Writer's Prompts | Panic Mode: Activated

Writers, Unleash Your Inner Panic!

Alright, scribblers, here’s your chance to turn chaos into creative gold, based on our podcast “Panic Mode: Activated.”

 We challenge you to whip up a piece—no more than 600 words—that captures the magic of a full-blown panic attack, all while keeping it witty, wild, and wonderfully dramatic. Submit your work and if it’s hilariously dramatic (or dramatically hilarious), we might just read it on the podcast!

Prompt One: The Flight from Hell

Picture this: you’re sitting on a flight, peacefully absorbed in your book, when suddenly, the cabin erupts into pandemonium. The pilot bursts out of the cockpit in a blaze of smoke, yelling something so outrageous that even your bookmark drops in shock. Your task? Recount this incident from the point of view of another passenger who’s just trying to enjoy their chapter—but instead finds themselves smack in the middle of airborne bedlam. Capture every frantic heartbeat, every absurd pause, and every moment of “what in the world?” hilarity or drama. Think of it as a literary roller coaster where the only thing falling faster than the plane is the reader’s jaw.

Prompt Two: Cool Under Pressure—Until Everyone Else Isn’t

Now, imagine your main character: the epitome of cool, calm, and collected in the midst of a crisis. They’re the rock in a sea of chaos—until, of course, they’re surrounded by a bunch of panicky, overreacting individuals whose contagious anxiety sends our stoic hero spiraling into a meltdown. Write a scene where your character’s cool composure is slowly eroded by the collective hysteria of those around them. How does our hero handle the sudden barrage of chaos? Do they attempt a stoic monologue that crumbles under the weight of their peers’ panic? Or do they, like everyone else, eventually get sucked into the frenzy? We want to see the ripple effect of panic—its contagious power, its ability to turn even the calmest soul into a blabbering mess.

Remember, folks, the goal isn’t just to describe panic—it’s to celebrate it. Show us that panic isn’t a sign of weakness but a wildly unpredictable human reaction that can be both funny and heartbreaking. Write with the kind of energy that makes readers feel like they’re sitting in the middle of a near-disaster flight or watching a calm protagonist unravel like a sweater in a washing machine.

So, sharpen those pens, clear your minds (or at least try to), and dive headfirst into the glorious mess that is panic. Your submissions might just be the perfect blend of humor and drama that our podcast—and our eccentric team of podcasters—live for. Extra points if you include an Icelandic waterfall.

Happy writing, and may your characters never be too cool to crack when the pressure’s on!

Go to Submit Your Work @ Effigy Press