SciFi/Fantasy – August 29

“I tend to be attracted to characters who are up against a wall with very few alternatives.”- William Friedkin, born this date in 1935. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist has only two options for survival, one of which will cause the death of a cherished companion.

SciFi/Fantasy – August 28

“Almost every job, you get somebody watching you.”- Jack Vance, born this date in 1916. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist chafes under supervision.

SciFi/Fantasy – August 27

“Like so many unhappinesses, this one had begun with silence in the place of honest open talk.”- Ira Levin, born this date in 1929. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist learns that at least some people believe s/he was born by supernatural means.

SciFi/Fantasy – August 26

“Transportation is Civilisation, our motto runs. Theoretically we do what we please, so long as we do not interfere with the traffic and all it implies.” The District of Northern Illinois will remove itself from all global systems and demand direct administration by the ABC in Rudyard Kipling’s 2065. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist recognizes the unintended consequences of...

SciFi/Fantasy – August 25

“We have just learnt from an eminent publisher in this city that Sir John Herschel, at the Cape of Good Hope, has made some astronomical discoveries of the most wonderful description, by means of an immense telescope of an entirely new principle.” The Great Moon Hoax started on this date in 1835 when the New York Sun launched a series of six satirical articles about the discovery of a civilization on...

SciFi/Fantasy – August 24

“Information wants to be free, but so does misinformation. The printing press empowered such religious progressives as Erasmus and John Calvin; it also empowered hucksters, war profiteers, terrorists, and bigots.”- Andrew Marantz On this date in 1456, Johannes Gutenberg completed printing his Bible. Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist first comes to understand the impact of her/his...

SciFi/Fantasy – August 23

“Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives.”- Carl Sagan Lunar Orbiter 1 shot the first photograph of our planet from space on this date in 1966. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist first encounters a life-changing...

SciFi/Fantasy – August 22

“You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.”- Ray Bradbury, born this date in 1920. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist takes a leap of faith but doesn’t complete her/his wings before the fall concludes.