On Sunday morning at 9:30 AM Eastern in our Discord server’s voice chat, come hang out and listen to the stories that have been submitted be read. I’d love to have you there! You can be a reader and/or a listener. Plus if you wrote we can offer crit in-chat if you like!

• /u/kreegersan - “The Wicked Heart: A Veil and Carlos story” -

• /u/Zetakh - “Sword and Harness” -.

• /u/atcroft - “Swiggin’ and Storyin’ of Swashbucklin’” -

1. /u/throwthisoneintrash - “Detour Into Adventure” -

2. /u/rainbow--penguin - “Love of Adventure” -

3. /u/IWouldButImLazy - “Steampunk Siege” -

Welcome back to the proper 21st Century, writers. We are going to be revisiting an old theme this month that has been a bit neglected: Genre Month. There will be four genres presented for you to explore. No common theme beyond that so be sure to come back each week to see what I’ve brought up for you!

For the final week I’m pushing you to a rather obscure place: Rustbelt Gothic. This is a relatively new subgenre of the gothic tradition. To that end you can also do any gothic tradition. There’s traditional Gothic, Australian Gothic, Southern Gothic, Maori Gothic, Suburban Gothic, and so many other regional variants. Write what you like, I’m just being greedy in wanting Rustbelt specifically.

So let’s start with Gothic Fiction. Widely known for it’s dark foreboding airs and buildings full of illwill—it is named after a type of architecture after all—this genre focuses on the past encroaching on the present. The old buried things do not wish to stay buried. Vengeance, persecution, and murder are common themes. Some may stay grounded as others push to the supernatural. Thanks to time always passing there is always a past and always a present. This allows for the development of many regional subgenres. So let’s crack into one that I wish we could see more of.

Rustbelt Gothic.

Do you want a quick reference and maybe a helpful youtube video? Night In The Woods and Rust Belt Gothic: A Literary Analysis by RegularCarReviews (yes, really). With how popular the game is, it might be one of the most well known examples today. If you want to read about it well, here’s my best quick breakdown.

First, understand the Rustbelt is a section of the midwestern and northeastern US that was an industry powerhouse from the Industrial Revolution through the post WWII economic boom thanks to the rest of the northern hemisphere's manufacturing having been bombed to hell. People prospered and built nice towns and cities all on the money brought in through manufacture. However as more centers of manufacture opened back up internationally in Europe, Asia, and South America, as well as the move to the west coast and south fueled by lower labor costs and easier access to shipping than the Great Lakes, the towns died out.

Apty named as many of the abandoned mills and factories literally rust away, the metaphor extends to the towns themselves just becoming barren and listless. People unable to move sit in a state of unending anticipation that maybe, somehow, the factories will come to life again and things can go back to the way they were. But there is no going back. Companies don't want to return to the area more for the logistical issues than even the expense of labor and new construction. It just isn't a good business decision. However that hope is what drives these areas to anyone that promises them a return to The Old Days. Are you actually reading through all of this? If so, have a fun bonus constraint. It isn’t worth any more points, but it will be our little secret. Work in the phrase “A Serious house on serious earth” into your story.

However the political nature aside, these rustbelt settings evoke many gothic themes of impending doom, isolation as you can't escape the situation, desperation for the nightmare to end, and a depressing air of death on everything. David Trotter likened the dead old buildings of industry to the looming dark castles of classic gothic literature. It is fitting.

Anyhow, do some digging, maybe your own region has a tradition you want to showcase! Being in proximity to the region and my former life in Urbex makes the Rustbelt tradition really appealing for me and I would like to see more works in the genre. So I’ll be indulgent and leverage my feature. Good words, all!

Write a story or poem, no more than 800 words in the comments using at least two things from the three categories below. The more you use, the more points you get. Because yes! There are points! You have until 11:59 PM EDT 28 May 2022 to submit a response.

After you are done writing please be sure to take some time to read through the stories before the next SEUS is posted and tell me which stories you liked the best. You can give me just a number one, or a top 5 and I’ll enter them in with appropriate weighting. Feel free to DM me on Reddit or Discord!

• Antiquated

• Decay

• Shadow

• Dyspathy

• Darkness loomed over everything.

• Something dwelled there.

• Genre: Gothic

• Subgenre: Rustbelt Gothic

• Nominate your favourite WP authors or commenters for Spotlight and Hall of Fame! We count on your nominations to make our selections.

• Come hang out at The Writing Prompts Discord! I apologize in advance if I kinda fanboy when you join. I love my SEUS participants <3 Heck you might influence a future month’s choices!

• Want to help the community run smoothly? Try applying for a mod position. Everytime you ban someone, the number tattoo on your arm increases by one!