February is a crucial and celebratory month for rural writers, marked by the release of major rural anthologies and peak submission periods for both regional youth writing contests and prominent literary fellowships.
February for Literary and Rural Writers
About February
Hot February Themes and Marketing Ideas
Leverage these month-long observances to plan your social media marketing or newsletter topics.
Creative Romance Month
Highlight a specific scene where one of your leads pulls off an outside-the-box, creative romantic gesture.
Black History Month
Spotlight your favorite Black authors, historical figures, or book recommendations.
International Boost Self-Esteem Month
Excellent for non-fiction authors, memoirists, or bloggers focused on mental wellness and personal growth.
International Friendship Month
Share content celebrating the found family tropes or best friend dynamics between characters in your books.
February Dates and Prompts
Consider the major holidays in February to help you write stories and generate ideas for books. Here are some ways to incorporate holiday traditions into fiction and writing tropes.
February 2 is Groundhog Day
For fantasy writers, use this as a commonly used hook to flesh out a funny office snippet or trope.
February 14 is Valentine's Day
Capitalize on the ultimate day of love by sharing character Q&As or your favorite romantic tropes.
Mid-Month is Presidents' Day
A great time to frame world building content, especially regarding political factions, leadership, or historical lore in your stories.
Rural Writer Opportunities in February
February is a month when writers are warming up their mental muscles. The spring smells in the air and the budding flowers with buzzing bees help!
Whether or not you are the next Charlotte spinning her web on the farm with all the animals, rural writing is a hot commodity in February. To spin your creative web, prepare with these February rural writing opportunities, publications, and communities:
Boyd’s Station—located in rural Kentucky, this organization hosts the Mary Withers Rural Writing Fellowship; the early part of the year is dedicated to reviewing student and emerging journalist applications submitted by the deadline
Literacy In Place—hosted by Dr. Chea Parton, this educational platform frequently publishes the winners of their Rural Teen Writing Contest and releases special podcast episodes focused on rural Young Adult literature (YAL)
Rural Fiction Magazine—dedicated online publication that publishes short stories, poetry, and flash fiction capturing the modern rural experience
The Milk House—prominent rural literature organization that publishes high-quality country writing; they celebrate the month by announcing the overall winner of the Best in Rural Writing Contest and releasing the subsequent print anthology
Daily Yonder Rural Culture
For a broader, independent look at regional arts and literature funding, you can track the Daily Yonder Rural Culture coverage. Whether it is arts and entertainment, food, or recreation, the Daily Yonder is dedicated to highlighting the richness of life in rural communities.
Core themes in their culture coverage include:
Arts and entertainment—news, reviews, and cultural criticism of how rural life is depicted in media and pop culture
Commentary and essays—first-person and analytical perspectives from rural residents, educators, and community leaders
Living traditions—features on time-honored and emerging practices—from Appalachian weaving and seed saving to hip-hop music and gun-art blacksmithing
You can explore their latest articles and multimedia projects via these platforms:
Listen to Yonder Radio—tune in to the Yonder Radio broadcast for weekly conversations about rural culture, child care, and Appalachian history
Read the latest short stories—browse their complete Rural Culture Coverage for recent arts reviews and living traditions reporting
Subscribe to the Yonder newsletter—sign up for The Good, the Bad, and the Elegy newsletter to track rural pop culture and media portrayals
28 Days of Flash Fiction Prompts
Here I have a chart that you can save as an image for 28 days of flash fiction writing prompts for 2027. If you want to use this in 2028, keep in mind that year is a leap year! I suggest a 29th prompt of “Something goes missing that shouldn’t” for that oft-missing day.
