Sapphic September
| Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Sapphic September |
| Date(s): | 2016~2017 - present |
| Moderator(s): | Violet storm, CoraWritesThings (formerly AveryWritesThings) |
| Founder: | most likely femslashfeb on Tumblr |
| Type: | open to any fanwork |
| Fandom: | multifandom |
| Associated Community: | sapphic september tag on Tumblr |
| URL: | sapphic-september Tumblr blog |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Sapphic September is an open multifandom challenge that calls on fans to create fanworks of any kind (fanfic, fanart, fan vids, graphics, podfics, cosplays, etc.) featuring sapphic ship(s) during the month of September.[note 1] Sapphic September most likely started on either Tumblr or LiveJournal,[note 2] two major hubs of fannish activity.
History
2016-2017: Beginnings
The earliest fic posted to AO3 under the Sapphic September tag dates back to 2016. However, there were not any prompts created specifically for a Sapphic September challenge until 2017. The first use of Sapphic September in this sense comes from a Tumblr blog called wlw-create in 2017. It was aimed at original art submissions only and was not directly connected to fandom. The creator also preferred that only wlw-identified artists participated in the challenge, especially if they used the NSFW prompts.[1]
A week later, femslashfeb (a Tumblr blog for Femslash February, a similar multifandom challenge that focuses on sapphic/femslash ships and has been around since 2013) posted a different set of prompts here with the caption:
Any world, any medium, as long as there’s girl loveJust do what you can and have fun!
I’ll be watching the tag #SaphSep2017 so make sure to tag in the first 5 tags with that so I can find you to reblog[2]
2018-2019: Moderator Changes
In 2018 and 2019, the challenge underwent an unofficial change in moderators. the-crownless-queen and golden-queen-writes on Tumblr teamed up to create some new annual prompts, available here (2018) and here (2019). The rules were slightly different than those stated in the first year:
In order to celebrate all the wonderful canon and fanon femslash pairings, @the-crownless-queen and I [golden-queen-writes] have teamed up to make a list of prompts!The Rules:
1. Drawing, aesthetic edits and writing (200 word minimum) are all acceptable!
2. For each day, you have the option of doing either prompt or using both in one fic.
3. All fics must have a sapphic pairing, but I’m sure that’s self-explanatory.
4. Both writing and drawing are acceptable!
5. Fanfiction only, please.
6. Please tag #SapphicSeptember2018 and #SapphicSeptember within the first five tags.[3]
A different set of prompts, aimed at drabble writers, was also posted in 2019 by stargazing-enby on Tumblr here, with the caption:
Sapphic September prompts for all of you wlw ship lovers who want to write some nice wlw drabbles this September 😊You get two prompts per day of the month: a dialogue line and a one-word prompt. Feel free to choose one, to write something for each, or to combine them both if you find a way!
If you use the tag #sapphicseptember2019 when posting I’d be really grateful! Wanna see what comes out of these 😋
Warning: some of the following prompts are/can be read as mature.[4]
2020-present: Current Moderators
In 2020, Violet storm and CoraWritesThings (formerly known as AveryWritesThings) took up the mantle of creating and sharing prompts for Sapphic September. For the first two years, they crossposted the prompts on their Tumblr accounts. Since 2022, the prompts have been streamlined and posted through a single blog, sapphic-september on Tumblr. The 2023 post describes the contest rules as follows:
Welcome to Sapphic September 2023!These prompts are open to any fandom and any medium as long as the works center sapphic, WLW/NBLW, F/F+, or femslash ship(s). There are no other rules — you can use all, some, or only one of the prompts; do one or more a day or spread them out; begin late or post them after September; or mix ‘n’ match prompts; it’s up to you!
Make sure to tag your work(s) with #sapphicsept2023 or #Sapphic September 2023 so that others can find your contributions and to spread the word![5]
Fanworks Produced
Fanworks created for Sapphic September can be found in several places, most notably on Tumblr and AO3, with some fanworks posted on sites like Dreamwidth, FFN, and Wattpad, as well.
- Tumblr tags:
- Sapphic September parent tag on AO3
- Sapphic September ficmeme on Dreamwidth
- Sapphic September stories on FFN
- #sapphic september stories on Wattpad
Sapphic September works
2016
There is no official tag on Archive of Our Own for Sapphic September 2016. However, in the more general Sapphic September tag, there are currently 11 works that are backdated to September 2016.
2017
The first official multifandom Sapphic September challenge was mostly confined to Tumblr where it originated. However, on Archive of Our Own, 6 works were posted in the Sapphic September 2017 tag in the month of September, while 29 works were posted in the more general Sapphic September tag in the month of September.
2018
On Archive of Our Own, 91 works were posted in the Sapphic September 2018 tag in the month of September, while 113 works were posted in the general Sapphic September tag in the month of September.
2019
On Archive of Our Own, 25 works were posted in the Sapphic September 2019 tag in the month of September, while 67 works were posted in the general Sapphic September tag in the month of September.
2020
On Archive of Our Own, 36 works were posted in the Sapphic September 2020 tag in the month of September, while 58 works were posted in the general Sapphic September tag in the month of September.
2021
On Archive of Our Own, 129 works were posted in the Sapphic September 2021 tag in the month of September, while 145 works were posted in the general Sapphic September tag in the month of September.
2022
On Archive of Our Own, 186 works were posted in the Sapphic September 2022 tag in the month of September, while 194 works were posted in the general Sapphic September tag in the month of September.
2023
On Archive of Our Own, 166 works were posted in the Sapphic September 2023 tag in the month of September, while 179 works were posted in the general Sapphic September tag in the month of September.
Notes
- ^ "Sapphic September" may also refer to the Sapphic September Readathon event that has been running since 2020 on various personal blogs or a wlw self-shipping event hosted by sapphicseptemberhub on Tumblr, both of which are run separately from and unrelated to this particular challenge.
- ^ The earliest posts on AO3 in the Sapphic September tag were posted in 2016 and seem to be connected to the Fallout Kink Meme on LiveJournal, though there is at least one fic that references a Tumblr kink meme, as well. The first multifandom use of Sapphic September, complete with a set of specifically curated challenge prompts, arose on Tumblr in 2017.
References
- ^ Sapphic September: a wlw art challenge by wlw-create on Tumblr.
- ^ Sapphic September 2017 by femslashfeb on Tumblr.
- ^ sapphic september 2018 by golden-queen-writes and the-crownless-queen on Tumblr.
- ^ Sapphic September prompts by stargazing-enby on Tumblr.
- ^ Welcome to Sapphic September 2023! by sapphic-september on Tumblr.