SciFi/Fantasy – January 7

Galileo discovered the four major moons of Jupiter (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) on this date in 1610. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must accomplish a herculean task using only technology everyone else in the world you’ve created considers hopelessly outdated and obsolete.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 6

“You must enjoy being beat. Let me remodel your face one more time.” -Cammy White, born this date in 1974. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist advises a dangerous Type-A personality to chill out.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 5

“You’ve all the time in the world.” -David Filby to H. George Wells, who on this date in 1900 told his friends about his journey to the future and then traveled to the year 802,701 to rebuild civilization. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist tells her/his closest friends s/he is leaving on a trip from which s/he will not return.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 4

“I’m Death, and I make sure that everyone is equal.” -Jakob Grimm, born this date in 1785. Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist first hears the childhood folk tale your protag considers most influential in his/her life.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 3

“It’s wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope.” -John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, born this date in 1892. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must persuade a group of false-hoping allies that s/he is not leading them on an irrational course.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 2

“If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.” -Isaac Asimov, born this date in 1920. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which an exception proves this rule.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 1

“The Queng Ho counted from the instant that a human had first set foot on Old Earth’s moon.” -Vernor Vinge, describing the moment the UNIX operating system began keeping time on this date in 1970. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s life depends on carefully tracking time with no means to do so.

SciFi/Fantasy – December 31

“That was the difference between a hero and a villain, a soldier and a murderer, a victory and a crime. Which side of a river you called home.”- Joe Abercrombie, born this date in 1974. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes s/he’s dining with people who would consider her/his greatest triumph a total disaster.