October
October explores contradiction - light and dark, love and fear, softness and rage.
These poems hold opposing truths at once, embracing complexity.
Craft Focus:
Contrast and tension
Layered meaning
Exploring opposing emotional states
Your chapbook will examine the coexistence of contradictions. By the end of October, your poems will reveal nuance, complexity, and the balance of opposing forces in life and identity.
Sample Writing Prompts
Here are sample prompts. The full 20-prompt list is included when you join the challenge:
Start with: “I am both…” to explore opposing selves.
Write about light and dark within yourself.
Capture love and fear in the same moment.
Why This Month Matters Now
October asks you to hold contradictions without resolving them. Light and dark. Desire and fear. Softness and rage.
These tensions are often forced into simplicity over time. This month matters because it allows you to write complexity before you feel pressured to choose one side.
Participation Options
This month, would you like to simply participate in the challenge or would you like a full publication package?
Option 1: Challenge-Only Package
Who it’s for: Poets who want guided prompts and structure, but do not plan to create a chapbook or prefer to handle publication themselves.
Includes:
20 detailed January writing prompts
Craft guidance and inspiration for your poems
Support for producing at least 20 poems
Tips for compiling and arranging your chapbook
What You’ll Do:
Write, revise, and polish your poems using the prompts. At the end of January, you’ll have 20-30 completed poems ready to share with your readers or ready to put in a complete manuscript and publish on your own.
Price: $28
Option 2: Full Publication Package
Who it’s for: Poets who want to focus solely on writing while we handle the rest.
Includes everything in the Challenge-Only Package, plus:
Professional formatting for print publication
Custom cover design aligned with January’s theme
Publishing your chapbook on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
You receive 100% of rights and royalties
Guidance on distribution and marketing
What You’ll Do:
Focus on your writing - our team takes care of turning your poems into a professional chapbook that’s ready to share with the world.
Price: $124