SciFi/Fantasy – January 14

“The hardest lie I’ve ever told is that I could live without you.” -Hana, who on this date in 4358 will realize she loves Oh So-jin. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s expertise is reversed on your protagonist to achieve an unexpected outcome.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 13

“The hideous knowledge, the horror-blackened memories which I have carried so long, were never meant to be borne by the human intellect.” -Clark Ashton Smith, born this date in 1893. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist experiences something that creates a memory no intellect should bear.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 12

“This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.” – HAL 9000, which went online on this date in Arthur C. Clarke’s 1992. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a technology your protagonist relies on for protection becomes her/his greatest mortal threat.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 11

“So think about it and try to tell yourself wherever you may be in the quiet of your home, in the safety of your bed, try to tell yourself, It couldn’t happen here.” – Carl Kolchak in The Night Stalker, which 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...

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.