an event designed to encourage participants to make more content for a particular ship they love and end 2025 with 12 new fics for an OTP run through the birdwatchers discord server
Year of the OTP is officially back for 2025 with a new set of prompts!
we've switched some of the prompt categories around in an effort to make the event more inclusive of all kinds of fanworks. we've also included song prompts this year! the playlist is on spotify here.
we want to give a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the last event - it grew so much larger than we ever expected and it's truly amazing how you all took our last set of prompts and made so many wonderful things. keep it up!
a couple housekeeping notes: we will not be reblogging every entry this year. mods will keep an eye on the blog if you have any questions, but the reblogs were too much last time. thank you for your understanding!
we will be closing the 2023 collection on December 31. thank you for your continued participation, but it's time to look forward!
the link for the new collection will be posted here January 1.
we're looking forward to seeing what you create this year!
alt text below the cut.
Year of the OTP 2025
The Rules: the Ao3 collection accepts any /-ship works inspired by a prompt from this sheet
The Challenge: make 12 works for one ship in one year, using prompts from each month
*you do not need to do the challenge to post to the AO3 collection, as long as you follow the rules*
January
first kiss ♦ “may I have this dance” ♦ sharing clothes ♦ BDSM AU ♦ stockholm syndrome ♦ Strong – One Direction
February
Valentine’s Day ♦ “it made me think of you” ♦ bed sharing ♦ multiple penetration ♦ mind control/mind break ♦ Like Real People Do – Hozier
March
fresh starts ♦ “what are you doing with that”♦ florist/tattoo artist ♦ phone sex ♦ major character death ♦ Take Care – Drake
April
pranks ♦ “right in front of my salad” ♦ running away together ♦ dom bottom/sub top ♦ raised to be a killer ♦ Drops of Jupiter – Train
May
hanahaki ♦ “we’re dating? since when?” ♦ body swap ♦ magical sex toys ♦ stalking ♦ Paper Rings – Taylor Swift
June
pride ♦ “I can’t get you out of my mind” ♦ relationship reveal ♦ unconventional sex positions ♦ paying a debt with your body ♦ Good Looking – Dixon Dallas
July
vacation together ♦ “I like my _ how I like my coffee” ♦ kidfic ♦ mutual masturbation ♦ dehumanization ♦ You May Be Right – Billy Joel
August
Sports AU ♦ “you’re thinking too much”♦ cooking together ♦ object insertion/ penetration ♦ becoming a monster ♦ You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
September
high school/college sweethearts ♦ “come here” ♦ date night gone wrong ♦ semi-public sex ♦ abduction ♦ Thinking Bout You – Frank Ocean
October
costumes ♦ “boo” ♦ online dating ♦ shibari ♦ mutual non-con ♦ Mr. Brightside – The Killers
November
camping ♦ “are you sure” ♦ touch-starved ♦ cockwarming ♦ abusive relationship ♦ A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
December
holiday traditions ♦ “where are you taking me” ♦ bathing together ♦ food play ♦ tortured for information ♦ Everything Is Alright – Laura Shigihara
If we already wrote one prompt for a ship, but decide we want to do the entire event for another, can we write that prompt again for the new ship and have it count? I hope this makes sense lol
Hi!!! I have a question about the yotp community. I plan on writing sequels for many of the fics I wrote this year, would it be alright if I shared those within the community as well, or would you rather it be for just fics for the event directly?
How do the song prompts work? Can we use any lyric from the song as a prompt, or is it just for vibes, or ?? I just found this blog and I’m excited to write!! :D
hey everyone! we've been getting some asks about future Year of the OTP Events, so we're here to clear it up for you.
We will NOT be running Year of the OTP in 2026. Like after the first event in 2023, we mods feel that rolling from one monthly challenge directly into another is a lot.
But, as of right now, we are planning to run the event again in 2027, with prompts released a bit earlier than they were for this year (and maybe with a little audience participation?)
If we start late (i.e. start with the January prompt in May or June) can it count towards the challenge? If it doesn't, does it bother you if people do that just for fun/because the prompts inspired them? I was not in a good place mentally earlier this year but the prompts really inspire me, so even if it couldn't count I'd kind of like to try my hand at them now that I'm in a better place 😅
late entries are always welcome! glad to hear you're doing better <3
Obviously no need to respond to this but thanks so much for doing this challenge! I am so bad at posting but can never manage challenges that go for a month, with the intention of posting daily/weekly. It's impossible for me. This challenge is so much more achievable for my brain! So far so good and posting my May story today! (Though Gen where my others for the OTP were romantic, so not adding it to collection of course!) Again, thank you so much!
Hello! I have just now found this event and I'd like to challenge myself with some writing. However I've got a few questions (sorry if they're a lot and maybe a bit dumb - I've never joined a writing challenge before)
1. is it okay to write and post fanfictions from previous months, now? (like if rn I start writing the January one, even though it's April)
2. is there an age limit to join?
3. do we have to necessarily post them on Tumblr, or can they go exclusively on AO3? also, is there a collection on AO3 for yotp25?
Thanks! (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)
you can definitely post works using prompts from previous months!
there is no age limit, but of course we ask that under 18 year olds not post or interact with explicit content.
you don't have to post on tumblr at all! the ao3 collection is here
*april 1st rolls around* haha youre so hot yotp25 challenge haha what do you mean i havent finished my february piece yet, of course i have haha, its just under high level comprehensive editing, yes haha im telling the truth im not lying
pranks | "right in front of my salad" | running away together | dom bottom/sub top | raised to be a killer | Drops of Jupiter - Train
we've loved seeing all of your works and are happy to answer any questions you have! we try to be flexible with prompt interpretation when we can, and we don't want you to stress about deadlines. as always, these prompts are meant to inspire!
