All things sword! This prompt is truly meant for the fantasy genre, all this month we will be following our hero characters. Explore what it means to be the hero. Is it all fun and games? Maybe it is and they are tired of that. Maybe the sword chose the wrong hero. This month we’re going to explore what it means for a character who is essentially morally good to wield a sword.
Swordtember was created by Faith Schaffer in 2020 as a prompt list for artists to design a sword daily for different characters. Most of the monthly themes on the blog began as prompts for visual artists, but there is no good reason we as writers can’t use them too. Either as a stand alone piece, or as an addition to your other work use one or all of these prompts to get your creativity flowing.
Any genre of fantasy can work here. From the more personal narratives of the sword and sorcery stories to the epics where the world is at stake, explore what it means to be the hero.
Prompts & Ideas
Week One: Insert Here Vs Insert Here. Two fantasy nations at odds. Tell us who they are and what the spat is about. Is it violent or friendly fire? What is gained by winning. This could be a political piece, or something more personal between two or a few people. Is the battle worth it?
Week Two: The Sword with a Name. The history of the blade is almost as important as the main character. How does your character come to possess it and learn its powers? Is it passed down through the bloodline? Does it appear in great need? What does it do?
Week Three: The Sword you can’t get rid of. Once you accept ownership you can only get rid of it by…tell us the lengths your character will go to to get rid of it once and for all. Is it cursed? Can it only be lost in battle? Why doesn’t the character want it?
Week Four: Crafting of a magical blade. A blacksmith, a mage, who is crafting this sword, and what makes it magical? Is the crafting of it a skill that takes many years to learn? Or can anyone with a manual and a DIY kit from the internet do it?
C.M. Wellsmore 