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Fri, Oct 31, 2025

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Create a Culture

by Yuallica

Rated: 13+ · Message Forum · Contest · #1133700

Can you create an entire race or culture? Try it and see!

Create A Culture is back!!

I've been looking at different competitions around writing.com and it struck me that there are several to help you create a believable character, but none to create the culture your character lives in!

For many genres you can use the culture you live in, but what about us fantasy writers? We need a background for our characters, an environment for our story!

So I am challenging you to tell me about a race and culture you've invented, how they live, what they eat, what they wear... you get the idea

The first round of Create A Culture was popular, so now I'm bringing it back as a regular contest! It will run for about a month and a half each round, and then shut for two weeks judging. Some rounds will be like the original, focusing on your culture in general, and others with focus on more specific aspects, like education, or physical description, or even diet.

Round Two will be a general round

Things you should include

Physical appearance of your race- if you want to create a human culture that's fine, just tell me what your race is like in general (are they a short people, or is red hair most common? Those sorts of things)

How long do they live? This is important to take into account because it affects the pace of the culture; longer living races are more likely to take their time over things.

What sort of houses do they live in? Huts? Treehouses? Or do they live in caves or underground burrows?

What sort of things do they eat?

What clothes do they wear? Or do they not need them?

Do they have any unusual abilities?

How do they have fun? Is it musical culture, or are they more interested in sport? Perhaps they don't have time to just enjoy themselves?

Here are some suggestions for things you could add, but don't have to

Do they have a religion, and if they do, what it is?

Do they believe in a particular creation story?

Unusual etiquette? What do they think is polite?

Are they peaceful? Or warlike?

And anything else you want to add!

Now for the prizes!

1st place- 5000gps

2nd place- 2500gps

3rd place- 1000gps

Two honourable mentions- 500gps

The prizes will go up if I get more donations.

Donations are very welcome!

All donations will go to the prizes and I will put the names of any donators here

First Round Donators!

alicengoreland 10000 GPs
lizco252 10000 GPs
Maryse Bardolph

10000 GPs
Feigh Keneighm

5000 GPs

Second Round Donators!

GreySquirrel

1000GPs
Black Willow

1000GPs
Blackeiderdown

1000GPs

And the rules

Items must be posted in bitem format, {bitem:000000} where you put the number of your item instead of 000000.

Entries should be between 500 and 5000 words- I won't be too strict about this, but try to keep it at least close to that.

You may invent a human culture, use a standard fantasy race (elves, dwarves etc.) or make up a completely new race. If you really want you can do a sci-fi entry and write about an alien culture, too.

It should be a new piece, but if you already have a description of a race/culture then you can use that as long as you adapt it to make sure it fits the rules.

If you entered a previous round, you may enter the same piece again as long as it has not yet won anything.

Whilst spelling and grammar are not priority, they do help.

You may enter as many times as you like.

You may edit your entry right up until the deadline, but any entries modified after that will be disqualified.