For many of our members, summer is winding down into winter. Leaves fall from the trees to rustle in the wind, and bared branches scratch the sky. The harvest comes to an end, and the long, bitter specter of winter looms. It is a time when fear and the macabre looms large in the imaginations of many creators.

This month's challenge, The Only Thing to Fear, plays on that theme. The premise is simple: create a fanwork about fear using at least one prompt from our list of common fears.

Of course, this challenge lends itself readily to the spookier genres, like horror, suspense, or mystery. However, this is a good time to issue the reminder that not only do we allow but encourage creative interpretation of our challenges and prompts. Fear can take many forms that invite genres and approaches outside of those that come first to mind. For instance, how many romantic comedies center on a fear of commitment? How many dramas are driven by a character trying to overcome the kinds of everyday worries and fears that plague us all as we move through life? Humor, too, can explore the side of fear that is ridiculous or even silly.

As we are in the season where many fandom events are underway, remember too that if you use one of our challenge prompts in a fanwork for another event, and you cannot post the work with us right away due to the other event's schedule, just let the mods know, and we will be happy to award your stamp to you when you are able to post.