The prompt list is HERE! Two prompts for each day! You can use both or just one for each of the days.
Below are the alternate prompts, which can be used in place of any of the daily prompts:
Additional info, including a link to the Ao3 Collection and a text-based version of the prompt list, are below the read more. Happy writing!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
As a reminder, the rules are posted here! They're also on the Ao3 Collection. Participants are free to cross-post with as many other events as they'd like; if it suits the prompt, you're good to go!
The 2026 WIP Big Bang & WIP Reverse Bang Is Open For Sign-Ups!
Welcome to a new round! This is the thirteenth year we've hosted the WIP Big Bang, which is for finishing fic and getting art to go with it, and introducing the third year we've had the WIP Reverse Bang, which is for finishing artwork and getting fic to go with it. All fandoms/ratings/ships are welcome, including original works!
Please read our FAQ before signing up.
Schedule
All times are by 11:59pm PST. Convert time zones.
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Sign-ups- April 1st - June 1st
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Check In #1- May 22nd - May 29th
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Check In #2- June 15th - June 22nd
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Snippets Due- July 1st - July 11th
Big Bang Art Claims/Reverse Bang Fic Claims- July 17th - August 14th
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Check In #3- July 22nd - July 29th
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Posting Claims- August 23rd - September 1st
Big Bang/Reverse Bang Check In #4- August 31st - September 7th
Official Big Bang/Reverse Bang Postings- September 8th - November 30th
Emergency Big Bang/Reverse Bang Postings- December 1st - December 31st
Everyone who participated last year, welcome back! To everyone joining this year, welcome in! We cannot wait to see what you create.
Please make sure to read this post carefully, as many questions have been answered here already. We have also answered all the questions that were submitted through our anon voting form already. If you don’t find what you are looking for there, you are welcome to come to our ask box or ask questions in our Discord server here. The mod team will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you wish to give a comment to the mod team without a response, feel free to use our questions, comments, and concerns google form: https://forms.gle/fRcZq2TsV2pgoNs97
This year’s AO3 Collection → https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DadDecember2024
Event Info & Rules
DadDecember is an annual prompt month featuring platonic father and child relationships. We have a collection of prompts for each day meant to inspire works to be created.
*Due to the nature of this event being, do not submit father/child incestual content. That is not the point of this event. This event is strictly platonic. Thank you for understanding.
There are 62 prompts this year with 10 alternative prompts. Each day has two prompts, one situational/trope prompt and one dialogue prompt. You do not need to use both. While we do encourage you to mix and match prompts with different days to fit your specific WIP, we do ask that you tag the prompt you used, not just the day.
This is a prompt month meant to inspire works, so please don’t take any of the prompts too seriously! If you want to get silly with it or really angsty, that’s up to you! How much of the prompt you use and how you use it is all up to you! If you think it fits the prompt, then it does. There is no gatekeeping in DadDecember.
It’s up to the creator how much they want to produce or what media form they want to create in! Anything and everything counts (and if you’re really unsure, you can always ask!). The idea of the event is to create, no matter in the manner you do so.
As far as “how much do I need to do in order for it to count?” – Well, that’s up to you! All participants, regardless of how many works they put out, will be recognized for their efforts!
A google form will be sent out after December ends in which you will be able to say how many works you completed. Works do not need to be published in any way shape or form to count. Participants will be ranked by completion in a tumblr post after the form closes and a custom role will be available for completionists in our discord server.
Should you wish to upload some of your DadDec content to Tumblr, use these tags:
Required tags:
#daddecember
#daddecember2024
#sfw or #nsfw
Optional Tags (but appreciated if used)
#DadDec No.1, #DadDec No.2, #DadDec No.3, ect.
#fandom or #OC, … (ironman, originalcontent, oc …)
#teeth, #gore tw, #etc …..(trigger warnings and content warnings. Add “tw” or “cw” AFTER the trigger/content warning )
For the sfw/nsfw tag, please use your best judgment. A Mature or Explicit rating (for anything except gore) should be marked as nsfw.
Reblogging Policies:
Due to the nature of the blog and for the safety of all fellow participants, nsfw posts will not be reblogged. - These works are still very much welcome in the AO3 collection.
You MUST tag @daddecember if you wish for your work to be reblogged
If you notice your work has not been reblogged (+ you tagged us) and it has been 2+ days, please send us an ask! It is likely that tumblr ate the notification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do I have to do all 31 days?
Participate as much as you would like! Whether you can get out one piece between now and the end of December or 45, we are here to encourage you all along the way!
Q. Can I post early/late?
Yes, you can post whenever you want. Due to time constraints, we may not reblog posts outside of December (pinging @Mod Addri via discord will always get you reblogged, though, so you can always try that ;) ).
Q. Can I combine DadDecember with other creation challenges?
Yes, as long as the other challenges allow it as well. Please reference their rules.
Q. Can I use prompts to write a new chapter for an existing fic?
Yes.
Q. Can I use a prompt multiple times?
Yes, but it only will count once for your total completion number (unless combined with a different unused prompt).
Q. Do I have to finish a fic I started/can I post WIP’s?
Yes, you can post WIPs. Snippets or other forms of WIPs are completely fine and will still count for completion! As long as you started it, feel free to count it!
Q. Is collaborating allowed?
Absolutely, we even encourage it! Collaborations can be an amazing way to get full completion status (especially if you’re competitive) without as much work! It would count towards being a completionist for both/all of you.
Q. Can I combine prompts? Is there a limit on how many?
No limit and combine as many as you’d like.
Q. Can I start working on the prompts before December?
Absolutely! That’s why we post the prompts a little over a month in advance. We recognise how difficult it can be creating for 31 days in “real time” so feel free to start creating early!
Q. Do I have to use your required tags?
If you want your work reblogged, yes.
Q. Does combining prompts count towards completion?
Yes.
Note: This is a creation challenge, please don’t repost your old work under our tags (unless it’s been changed or edited for the event).
Best of luck,
Mod Addri
The full written-out list of prompts is below the cut.
2024 Prompts List:
1. Lost in the woods | "Cover your eyes"
2. Sick day | "I didn't know where else to go"
3. Accidents happen | "Are we there yet?"
4. Father's day | "Wait, wait, he's your father?"
5. Stars | "You're just like I remember"
6. First steps | "I have never hated you"
7. Learning to drive | "I'm sorry"
8. Alternate Universe - Age reversal / Role-swap | "Can you tell me a story?"
9. Tears | "Follow my lead"
10. Pillow fight | "Are you okay?"
11. Forever | "Can we do this every year?"
12. First pet | "Don't you dare..."
13. Demon Lord and Hero | "You're not my real dad"
14. Platonic Soulmates | "Can I have a hug?"
15. Similarities | "Please don't go"
16. Appearances | "Leave me alone"
17. Bring your kid to work day | "Can we make cookies?"
18. Promises | "I'll make it up to you, I promise"
19. Hypothermia | "What's with the long face?"
20. Time travel | "It's too late"
21. Finding a way home | "Be home by midnight"
22. Found family | "What did I say about..."
23. Patching each other up | "Santa isn't real"
24. Not quite asleep | "You came back?"
25. Holidays | "I'm proud of you"
26. Homework | "This is your birthright."
27. Bring your parent to school day | "Can you help me with this?"
28. Loss | "Happy birthday!"
29. Body Swap | "You remembered?"
30. Wings / Grooming | "Get down here this instant"
Road Trip: Send your polycule on a journey! This could be a literal road trip — car snacks, squabbles over the aux cable, weird roadside attractions — or something more fantastic. "Road" trip in space? Sailing around the world? Four metamours on a quest to find their missing shared partner? Maybe you wanna draw the squad flying down the highway while crammed into a minivan! Go wherever the road (or the prompt) takes you!
Sedoretu: Maybe you're a long-time Ursula Le Guin fan, or maybe you just read some sedoretu fic or bemusedlybespectacled's primer and got inspired — either way, assign some moieties and see what happens. You can play it straight or mix it up: Maybe your characters are the "wrong" genders or moieties to form a sedoretu. Maybe your polycule has too many members to fit the pattern. Maybe they're a Morning couple looking for a set of lavender marriages with a nice Evening couple. Have fun with this classic framework!
5+1 Things: A classic fanfic trope that lends itself especially well to polyship shenanigans! 5 different dates + 1 group night in, perhaps. Or how about five times Character A got pranked + one time they pranked the rest of the polycule? This trope also pairs well with an Outsider POV — something like 5 times Character A saw their crush kissing someone + 1 time they got a kiss!
Visual Prompt — OT3 Pose Meme: Aren't mcnuggyy's poses just the cutest? Draw one or combine a few or tell us the story of how your polycule got into this position. Remember to tag @/mcnuggyy when you share your creations!
Huddling for Warmth: Another classic trope that's even better polyam style! Perhaps they've gotten trapped in an ice cave on a dangerous expedition. Or they could be getting cozy in a Canadian shack as a surprise blizzard rolls through. Or maybe there's just that one member of the polycule who always seems to be freezing. Whatever the case, bundle those blorbos up!
Second Chances: Get your heartstrings ready for tugging with this prompt! What happens when your partner's new partner is a familiar face? How does the squad support Character A when that person who broke their heart blows back into their life? Whether it's a breakup-makeup story, a surprise encounter with an old flame, or a missed connection that comes back around, this prompt is all about how your polyship navigates trying to start again.
Missing Scene / Epilogue: Sometimes canon just leaves the perfect amount of space for a story. Whether it's a moment of intimacy, a messy argument, or a hilarious and heartwarming get-together, this prompt asks the questions: What happened when the narrative wasn't looking? And what comes after happily ever after?
Visual Prompt — View from Above: Are they posing for pictures, or exhausted after a battle, or maybe out stargazing? It doesn't have to be this exact stock photo pose, just give us a bird's-eye view of the crew!
The ao3 collection is now open for submissions, and we'll start revealing the fics on April 16! We'll be watching the #PolyshipWeek23 hashtags, and you can also @ us when you post for reblogs and retweets. Remember that text prompts can be art prompts and visual prompts can be story prompts — whatever inspires you, we can't wait to see what you come up with!