#ffxivwrite2025

Returning September 1st, 2026

For the first time in 9 years, I’m putting the writing challenge on hold, returning next year on September 1st, 2026.

Life is extraordinarily busy: I had a baby toward the end of July (yay!) and am in the thick of sleep deprived, early postpartum. Between new baby, family adjustment time, work, and my hubby in school, running the challenge this year would just be too much, even with my awesome team of friends to help out.

Putting the challenge on hold was an agonizing decision that was not made lightly, but at the end of the day self care and real life must come first.

In the meantime, if you're looking to scratch the FFxivWrite itch you could use this time to go back to previous years that you may have missed and write to those prompts (no forms, no prizes). Or, consider organizing your own challenges amongst your friends, discord groups, FCs, etc. I bet if you keep an eye peeled you'll spot other FFXIV writing challenges as well. Links for all prompts can be found on the FFxivWrite Carrd website.

Should you choose to run your own challenges this year, I ask that you please refrain from reaching out to me to ask for help or advice. I really needs this time to focus on family and big life transition. 💚

It's time for a (slightly late) FFXIVwrite2025 Appreciation Post to celebrate just some of the excellent writing produced by the FFXIV Community for the event!

Ethos. An inspirational piece from @houserosaire - what will Silvaineaux hold onto when he needs that last ounce of willpower to keep on going?

Muster. Still in Ishgard, but this time at the breakfast table rather than the battlefield... A fantastic set piece from @housedeaubemarle.

Fate. A thoughtful and reflective piece by @starrysnowdrop on determinism and the freedom to choose one's own actions.

Calling by @midnightmagicks. A difficult linkpearl conversation between old friends.

Training Day. A new life requires new tactics, especially when dealing with metaphysical monstrosities. A great piece of character development from @avampyone.

Shade by @soulshards. A short, but strikingly descriptive piece, that will stay with you after reading it.

Soul. A beautifully ethereal piece of writing by @ahollowgrave. Faith and love and something else besides.

Friable by @dane-ffxiv. An exploration of persistance and determination in the face of a steep learning curve.

Brave. A touching story of a fateful meeting and the beginnings of a new connection. By @chocoblep.

Form by @ainyan. A slice of family life, involving practicing slicing with weapons and some wistful coming of age dialogue.

Dense. An unexpected encounter in the Black Shroud startles a wary Viera woman and leaves her with some unanswered questions. An atmospheric piece by @wandererxiv.

Prank by @scrollsfromarebornrealm. A touching piece, simultaneously both endearing and sad, with some intriguing backstory for a certain Paladin.

Obviously this is just a small selection of pieces from a small selection of writers, but I think these examples are definitely worth checking out. I have posted the masterlist of my own FFXIVwrite2025 stuff elsewhere on this blog, but I can say for certain that nothing I wrote came close to the quality of these fantastic writers!

Prompt from the 2021 prompt list.

It’s not what Menphina would do. 

The thought makes you pause, guilty shoulders hunched near your ears. It’s an external one. Planted by the woman whose office you’ve been trekking back and forth from. You hold the thought and turn it in your mind’s eye like a stone. It catches the light. Well… whose to say what She would do? Besides, is it not the Lover who taught you to ask forgiveness rather than permission in matters of mischief? True. Satisfied, you continue.  The rope handle of the bucket is burning its pattern into your palms. Water sloshes over the sides of it and further soaks the dark cloth of your robes. Splashes onto the stone floor in puddles that grow step by step. You remind yourself to dry the floors when you’re done.

You spent the morning gathering every cup, mug, bowl you could find. Even a few of the plates with suitable edges. Then you spent your afternoon hauling water from the well to the office, filling each one. A few Sisters had spotted you and had quickly altered their routes. Something to ponder later.

You cannot stop the laugh that bubbles up from your center. Imagining the Mother’s face when she opens her office door to see dozens -- dozens !! -- of cups, mugs, bowls and, yes, even a few plates with suitable edges all filled to the brim with water. You picture her lifting the hem of her robes with a sigh, picking her way through the bombs you’ve planted, her tail swishing in that angry-but-trying-not-to-show-it way.

All prompts are former prompts from previous years’ events, and all credit goes to @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast! This is purely unofficial and I made this prompt list for myself to use, but please feel free to use these if you’d like! Text version of the prompts below cut.

Whisper to my Soul

Arrzaneth Ossuary

Fire Ice Lightning

(Unofficial) FFXIV Write 2025

Masterpost for all my FFXIVWrite 2025 entries! Since this is a break year (congrats Moen!) I'll be revisiting old prompts pre-selected by a randomizer. Personal favorites will get a little star at the end of the month. ⭐ You can check out my past entries here: [ 2019 ] - [ 2020 ] - [ 2021 ] - [ 2022 ] - [ 2023 ] - [ 2024 ]

PROMPT LIST

After the events of Ultima Thule...

“Clear!” Thancred struggled against Estinien’s hold, but the elezen didn’t budge. G’raha Tia ignored both of them, placing his hands on Kal’istae’s unmoving chest and shoving a bolt of lightning into her heart. Her body jolted and Thancred spasmed, crying out.

Y’shtola spared a glance for Alphinaud. “You’re sure this will work?” she demanded as she took ahold of the Warrior’s shoulders once more and let her aether seep into her lifeless  body.

Not so lifeless. Even as Alphinaud babbled out the research that had led him to suggesting this course of action, the sorceress busied herself with chasing down that spark of life that even now threatened to burn itself out. “Raha, now!”

She barely snatched her hands away before the bolt slammed into Kal’istae. Behind her, Thancred screamed and she lunged forward, grabbing Kal’istae’s quivering shoulders and shoving them down onto the ground. “Alphinaud, Urianger, follow me!”

She felt their aether join her own as they swarmed over that flickering, stubborn spark of life. Together, they shoved their power into it, feeding it until it fanned into a flame. 

Kal’istae’s gasp broke the tense silence.

“She’s alive!” Thancred yelped, tearing himself free of Estinien and throwing himself down beside her. The moment he took ahold of her hand, she gasped again and Y’shtola yelped as her aether was forcibly sucked out of her. Urianger threw himself at the other two, breaking their connection with the Warrior.

/ word count: 440. / characters: thesa and oschon. / ffxivwrite prompts: from 2017 and 2018.

She feels the moment her senses of the forest start to dull.

It was expected, to an extent, but not when there were still trees for as far as her eyes could see. The earth under her feet, small rocks against callous of many years, were still familiar as was the wind that always made her hair unkept — not worth considering a problem until now.

For the first time, Thesa looks at her reflection by the river next to her, and instead of admiring the starry reflection against the water, she worries how others might perceive her. There’s no comfort for waiting the elder’s translation of the woods anymore, no leg of her mother to run to, nor the freedom to pierce a spear into the heart of whatever bothered her — or at least she thought that was the case with Eorzean customs. There was far too much to learn, not a soul to teach.

Alone, that has always been her preferred way. Hunting by herself, looking for signs of wild life in the night, laying on the highest tree and staring up at the moon. The perfect night, she tells herself. It is what this was supposed to be.

Thesa leans towards the river, pulling her body forward to catch more of a glimpse of her reflection, and entirely misses when the wind picks up enough to rock her balance. Her reflex is enough to push her hands forward so her arms against the river bank and her body wouldn’t launch into the water.

The waves make her reflection disappear for a second, and she all but sighs annoyed for before her eyes catch a glimpse of light outshining the moon — bright green, against the waves formed by the wind behind her. Her head is about to snap up to look for the source when she hears a voice just barely louder than the wind, though warmer than any foreigner tone the woods ever spoke to her. Not a clear word or name, but a soft whisper, easy to understand, welcoming.

When the meaning falls to her, the pressure of wind against her back stops, the water her eyes fixate on slowly showing her reflection again.

Thesa falls behind to sit against the dirt mud by the river, an apologetically laugh to herself before shaking her head and crawling back until her back hits the tree behind her. Her hair tangles against the tree trunk, a few lower branches poke her ears, and purposefully, she digs her nails against the earth, immediately sighing in relief.