A Little Trail Preptober 2026

Week 1 - The Spark: What Are You Writing?
Oct 1 - Oct 9

The Elevator Pitch
Describe your story in 50 words or fewer. Then try again in one sentence.
The main character goes to sleep but wakes up all alone in a dark forest (no, it's not a dream). Extremely lost and freaking out, they discover a little trail of objects leading them in a mystery direction. With no ideas left, they follow it.

A fantastical escapade fraught with nerves and narrated by a very ordinary person.

Three Things I Know
Provide three things you absolutely know about your story and three things you haven't figured out yet.

• known

1. The majority of the story will be in a forest.
2. The objects forming the trail will change over time.
3. Time will not move as it does on Earth.

• unknown

1. How many characters will be significant?
2. The ending.
3. The name(s) of the character(s)

The Promise
Complete the following phrase: "I want this story to make the reader feel ______." Then explain why.
I want this story to make the reader feel anticipative. As the story goes on, the reader will get to know more information than the character(s) do, but I haven't quite figured out how all the ends might tie in together. Maybe it's like detective work for the readers? I like my adventures, okay?

CHALLENGE. Steal This Prompt
Something buried beneath a tree.

Week 2 - Meet the Cast
Oct 10 - Oct 16

Week 3 - Build the Story
Oct 17 - Oct 23

Week 4 - Let's Get Thoughts!
Oct 24 - Oct 30