What is a Matryoshka challenge and how does it work?

Matryoshka dolls are also known as Russian nesting dolls, with each doll containing a smaller doll inside. A Matryoshka challenge works similarly, requiring creators to fit their response to each prompt within a fanwork already underway for previous prompts.

Matryoshka Prompts for Fiction

You will use multiple prompts for a Matryoshka challenge in your story, opening each prompt progressively as as the story unfolds. (See below for how to use the prompts for formats other than fanfiction.) Often, prompts will include directions about when you can open the next prompt.

Before beginning a Matryoshka challenge, you should first decide the difficulty level you want to try:

  • Beginner: Two prompts
  • Easy: Three prompts
  • Medium: Five prompts
  • Difficult: Seven prompts

Note that Difficult prompt sets sometimes require reaching a minimum word count before opening the next prompt.

You can complete multiple prompt sets if you want. Each set will contain unique prompts.

Note that, in the past, Matryoshka prompts were requested via email. We are no longer using that system, and prompts are available in the challenge post itself, behind a "spoiler" link that you will click when you are ready to reveal the prompt.

Matryoshka Prompts for Other Fanwork Types

If you want to create a fanwork other than fiction for a Matryoshka challenge, you can use any of the following approaches to your prompt set:

  • You can, of course, use the Matryoshka rules for fiction. For example, if you are making a fan vid, you could open each prompt one at a time to guide the storyline and selection of video clips.
  • You can use each prompt individually to create a series of flash fanworks using either the prompt title or the full prompt (or a mixture of both). For example, if you request a Medium prompt set and want to make fan art, you could do a series of five sketches that fit each of the five prompts.
  • You can open all of the prompts at once and make a fanwork that incorporates them all in some way, using either the prompt title or the full prompt (or a mixture of both).
7 May 2025