For June, we’re going to be looking at the world of insects for Junebug. This challenge, as an art challenge, has a hazy start but seems to have begun in 2017. A list of other places you can find artist prompts can be found on the Brush Warriors website.
Most of these art challenge themes are focused or intended for visual artists. My intention is to turn them into exercises and challenges for writers as well.
Bugs are something few of us tend to focus on in our writing, unless we need something to make the character squeamish. For this month, let’s give them a little more prevalence in our work. As a plot device they can be used as a merely gross annoyance or a reluctant ally in a cozy fantasy. In a dark fantasy they could be a swarm that overtakes the character or gets under the skin. In a high fantasy setting the sky really has no limit. They could be anything from disease carriers to the main form of transport.
Week One: Native Fauna. Is it a rogue pest laden with eggs? Are they aggressive? Venomous? Do they perform a vital function? What species could upset your world’s whole ecosystem if it disappeared?
Swarms, hosts, nests…think of bugs living in close quarters. How do they share food? What does the nest look like? Do they nest in people’s houses? Or are they only encountered in the wild?
Week Two: Weather Matters. In colder climes, bugs tend to be smaller than their subtropical counterparts. Give us a species profile for any habitat, with how the bugs survive. Does the climate impact their breeding cycle? What happens during unseasonal weather?
Write a set of instructions for an apprentice or tradesmen on how to deal with the local area while completing their job. Perhaps a fact sheet of the dangerous bugs in your fantasy land, with what they can do and more importantly, how to fend them off.
Week Three: Examination. What bug is your character obsessed with? Tracking? Absolutely sick of it? In what way does this bug impact their life? And why can’t they get rid of it?
Or, if someone had the super power or controlling bugs, what would they do with it? Could they be responsible and use the power for good? Or is it finally time to get some revenge?
Week Four: Extermination. Time to get rid of them! What kinds of magical methods are employed for dealing with vermin and other pests?
Tell us a tale by a local who lived through the great invasion. Was the whole town reduced to tears and fear? Or was it an invasion that impacted that character only. This is a great place to practice anecdotal stories that still include a fast paced element.
I would love to see what you do with these prompts! If you publish them please tag me on social media so I know where to look. You can find me on X/Twitter or email me at cmwellsmore@gmail.com
C.M. Wellsmore 