Tis' the season for embracing those you love. Take the opportunity to embrace a love-centric prompt for the month of February, whilst you deal with the ins and outs, turmoils, and benefits of all things romantic this time of year. 

Love is in the Air. Inspired by the fairy tale ideal of love at first sight, submit photography or artwork capturing connections, a place where you feel at home, an object that became immediately important to you, or someone in your life you couldn’t picture living without.

Lovesick. This time of year, we all feel a little lovesick, whether from longing, being forced to encounter too much PDA, or the pressures of devising the perfect gift. Even Cupid can get tired this time of year. Get creative with the inspiration of a disgruntled Cupid, fed up with all this love stuff.

It is the small things in life. Write a story or poem that encapsulates an affinity or a new appreciation for something small in life, like a glass of water after a long day, stepping on a perfectly crisp leaf, or when the DVD logo perfectly fits into the corner of your screen. 

While the icy January winds whirl and everyone embraces either Mother Nature’s cold sand or the comfort and solace of fuzzy socks and indoor heating, Jim Thorpe’s The Flame asks you to choose how you will make your January literary or artistic with our January Contest:

Blackout Poetry- As inclement weather takes down power lines, make your own blackout via the inspiration of literature. Take pages from novels and make your own poems using the words present. Design a poem from the pages, and black out all the words that do not fit into your creation. For help or inspiration, look up online “Blackout Poetry” or ask a member of the Flame Staff.

Cozy by the Hearth- Like Kim in Edward Scissorhands, craft your own fireside story for when flakes dance down from the sky. What tale will you impart to your grandchildren to recall every time it snows?

“The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway”- Here you may craft a story, a creative essay, or a poem inspired by things that will not bother you in this new year.

December Prompts:

Magic of Christmas- Write a story in which you utilize the magic of Christmas to bring an inanimate object of your choosing to life. Like how the hat gave life to Frosty, use your imagination to bring something to life in a creative way. 

Things That Go Bump in the Night- It is a recurring theme that strange visitors come knocking late when it ‘tis the season. Think Ebenezer Scrooge’s ghosts or the Polar Express conductor- what visitors may approach characters in your story and why?

Inspired by- Take odd Christmas legends, and transform the folklore, whether Krampus, Welsh Horse (Mary Lwyd), Belsnickel, etc., into a unique tale of your own, whether a poem, song, etc.

Prizes: Yummy baked goods

November Prompts:

Togetherness - Write a personal essay or poem about a time when you felt belonging or togetherness with your family or other loved ones. These can be heart-touching moments by the hearth or struggles that brought you closer together.

Eye of the Tiger- Craft a tale of survival where the protagonist undergoes a challenge, great or small, which makes him/her grateful for the life he/she has. 

Seasonal Sights- Take a picture or create a piece of art that resembles or encompasses what this time of the year (November) is for you. Think: pie, cider, or leaves falling from the trees.

Prizes: Yummy baked goods

Trick or Treat Prompt Option

Tap into either your generous side or minx-likeness and assemble a short story or descriptive essay about a deceitful trick or a tasteful treat. Feel free to think outside the box and welcome exciting twists and shocking turns in creating your story.

Autumn Art Option

Submit your autumn-inspired art, whether photography, digital art, or art created by hand

Use the colors of the autumn leaves and create something that resembles fall to you.

Seasons of Change Option

The leaves changing colors and falling off the trees show a change in the weather - Fall is approaching! Just as these elements of nature grow, decay, change, and everything else in between, so can people’s lives. Create a story taking place in the fall that shows major changes in the lives of your characters.

Our contest will run to October 31st.

Prizes

Impressive submissions will be included in the magazine, and submitters will be offered a free copy of our 2026 Magazine

All Contest winners will receive a bag of candy, and 1st place gets to pick a 3D printed Halloween fidget or decorative item of his or her choosing.

Begin the school year with a quick and easy $20 Visa gift card and get featured in our 2026 magazine (With a free copy!)

Submit your best summer adventure photography, poetry, short stories, virtual or hand-created art, etc!