SciFi/Fantasy – January 11

The Night Stalker, starring Darren McGavin as investigative reporter Carl Kolchak, premiered on this date in 1972. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s refusal to believe the truth is out there leaves her/him vulnerable when that truth takes a sudden interest in your protag.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 10

On this date in Jack Finney’s “I’m Scared” 1956, a man was shot and killed in Central Park by a gun that had been discovered the day before and remained locked in a police department safe. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is attacked by an opponent with a weapon that is impossible for that opponent to possess.

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must accomplish a herculean task using only technology everyone else in the world you’ve created considers hopelessly outdated and obsolete.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

Novelist, critic, and photographer Wright Morris was born on this date in 1910. He used photos taken on a 15,000-mile round trip of the USA to inspire his fiction. Writing prompt: Write the story of this Wright Morris photo from your antagonist’s point of view: