#349 From the Ashes with Michael McConnell

This week, we're running a takeover in collaboration with Reedsy freelancer Michael McConnell. The winner of this contest will not only be awarded $250 — they’ll also receive ten hours of copyediting services from Michael! For your chance to get insight from a Reedsy professional, read on!

Hello, writers!

I'm Michael McConnell, a published author and a freelance copy editor for three of the Big Five publishing houses. And of course, I’ve been a Reedsy professional since 2017.

I've dedicated my career to helping other writers strengthen their craft and produce highly polished manuscripts. When I’m not editing, I’m reading for pleasure — and one of my favorite genres is post-apocalyptic fiction.

This popular genre lets us explore human resilience and ethics: tales that test characters' limits, highlighting the strength of the human spirit and the moral choices made under high-stakes conditions. These stories often examine societal rebuilding: they allow writers to imagine how new societies are built from the ashes, and what values or technologies from the old world are worth saving.

Through post-apocalyptic fiction, we can explore different kinds of fears — such as pandemics, environmental collapse, or nuclear war — in an imaginary space out of harm’s way, while also offering readers escapism and the chance to experience extreme scenarios from a safe distance.

This week’s prompts are inspired by post-apocalyptic fiction. You can write in any genre for this contest, but try to keep some post-apocalyptic themes in mind as you craft your stories, whether they be survival, preservation, resilience, the loss of technology, or rebirth. Good luck!