Rosie's MacGyver Flashfic Writealong

Flashfic Writealong FAQ: Feb 2025 Version

What is this thing?

It’s a writing “challenge” where you write a flash fic, ideally for MacGyver fandom. By “flash fic” I mean something <1000 words, but like most other “rules” of the writealong, it’s not set in stone. Make of it what you will!

Why are we doing this?

Look, back in 2022, I wanted to try my hand at writing some flash-sized fanfics (a big change from my 10k+ normal fic size). So I invited all the MacGyver writers to play along with me. And then we did it again in 2023. It’s like peer pressure, except everybody wins because everybody gets new fics to read. Yay!

How will it work?

There will be 10 prompts over 3 weekends starting February 20, 2025. Most prompts will be posted 2 days before the target posting date. The idea is to write a tiny story quickly, without overcomplicating it. (Overcomplication, my beloved...!)

What if I miss the target date? Can I post it later?

Heck yeah! 

Is this a whump challenge thing?

No, write whatever you want. Variety is the spice of life and one of my favorite things about this fandom. ❤️ I’ll write h/c but everybody is welcome to play along. Ship all your ships. Smut it up if you wanna. Just tag your stuff appropriately. **

** Shippers, please use the longstanding ship tags for your ship so your stories can be found/avoided by the people who want to find/avoid them:

MacRiley

MacDalton

MacDoc

MacDesi

What about AI-generated or assisted fic?

This challenge has ONE hard and fast rule: absolutely NO AI generated or AI assisted fic. Write it yourself or don’t participate.

I wrote a thing! When do I post it?

Any time on or after the day the prompts were for. For example, if you wrote a story using the June 10 prompts, post it on June 10 (your local time) or whenever you have it ready after that.

Where should it be posted? 

Tumblr or AO3 ideally. But do whatever you want with your fic! This is supposed to be fun. And maybe less stressful than other challenges? Or more, you decide. 

Is there an AO3 collection?

The collection will open on Feb 20 and will be titled February 2025 MacGyver Flashfic Writealong. Please add your story! :)

What about Tumblr tags?

Event tag: #MacGyver Flashfic Writealong

Day tag: #june 10  (for the day the prompts were “for”, regardless of when you post ‘em)

What are the prompts?

The prompts will be set to post at 9am PT (UTC-7) 2 days before the day they’re for. For example, the prompts for June 22 will be set to post at 9am PT on June 20. There are also a few alternate prompts in case the day’s prompts aren’t inspiring you.

How do I participate?

Write a thing related to the prompts and post it. :) Tag this blog if you want it reblogged. 

Who’s running this thing?

It’s meeee, @rosieblogstuff. 👋

2025 Prompt Sets

Set 1 for Saturday, February 22, 2025

Set 2 for Sunday, February 23

Set 3 for Monday, February 24

Set 4 for Thursday, February 27

Set 5 for Saturday, March 1

Set 6 for Sunday, March 2

Set 7 for Monday, March 3

Set 8 for Thursday, March 6

Set 9 for Saturday, March 8

Set 10 for Sunday, March 9

Set 11 for Monday, March 10

I know, I know, it's already summer, but in my defense, work has been crazy and now I'm in all the wrong hemispheres. But! A couple people have asked if I'm plannning to host the MacGyver writealong this year, and I've finally had enough vacation time in to make it sound feasible.

For those who haven't participating and have no idea what the writealong challenge consits of, this if a flash fiction challenge (target length: <1000 words) where the goal is to challenge yourself to run with an idea in a short time period. I usually post 2-4 prompts per day (of varied types, including themes, quotes, pictured, etc). The challenge is open to MacGyver fandom generally, including both 1985 and 2016. Here's a link to all of last year's challenge stories.

So please reply if you'd be interested in joining a MacGyver flash fic writealong challenge around mid-July to mid-August.

If so, I'd love your thoughts on the pace:

Writelong 1 was fast, with a set of prompts per day for 11 days, with about 2 days' time between prompt posting and the start of the story posting window.

I have made myself wait until the new year but I can't wait any longer. Also, I know that you are quite busy with the MacGyver Crossover Event but I was wondering if there is a plan for a 2026 Writealong Event? It has become my favorite writing event

YES, YES I AM. As long as I can talk like 2 or 3 people into climbing in board, we're a go for 2026.

Last year it started in late Feb and ran through March. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but it turned out to be one of the worst times I could've picked for myself. I totally under estimated how little I'd get written while traveling and how utterly exhausted I'd be after returning. I definitely wasn't expecting to feel like I'd been hit by a bus for 5-6 days. I guess that's just what trying to cross 12 timezones does to a person.

Thanks for playing along, MacGyver fandom! For a tiny fandom we're going strong!

It's taken me a bit to scour Tumblr and AO3 to make sure I was counting every new fanwork created for the Writealong. Most works ended up on AO3, but a few didn't get put into the Collection, and there were a couple Tumblr-only posts. BUT! I've pulled together a list of every work I'm aware of and crunched some numbers, because who doesn't love some stats, amiright?

This year we had

2 artists + numerous others who helped me put together an awesome list of prompts!

13 writers participating!

64 new fanworks! (That includes a few separate chapters for writers who combined several prompts into a multi-chapter story)

Most used prompts: It was a 3-way tie between

Set 1 prompt: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" script quote

Set 2 prompt: Airport Security

Set 3 prompt: @lupinescribbler's artwork of Mac & Bozer in the woods

Most prolific writer: @lilituism, with 11 stories -- one for every day of the event. Impressive!

Want to get a full list of stories? You're in luck! I've made a spreadsheet which lists every work by writer and prompt. Unsurprisingly--becasue it happens every time in every challenge--there was more written to the earlier prompts than the later ones.

(Note that the sheet lists only 62 words, but there were 2 occassions when the same writer wrote 2 stories for the SAME prompt, which meant the spreadsheet's count is an undercount.)

What to do now that the Writealong is over?

@macgyvercairo's April Cairo Day celebration week starts on Sunday, April 13. I know they said the April event wasn't about stories, but there are some prompts...

I will be hosting a MacGyver Crossover Bang! starting sometime after April Cairo Day. Dates and details TBD. Keep an eye out...

New to this? Check out the challenge rules, schedule, and event prompts at: @rosies-writealong

Use any combination of one or more of these prompts to inspire a story or other fanwork. 

Prompt Set 10 for Sunday 3/9/25:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1:

2: John Doe

3: The Devil You Know

4: Like something from another universe...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Use these prompts in whatever way they speak to you. Use them all, or use just one. Mix ‘n’ match. Twist them up. Or, if none of them spark an idea, check the blog for a short list of alternate prompts you can use on any day. (Alt prompts will be posted later later today)

Questions about this event? Drop me an ask. :)

AO3 Posting:

AO3 Collection: February 2025 MacGyver Flashfic Writealong

Tumblr Info:

Mention @rosies-writealong

Event & Date Tags:

#macgyver flashfic writealong AND/OR

#rosie's writealong

New to this? Check out the challenge rules, schedule, and event prompts at: @rosies-writealong

Use any combination of one or more of these prompts to inspire a story or other fanwork. 

Prompt Set 10 for Sunday 3/9/25:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1:

2. Havana Syndrome

3:

Mac: Bozer was right. Sparky’s gunning for my job.

Jack: Uh, no, man. Nobody wants your job. It… it kind of sucks.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Use these prompts in whatever way they speak to you. Use them all, or use just one. Mix ‘n’ match. Twist them up. Or, if none of them spark an idea, check the blog for a short list of alternate prompts you can use on any day. (Alt prompts will be posted later later today)

Questions about this event? Drop me an ask. :)

AO3 Posting:

AO3 Collection: February 2025 MacGyver Flashfic Writealong

Tumblr Info:

Mention @rosies-writealong

Event & Date Tags:

#macgyver flashfic writealong AND/OR

#rosie's writealong