have I done?"
No. 31: ASKING FOR HELP
Therapy | Making Amends | "I'm alive, I'm just not well." (Elliot Lee, Alive, Not Well.)
Alternatives List:
Body Swap
Communication Barrier
Finding Old Messages
Forgotten
Friendly Fire
Motion Sickness
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown
Regret
Secrets Revealed
Shivering
Survivor's Guilt
Time Loop
Used As Bait
Venom
Vermin
Event Info & Rules
WHUMPTOBER is a month-long, prompt-based creation challenge (think: Inktober, but whumpier). There are 31 official themes this year - one for each day of the month - which can be used, skipped, or combined in any way youâd like. They are meant to serve as inspiration without being taken literally (e.g. you donât have to include the exact wording of prompts into your work). Feel free to run rampant on interpretation. For example, if the prompt is âflame", you could create something with reference to a candle/campfire, your character could have suffered a burn, or the flame could be a reference to an âold flameâ - an old relationship. Itâs truly down to you!
In total, there are 4 prompts for each day. These are optional suggestions and can be used in conjunction with the theme, or as options/alternatives. We want to give everyone as much creative freedom as possible, as well as increase event accessibility for folks with triggers and squicks. There is also a list of 15 alternative prompts that can be subbed in for any day, again to give participants as much creative freedom as possible.
Creators can PRODUCE work in any media they choose, including but not limited to: writing, visual artwork, photo/video/audio edits, paper crafts and elaborate recommendation lists (not just a list of links). Creators can PARTICIPATE as much or as little as they want (i.e. you donât have to do ALL the prompts if you donât want to) and prompts can be used in any order. They are also free to use even after the event ends.
When uploading Whumptober content to your blog, be sure to tag it with:
#whumptober2024 âŚ..(the event tag)
#no.1, #no.2, #no.3, âŚ..(theme number)
#bruises, #stabbing, âŚ..(the theme or specific prompt you chose)
#altprompt âŚ..(if you use an altprompt, tag the post with the number of the prompt you replace)
#fandom or #OC, âŚ..(ironman, original content, oc, etc.)
#medium âŚ..(gifs, fic, podcast, art, etc.)
#teeth, #etc âŚ..(trigger warnings & any additional tags. Keep in mind not to add âtwâ in front but only use the word/trigger itself)
#nsfwhump âŚ..(only for nsfw content)
#your own tags go here
PLEASE BE DILIGENT WITH YOUR TAGGING. Only properly tagged posts are considered for archiving on the official @whumptober-archive blog. They must be tagged in the order above. An elaborate post about our tagging system can be found [here]
Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of participants in recent years, we cannot guarantee your work will be archived. A random selection of properly tagged posts from all genres will be reblogged each day.
Whumpers who produce content for 31 total theme days are considered event completionists and will be tagged in a masterpost at the end of the month. A form will be published at the beginning of November asking you to tell us if you completed. This is based on trust and we will not check this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please read this before you send an ask!
TIMELINE
July: Trope voting form released.
Late August: Prompt list is released for at least four weeks of preparation time. Tropes cannot be posted earlier than August 25th because of Moderator obligations in real life. (But, you know, go ahead and start writing/drawing, and add the themes in later, if you want!)
September: Do as much or as little on your works as you want. You can prepare everything in advance or let September go by with vibes and start working in October. Itâs up to you.
October 1st: Challenge begins! A storm of whump breaks upon us all! During this time, some posts will be reblogged to the whumptober archive blog. We open the yearly AO3 collection for posting (optional).
November 1st: The challenge is officially over! Completionist form opens for those who want to be included in the hall-of-fame.
Early November: We release completionist and participant badges, solicit feedback, and post a hall-of-fame list of completionists by the 10th.
PARTICIPATION AND COMPLETION
Q: What counts as participation?
Create or continue at least one work inspired by one of this yearâs prompts.
Q: What counts as completion?
Creating work(s) inspired by at least one prompt from each day (or alts), for a total of 31 unique prompts.
Q: Do I need to create 31 works?
No. You can, if you want. Or you can create one work that you add to every day with a new prompt. Or several works that combine prompts. You can also update an existing work by adding new material with the current prompts.
Q: Do I need to post my works somewhere to be a completionist or a participant?
No.
Q: How do you know I actually completed the challenge?
Weâll take your word for it!
Q: Do I have to finish my work(s) to be a completionist?
No, you can post WIPs. And youâre not obligated to finish them in October, but if you want it to count towards being a completionist, you must have completed 31 prompts by the end of the month. So for example, if youâre writing a long fic and you fit 31 different prompts into the writing you did in October, itâs okay if that fic isnât finished by the time October ends, youâll still be a completionist.
Q: Is co-writing/illustrating allowed?
Yes, absolutely, and it would count towards being a completionist for both/all of you.
Q: Is there a min/max limit on word count for written works?
No.
Q: Is there a min/max limit of quality for art?
No.
Q: Do I have to do something each day to be a completionist?
No. You can skip days whenever you want, and as long as 31 daily prompts (or alts) are in your works done in October, you can be a completionist. For example, if you wrote a 1000-word ficlet that covers prompts in days 2, 3, and 17, you can check all three days off your list even though itâs only one work.
Q: Is this challenge just for fics?
No! Artworks, GIFsets, headcannons, rec lists, poetry, moodboards, or any other creative work is encouraged.
Q: Can I combine Whumptober with other creation challenges?
Absolutely, as long as the other challenges allow it too.
PROMPTS
Q: How do the prompts work?
There are FOUR prompts per day: a theme and three ideas. You can use one, two, three, or all four prompts for each day. If you donât like any of the daily prompts, you can substitute one of the ALT prompts instead.
Q: How strictly/literally should we interpret the prompts?
As literally or as figuratively as you want. For example, if the theme is WATER, that could mean drowning, waterboarding, raining, swimming, take place underwater, be lost at sea, construct a metaphor about a characterâs mood that changes like a flowing river, crying, or whatever else you can think of that fits that theme.
Q: Can I combine prompts? Is there a limit on how many?
No limit and combine as many as youâd like. If you create a work that checks off multiple prompts, that work will count for a fill of multiple prompts. You need to address 31 different prompts to be an official completionist, but you donât have to produce 31 separate works.
WORKS
Q: Whatâs whump?
Hurting a character, whether thatâs physically, emotionally, intellectually, psychologically, or any other way you can think of. Comfort afterwards is optional. Angst is emotional whump, so it counts.
Q: How do I know if itâs whumpy enough?
If your character is just mildly inconvenienced, it probably needs more whump. However, no participant has to prove whumpiness to the mods. Whatever you write is up to you.
Q: What kind of characters can I create for?
Anything. Generic âwhumpee,â OC, PC, NPC, major characters, minor characters, or whatever you want. There are no limits.
Q: Does it have to take place in a specific fandom?
No, you can create works for your own worlds or for fandoms or for both. You can also create more generic or pan-fandom works. You can do cross-overs or use OCs, whatever you want.
Q: Can I create AI-created works?
We will not reblog or promote any works we know to be generative AI-created.
Q: Is there anything weâre not allowed to write?
As long as it contains whump and is based on our prompts, itâs fine. Please courtesy tag your works if you post them so people who follow the #whumptober2024 tag can filter according to their preferences.
Q: What about sex, minor characters, and potentially disturbing content?
You can create whatever works are legal in your country and post them accordingly. Please courtesy tag anything you think might be objectionable if you post to Tumblr so people who follow the #whumptober2024 tag can filter according to their preferences.
POSTING
Q: Where can I post my work?
Post where and how you want. You donât even have to (cross)post it to Tumblr. Just keep in mind if itâs not on Tumblr we will not be able to add it to the blog archive. There is an AO3 archive for Whumptober 2024, as well as the parent collection for works completed outside of the event.
Q: Can I start posting early?
You can, but this is an October event and wouldnât it be more fun with everyone doing it at the same time? We wonât be reblogging any work predating October 1st.
Q: Can I post late?
Yes. For the sake of our hardworking Post Fairies, only a dayâs themes will be reblogged to @whumptober-archive each day of October. But you can post whenever. Some of us are still working on and posting Whumptober fics from years ago.
Q: Do I have to use your tags?
Only on Tumblr and only if you want us to reblog your work on @whumptober-archive.
Q: How do I have my works reblogged to the archive?
Properly tagged posts will be reblogged to @whumptober-archive. If you want the official archive blog to reblog you, post on Tumblr and tag correctly (see this FAQ link for more info on tagging). Please note not all posts will be reblogged each day.
Q: Can we @ you?
For questions and comments, of course. Weâll be getting a flood of notifications, so if you really want us to see something send an ask.
Q: Can I cross post on other blogs?
Yes, multiple platforms and blogs are perfectly acceptable, as long as they allow cross-posting (to us). You can also post different works to different accounts under different names, without posting them everywhere at once. If you post some works under your main and others under an alt blog, thatâs fine for completionist purposes.
Q: Can I upload/repost my Whumptober content to other social media platforms?
Of course! Weâve created an AO3 Collection to archive any fics posted there, which can be found here. The blog is the official archive, so please respect the personal boundaries of any whumpers in your social circle (donât out anyone as a participant who would prefer not to be outed).
Most importantly, have fun, create, and enjoy all the whump posted this October!
Welcome to Whumptober 2023 â the sixth year running!
To those of you who participated last year, welcome back! To everyone joining this year, welcome!
Please make sure to read the Event Info carefully, as most of your questions will be answered there already. For everything else, you are welcome to come to our ask box or ask questions in our Discord server here.
This yearâs AO3 Collection can be found here.
And this years playlist can be found here.
There are 139 prompt options in total this year - this is including the alternatives list! A special thanks goes out to those who took part in our trope vote back in July. From the 1526 responses to our list of 223 tropes, we looked through the popularity results, as well as your honourable mentions, and were able to produce this years prompts list. Stay tuned, as we will be posting some of the results at a later date!
Weâre very excited to see the community come together once more and be a wild, chaotic bunch of creators and consumers of whump. Go wild with the prompts, and support your fellow creators - we wish you all the fun!
Best of luck and happy whumping,
Mods Vanne, Yenn, Kitty and Surro
(All 31 Themes + Prompts, Event Information and FAQs are posted below the cut!)
Whumptober 2023 Prompt List
No. 1: âBut now this room is spinning while Iâm trying just to fill in all the gaps.â
Safety Net | Swooning | âHow many fingers am I holding up?â
No. 2: âIâll call out your name, but you wonât call back.â
Thermometer | Delirium | âThey don't care about you.â
No. 3: âLike crying out in empty rooms; with no-one there except the moon.â
Journal | Solitary Confinement | âMake it stop.â
No. 4: âI see the danger, Itâs written there in your eyes.â
Cattle Prod | Shock | âYou in there?â
No. 5: âYou better pray I don't get up this time around.â
Debris | Pinned Down | âIt's broken.â
No. 6: âDo or die, youâll never make me; Because the world will never take my heart.â
Recording | Made to Watch | âIt should have been me.â
No. 7: " âI paced around for hours on empty; I jumped at the slightest of sounds.â
Alleyway | Radio Silence | âCan you hear me?â
No. 8: âIâve got soul, but Iâm not a soldier.â
Overcrowded ER | Outnumbered | âItâs all for nothing.â
No. 9: âLearning everything ain't what it seems, that's the thing about these days.â
Polaroid | Mistaken Identity | âYou're a liar.â
No. 10: âCanât you see that youâre lost without me?â
Broken Phone | Stranded | âYou said you'd never leave.â
No. 11: âAll the lights going dark and my hopeâs destroyed.â
Animal trap | Captivity | âNo one will find you.â
No. 12: âI haven't slept in days but who's counting?â
Red | Insomnia | âIâm up, Iâm up.â
No. 13: âIt comes and goes like the strength in your bones.â
Cold Compress | Infection | âI donât feel so good.â
No. 14: âFeed me poison, fill me âtill I drown.â
Flare | Water Inhalation | âJust hold on.â
No. 15: âI don't need you to help me I can handle things myself.â
No. 23: âItâs gonna get me by the end of the night.â
Shadows | Stalking | âWhoâs there?â
No. 24: âIâve got a head full of chemicals; mouth full of ridicule.â
Goodbye Note | Neglect | âI thought they were with you.â
No. 25: âYouâre not delivering a perfect body to the grave.â
Storm | Buried Alive | âTheyâre not breathing!â
No. 26: âSometimes I get so tired; I donât even know myself.â
Seeing Double | Working To Exhaustion | âYou look awful.â
No. 27: âYou drew stars around my scars; But now Iâm bleeding.â
Matches | Scars | âLet me seeâ
No. 28: âWe might not make it to the morning; so go on and tell me now.â
Bloody Knife | Sacrifice | âYou'll have to go through me.â
No. 29: âI only sink deeper the deeper I think.â
Scented Candle | Troubled Past Resurfacing | âWhat happened to me?â
No. 30: âItâs okay, just to say, âIâm not okayâ.â
Borrowed Clothing | Bridal Carry | âNot much longer...â
No. 31: âI thought that I was getting better.â
Emptiness | Setbacks | âTake it easy.â
Alternatives List:
Betrayal
Aftermath of Failure
Brass Knuckles
Decoy
Body Modification
Playing Cards
Examination
Hunting
Drugging
Shaking
Panic
Broken
Miscommunication
Lab Rat
Reluctant Whumper
Event Info & Rules
~ Please read our extensive event info posts before sending us an ask ~
WHUMPTOBER is a month-long, prompt-based creation challenge (think: Inktober, but whumpier). There are 31 official themes this year - one for each day of the month - which can be used, skipped, or combined in any way youâd like. The 'theme' of each day is the line of lyrics.
The prompts are merely to serve as inspiration without being taken literally (e.g. you donât have to include the exact wording of prompts into your work). Feel free to run rampant on interpretation. For example, if the prompt is "flame", you could create something with reference to a candle/campfire, your character could have suffered a burn, or the flame could be related to the 'spark' of a relationship. It's truly up to you!
In total, there are 4 prompts for each day: there's lyrics, an object, a trope and a line of dialogue to choose from. We want to give everyone as much creative freedom as possible, as well as increase event accessibility for folks with triggers and squicks.
Creators can PRODUCE work in any media they choose, including but not limited to: writing, visual artwork, photo/video/audio edits, paper crafts and elaborate recommendation lists (not just a list of links). Creators can PARTICIPATE as much or as little as they want (i.e. you donât have to do ALL the prompts if you donât want to) and prompts can be used in any order. They are also free to use even after the event ends.
When uploading Whumptober content to your blog, be sure to tag the with:
#whumptober2023 âŚ..(the event tag)
#no.1, #no.2, #no.3, âŚ..(day number)
#lyric, #bruises, #stabbing,  âŚ..(the theme or specific prompt you chose)
#fandom or #OC, ⌠(ironman, originalcontent, oc âŚ)
#medium âŚ..(gifs, fic, podcast, art, etc.)
#teeth, #gore tw, #etc âŚ..(trigger warnings & any additional tags. Add "tw" AFTER the trigger/content warning. )
#nsfwhump âŚ..(only for nsfw content)
#your own tags go here
PLEASE BE DILIGENT WITH YOUR TAGGING. Only properly tagged posts are considered for archiving on the official @whumptober-archive blog. They must be tagged in the order above. An elaborate post about our tagging system can be found [here]
Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of participants in recent years, we cannot guarantee your work will be archived. A random selection of properly tagged posts from all genres will be reblogged each day.
Whumpers who produce content for 31 total theme days are considered event completionists and will be tagged in a masterpost at the end of the month. A form will be published at the beginning of November asking you to tell us if you completed the event. You do not need to post anything you have created, we rely on trust and we will not check this.
Questions not addressed in one of our many event info posts can be directed to this blog. We will not answer any questions that have been answered in the FAQs or rules already.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How does this yearâs prompt list work? What do I have to choose?
You can create something based on:
The overall theme/lyric of the day
Prompt 1, 2 or 3
One or several of the alternative prompts
A combination of the above
Q. Is [specific anything] allowed?
When in doubt: JUST DO IT!
Q. Do I have to do all 31 days?
Participate as much or little as you like! Just be sure to tag your posts properly (ex. #no.7, #radio silence). If you create works for 31 total theme days you will become a completionist. But apart from that, there are no repercussions if you donât fill prompts for each day.
Q. Can I post early/late?
Yes, you can post whenever you want. We will only reblog posts during October, but you can use our prompts all year round. The day you post will only affect your probability of being reblogged.
Q. Will you reblog my post?
Due to the sheer number of content posted during Whumptober we canât promise to reblog every single post. We will make a random selection trying to capture a wide variety of content. The following will increase your chances at being reblogged:
tag your post properly
post within 2-3 days of the theme you want to fill: if you fill the prompt for Day 1 your chances of being reblogged during October 1st to 3rd are highest and will go towards zero afterwards.
Q. What if I donât understand a prompt/theme?
Send us an ask! Weâre happy to help with wild, unhelpful clarifications or brainstorming. That being said, the themes are entirely up for interpretation. Donât take them too literally. For example: You can be choking on a cherry, someone else can choke you or you could be choked up on emotions, etc.
Q. What kind of content can I make? Can it be NSFW?
This is a MIXED MEDIA event! You can write fic, post meta, doodle or paint, create a gifset or photo edit, link a song, or get crafty with video - anything goes. As for NSFW, make what you like, we just hope that youâll tag your work accordingly so that others participating in the event can stay safe.
Q. Can I combine Whumptober with other creation challenges?
Absolutely, as long as the other challenges allow it too.
Q. Can I upload/repost my Whumptober content to other social media platforms?
Of course! You can post your own content wherever you like (or you can opt to not publish it at all). Additionally weâve created an AO3 Collection to archive any fics posted there. It can be accessed here. The tumblr blog @whumptober-archive is the official archive, so please respect the boundaries of any closeted whumpers in your social circle.
Q. Can I use prompts to write a new chapter for an existing fic?
Yes.
Q. An existing fic I am currently writing contains many of the Whumptober prompts, can I use it?
If you are actively writing this fic at the moment with the Whumptober prompts in mind, yes. If youâve previously posted something that checks the boxes, we ask that you not include it retroactively for this current year. You can, however, add new chapters relating to one or more of the prompts.
Q. What kind of characters can I write for?
Fandom characters, OC characters, human, furry, alien, cyborg, RPF, whoever you like. You can use the generic âwhumpeeâ character or have specific ones.
Q. Does it have to take place in a specific fandom?
No, you can create works for your own worlds or for fandoms or for both. You can also create more generic or pan-fandom works. You can do cross-overs or use OCs, whatever you want.
Q. Can I use a prompt multiple times?
Yes, but it only counts once towards being a completionist.
Q. If Iâm not comfortable with one dayâs prompts can I use a prompt of a different day as a substitute and still be a completionist?
No, you canât exchange prompts for different days. However, if all four prompts of a specific day make you uncomfortable, we have created an alternate prompts list that you can draw from. You can exchange any prompt with these, but please make sure not to use them twice.
Q. Where can I post my work?
Post where and how you want. You donât have to (cross)post it to Tumblr or at all. Just keep in mind if itâs not on Tumblr we will not be able to add it to the blog archive.
Q. Can I start posting early?
You can, but this is an October event and wouldnât it be more fun with everyone doing it at the same time? That being said, you can post early, but we wonât be reblogging any work predating October 1st.
Q. Do I have to finish a fic I started/can I post WIPâs?
Yes you can post WIPs. And youâre not obligated to finish it in October for it to count towards being a completionist. Â
Q. Is co-writing allowed?
Yes, absolutely, and it would count towards being a completionist for both/all of you.
Q. Do I have to create 31 standalone pieces to be considered a completionist or can I write one continuous story?
One continuous story is fine. Â The challenge is to write something for 31 prompts. If thatâs spread over 31 fics or just one, you are still considered a completionist. (The same goes for every other media you choose.)
Q. Is there a min/max limit on word count?
There is no limit.
Q. Can I combine prompts? Is there a limit on how many?
No limit and combine as many as youâd like.
Q. Is a hc/angst/emotional whump focus ok?
Of course! We are not going to establish a threshold for whumpiness. If you think itâs whumpy enough, then itâs whumpy enough. It can be physical, psychological, emotional, or any combination of the three.
Q. Whatâs considered nsfw?
See this post
Q. What is whump?
Typically the genre includes situations where a fictional character is hurt, be it emotionally, psychologically, or physically. Fanlore provides information here.
Q. My interpretation of the prompt isnât whumpy at all, does that count?
If you donât think your interpretation is whumpy, then it doesnât count for Whumptober. Remember that whump comes in many forms, though, and that we donât have a whump-checker or a threshold for how much whump needs to be included. If you think your interpretation contains enough whump to count, then it does.
Q. Can I start working on the prompts before October?
Absolutely! Thatâs why we post the prompts a month in advance. We recognise how difficult it can be creating for 31 days in âreal timeâ so feel free to start creating early!
Q. How do I tag triggers?
tw at the end of the word, ex. #gore tw
Q. Do I have to use your tags?
Yes, if you want your work archived on the blog. If not, feel free to use whatever tags you want.Â
Q. Does combining prompts count towards completion?
Yes
Q. Can we @ you?
Yes but we mostly rely on the #whumptober2023 tag.
Q. Is there anything we are absolutely not allowed to write?
There are no rules, but please make sure to properly tag your trigger warnings. And keep in mind Tumblrâs policies if you are posting it here (or the policies for whatever site you use).
Q. Where can I go for brainstorming help?
Here on Discord or come into our ask box.
Q. My characters are minors, is that ok?
Yes, but as with everything else, use clear and descriptive tags.
Q. Can I cross post on other blogs?
Yes, multiple platforms and blogs are perfectly acceptable. You can also post different works to different accounts under different names, without posting them everywhere at once.
Note: This is a creation challenge, please donât repost your old work under our tags (unless itâs been changed or edited for the event).
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
i really wonder what Julius Caesar would think of a bunch of neurodivergent rats huddled in a circle chanting ides of march ides of march ides of march and then cheering loudly on the 2067th anniversary of his assassination?
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
the prompts this year were chosen through a suggestion poll and subsequent vote, where over 350 people voted for their favourites. the top 28 make up the core prompts, and a mixture of the next most popular and this blogâs personal favourites have become the alternatives!
iâm so excited to see what you all create with these prompts, and hope theyâre inspiring enough to trigger a whole monthâs worth of creativity for you! if you have any questions, make sure to check out the blogâs FAQ, or check out the previously asked questions on the blog before sending one of your own!
please note: this year, notifying the blog of completionist status will happen through a google form that will be released closer to the end of febuwhump.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
â Live Streamingâ Interactive Chatâ Private Showsâ HD Qualityâ Free Actions
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Hero was running on two hours of sleep and a venti cup of espresso. To say they were exhausted was an understatement. The only thing keeping them upright was the fact that they were physically unable to sit still.
They were nearing the tenth month now, and things weren't getting better.
When Villain had first disappeared, Hero had tried to convince themself it was a good thing. That it was for the better. Their nemesis, the one whom they had been spending day and night trying to capture, plotting their downfall, straight up and disappeared. It was good, it was what Hero had wanted all along, right? To bring peace to the city, to once and for all protect it from the very person who's sole intent was to burn it to the ground.
They had tried not to care too much. They were sure there was some sort of reasoning to explain why Villain just left. Off the map, complete radio silence. Perhaps they had a moral awakening. They got out of bed one morning, realized what they were doing was wrong, and just stopped. Abandoned whatever malicious plans they were in the middle of carrying out, and began to lead a normal, legal life. It was a nice thought, but Hero knew better than to believe it. They knew Villain better than to believe it.
Superhero had told them not to bother looking. Villain was gone, now they could focus better on the new uprising threat of Supervillain. If they werenât causing trouble, they werenât worth their attention. Itâs not your job anymore, Superhero had said. Not their job, not their problem. It shouldnât have been taking up their attention.
But there was a feeling, the nagging thoughts that lingered in the back of their mind, telling them that something wasnât right. The little pinpricks of unease that rose whenever they thought of the criminal that wouldnât let them sleep at night, wouldnât let them focus.
So they started to look. Pulling on every thread of an idea, flipping the city upside down in their efforts. They searched all the records, visited all the past scenes of conflicts, searching for hints as to where the criminal may have gone. There was nothing. The police records cut off at the same date Villain had gone missing. Every crime since had been traceable to a certain person at a certain time, and none of them were villain.
Maybe they left, Superhero had tried to console them, urging them back to work. Maybe they found a different city. Theyâre not your problem anymore, Hero.
But they were their problem. Superheroâs words had only prompted them to search the surrounding cities as well, and a few beyond that as well. Nothing.
Thatâs how they found themself walking. The sidewalk was slicked with frost, the first flurries of a snowstorm just beginning to break from the thick carpet of dark clouds. Walking, they didnât know where they were going, didnât know when they would stop. They knew they ought to get inside, to return home before the storm left them stranded in the middle of the city. The streets were near empty, anyone sensible had gone indoors long before, only dotted with the occasional straggling car or lonesome person hurrying to shelter.
Their breath clouded against the air, hands stuffed deep in their jacketâs pockets. Maybe theyâd stop at some twenty-four hour cafe, shelter there for a bit while refueling their depleted caffeine supplements. Yeah, thatâs what theyâd do. Get out of the storm before they froze, warm up by a heater and a steaming mug before returning to their aimless search. They didnât know where they were looking, only a faint idea of who they were looking for, but any efforts were better than none.
â˘â˘â˘
Hero couldnât say they saw them at first. They were like a shadow, curled between some dirty steps and an alley wall, their frail body sheltered behind a flimsy sheen of fabric that did little to protect against the onslaught of cold. Their mind didnât even comprehend it at first, mistaking the lumpy form for another snow-covered trash bag full of whatever muck lined the filthy streets. They only did a double-take when they heard the sound, a cough so small, so weak it was nearly lost to the wind. They hesitated in their tracks, their body moving on account rather than their mind before backpedaling a few steps.
It took them a few moments to discern that the hunched figure was in fact a person, and a few more to figure out if they were even alive. But then they coughed again, bony frail hand, blistered and pale from the frost raised to cover their mouth.
âHey,â Hero was moving towards them before they could think twice. They were a hero, after all. They helped people regardless of all factors. It was their job. âHey, buddy, you gotta get inside-â
The words died against their tongue as they watched the figure cringe, their head raising just a fraction so they could glare through half-swollen eyes. Hero froze, their heart sinking down to rest like a weight in the pits of their stomach, heavy and sickening. Their face, what was visible of it behind the fabricâHero couldnât tell if it was a blanket, a shawl, or some tattered jacket, it was so wornâwas littered with all sorts of marks. Bruises and scratches and scars, fresh and old alike, skin smudged with dried flecks of blood and grime.
âGeddâaway from me,â Their voice came out more rasp than words, syllables so deformed it took Hero a moment to register what had been said.
âWoah, calm down, calm down,â Hero held their hands out as they took a slow step forwards, trying to show they werenât a threat. The stranger still drew back, eyes flashing with a fearful, raw emotion. âMy nameâs Hero, I can help you, okay? I can bring you to a hospital, or the station-â
âHero?â They repeated, the words falling uneasy from their busted lips. Something shone darkly behind their features, their expression hardening into a cold hostility.
âYeah, Iâm Hero. Can you tell me your name? Do you know what happened?â Hero crouched down, their knees hitting against the cracked sidewalk as they lowered to the strangerâs level.
âGet away,â The other spat, words dripping with a venom colder than the wind. Hero was taken aback, not just by the sheer hatred shining in their eyes, but the force which they spoke, not at all matching their broken voice. âI donât- I donât want your help. Go- go,â
Even if it had been warm out, and the person didnât look like they had been beaten an inch from death, Hero wouldnât have left. A twinge of something nagged at their mind, only prompting them to inch closer despite the strangerâs hissed curses.
âIâm not going to hurt you,â Hero said slowly and clearly, the icy wind threatening to snatch the hat from their head, to free their scarf to the storm. âPlease, let me help you,â
âFucking- get away!â The stranger screamed, their grain legs kicking out and nearly catching Hero in the knee. They were quick to jump back, though lacking their usual graceful precision, eyes widening. âGet away from me!â
As they yelled, the fabric slipped from their form, falling past their shoulders. They were quick to snatch it up, covering their head once more, but not before Hero saw the mark on the side of their neck. Hidden amongst an array of deep purple splotches and scorched burns, the thin white scar Hero had grown so familiar to over the years. Just under their jaw, stretching nearly halfway across their throat before curving up towards their chin. Hero knew that scar so well, burned into their mind. It had been their dagger that made it after all. A mistake, it had been. When they were about to take Villain into custody, they had wrenched back. They hadnât been aware of the blade in the skirmish, nearly slitting their own throat in the frenzy for escape.
They knew that scar so well because they hd been the one to carry Villain back to their home, to take care of the wound and all the others they sustained in the midst of the fight, provide them antibiotics and comfort through the subsequent infection.
âShit,â Hero whispered, a low ringing settling in their ears. They stood up straight and the world lurched around them, tilting and swaying around Villainâs abused, hateful expression.
Shit.
ââââââââââ
We all know superhero 10000% kidnapped and ruthlessly tortured villain
