SciFi/Fantasy – January 10

“The human mind searches for cause and effect, always; and we all prefer the weird and thrilling to the dull and commonplace as an answer.” – Jack Finney, in whose 1956 a man was shot and killed on this date by a gun that had been discovered the day before and remained locked in a New York City police department safe. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is attacked by an opponent with a...

SciFi/Fantasy – January 9

“The custom is, sir, that those who know a situation handle it and those who don’t watch and learn, or get out of the way.” -CJ Cherryh in Downbelow Station, in which the Alliance takes Pell Station on this date in 2353. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist refuses to watch, learn, or get out of the way despite having no clue about how to handle the situation.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 8

“God not only plays dice, He also sometimes throws the dice where they cannot be seen.” -Stephen Hawking, born on this date in 1942. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist confronts something that is infinitely improbable.

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must accomplish a herculean task using only technology everyone else in the world you’ve created considers hopelessly outdated and obsolete.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.