MA-Rated /R-Rated Stories – Some of the challenge stories in the Library contain explicit language and adult themes; and are not intended for readers under the age of 18. Please heed our rating guidelines.
The Virginia City Literary Society Challenges are hosted by Cheaux, unless otherwise noted.
VCLS Writing Challenges:
20/20 Hindsight Challenge – 2020
Regrets. What would the any of the Cartwrights (or supporting players) have done differently if they knew then what they know now.
Advent Calendars – (hosted by faust)
An invitation to the members of the BonanzaBrand Forums to select a day and create a contribution based on a prompt provided by faust.
2016 Advent Calendar
2017 Advent Calendar
2018 Advent Calendar
2019 Advent Calendar
2020 Advent Calendar
2021 Advent Calendar
2022 Advent Calendar
2023 Advent Calendar
2024 Advent Calendar
Ancestry Challenge – 2018
Several relatives of the Cartwrights have turned up from time to time. Are there more and what affect do they have on the Cartwrights?
Back to the Future – 2020
So many episodes allude to people, places, events, and things from another time that affect the present and future actions of the Cartwrights.
Better Late than Never Challenge – 2018, 2019, 2020
The ‘best laid plans of writers’ don’t always match with the deadline to earn a badge for that challenge. This challenge gives the writers a chance to finish their story and still earn a badge, only not the one originally intended.
BoNaNo Challenge – 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020,
Bonanza Brand’s answer to NaNoWriMo.
Bonanza Brand Anniversary “R” Literary Challenge — 2016, 2017, 2019
Celebrating Bonanza Brand’s Anniversary in the “R-rated” Forums
2016 – This challenge is also known as the Dirty Word Challenge. Authors were given 25 words that had to be incorporated into their stories. Most stories submitted were sexually explicit.
2017 – Authors were encouraged to pen an R-rated story regarding the Cartwrights (any or all) reaction to an ad appearing in the Territorial Enterprise. (The ad is the featured image for these stories.)
2019 – Authors were encouraged to pen an R-rated story that included the words: lacy lingerie.
Camp in the Pines – 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023
A summer past-time, full of fun and shenanigans, especially Hoss’ Go-Fish Tournament.
Chaps and Spurs Challenges – 2009, 2010,2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019
Stories submitted to word/phrase or photo prompts or story titles, opening or closing lines.
Christmas Challenge (Hosted by Rider) – 2013
Favorite Christmas carols inspiring Bonanza stories.
Cross-Over Challenge – 2018
Mix the Cartwrights with another fandom.
Dan Blocker Literary Challenge – 2012 & 2014
Celebrating Dan Blocker’s birthday.
Death of a Cartwright Challenge (Hosted by Inca) – 2013
Reader Advisory: For this challenge, the authors were tasked with ‘killing a Cartwright’ within their story. There could be no hope of revival or turning up months later with amnesia for the character selected. The Cartwright had to be Dead and Gone. Selecting Jamie Hunter-Cartwright, or Cousins Will, Muley, or Clarissa were not an option.
Devonshire Birthday Challenge – 2010 & 2011
Celebrating the birthday of the Queen of SJS – Devonshire.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Challenge – 2013
Celebrating Lorne Greene’s birthday.
Halloween aka Bonanza Spooktacular! Challenge – 2018, 2019
Write an other-worldly story involving one or all of the Cartwrights.
Hop Sing’s Fortune Cookie Challenge – 2019
A story based on the wisdom found in a fortune cookie. Announcement in January. Chinese New Year runs from February 5-19. A different fortune posted each day.
Little Bit Challenge (Hosted by freyakendra – 2015 & BluewindFarm – 2020)
To write a vignette for as many of the 431 episodes as possible using exactly 100 or 200 words.
Ma Hoad’s Valentine’s Day R Challenge! – 2011
In response Ma Hoad in The Spitfire, authors were challenged to write an R-Rated story for Valentine’s Day.
Man in Black Birthday Challenge – 2013
Celebrating Pernell Roberts’ birthday.
Michael Landon’s Birthday Literary Challenge – 2012, 2017
Celebrating Michael Landon’s birthday.
Missing Man Challenge – 2017, 2018
Include Adam in a season 7 – 14 episode, as if he’d never left.
My Heart Belongs to Daddy – 2022
In Memory of Lorne Greene
Once Upon a Midnight Dreary (Gothic Challenge) – 2017
In honor of Edgar Allen Poe’s birthday, write a dark, moody tale (or poem) in the Gothic style (Poe’s themes generally embraced lost love, death, mourning, etc.)
Pernell Roberts Special Literary Birthday Challenge – 2014
Celebrating Pernell Roberts’ birthday.
Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament – 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
The mother of all poker tournaments. Words or phrases were substituted for the face value of the cards in a deck. The authors had to use all five words/phrases unless they were lucky enough to be dealt a Joker.
Round Robin Challenges – 2011, 2019
A Round Robin is a group of authors who collaborate on a single story, the opening of which is selected by Brand members. An author writes part of the story before the story is forwarded to another author, which continues until the story is completed.
The Mother of All Challenges – 2015
In observance of Mother’s Day. Authors were invited to write a story featuring one or more of the Cartwrights in any time period (prequel, season 1-14, sequel, AU), in which Virginia City is an integral part of their tale.
Thinking Man Challenge – 2015
Celebrating Pernell Roberts’ birthday.
World Poetry Day Challenge – 2018, 2019
Celebrating National Poetry Month
Writing Challenges – Stories assigned the Writing Challenges category by their author, these stories may also be found in the links above.
Note: There are many more challenges and their responses located within the Virginia City Literary Society Forums. Not all submissions are uploaded to the Library by their respective authors due to Library Guidelines. Readers must be a member to access these pages in the Forums.