We’re bringing back our monthly worldbuilding challenges with a new structure, new goals, and a format that actually fits how our community works today. These challenges are simple: one theme each month, everyone builds something short, and anyone can participate at any skill level. No pressure, no judging, no competition. Just shared creativity.

The goal is straightforward. We want to spark ideas, help you explore corners of your setting you normally ignore, and give you a reason to build consistently. These themes will be designed to work around Kanka’s strengths: linked entities, timelines, connections, objects, maps, and layered storytelling. You can create a single entity or several. A paragraph or a page. Whatever gets the idea across.

AI note: Using AI for proofreading, outlining, or inspiration is fine. Fully AI-written submissions go against the point of the challenge. The whole purpose is to encourage human creativity, not outsource it.

Why this is different from the old challenges

Those of you who have been here for a while might remember our previous iteration, which we discontinued for multiple reason, low participation being one of them. We believe that the old structure worked against participation by turning prompts into a competition, ultimately suppressing contributions. It forced writers to produce something polished or impressive. Judging (where the winner got to rank the next challenge’s entries) added friction for us and made it intimidating. Picking “winners” ultimately created hierarchy where we didn’t want any.

We removed all of that. No prizes, no rankings, no judges, no performance pressure. Perfect work isn’t’ the goal, sharing is. These challenges are about building a community of worldbuilders who inspire each other, not about scoring entries. We hope that lowering the bar makes participation easier, more honest, and abundant.

February 2026’s theme: Echoes of lost civilisations

This month’s theme is Echoes of lost civilisations (an homage to our old worldbuilding challenges, and due to me currently reading the Sun Eater book series). Explore a vanished culture, its ruins, artefacts, surviving myths, or the ways its influence still bleeds into your world’s present.

For example, you can focus on a single relic, a half-buried city, a forgotten calendar system (gasp!), a dead language, or the people trying to resurrect its power.

Build at least one entity connected to a fallen civilisation and share a short summary, Kanka link, or screenshot in the challenge thread on our Discord‘s worldbuilding forum. No required format. No required length. If it nudges your world forward, it counts.

Monthly theme challenges start today. One theme, one month, no pressure. Build something small and share it. That’s the whole point. Happy worldbuilding!