SciFi/Fantasy – March 4

“Traveling through space is stupifyingly monotonous.” On this date in Edgar Rice Burrough’s 1866, John Carter arrived on Barsoom for the first time. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist wakes up someplace s/he couldn’t possibly be.

SciFi/Fantasy – March 3

“Oh, laddie, you have a lot to learn if you want people to think of you as a miracle worker!” James Doohan was born on this date in 1920. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist relies on an expert to pull off a life-saving exploit without knowing whether it will succeed.

SciFi/Fantasy – March 2

“Why are you still here?” On this date in Allen Steele’s 2006, Jamie Rosen was born. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist figures out why someone who should have left a long time ago is still hanging around.

SciFi/Fantasy – March 1

“More weight!”- Giles Corey On this date in 1692, the Salem witch trials commenced, resulting in the eventual execution of 19 people. Writing prompt: Write a scene invoking an historic injustice in the world you’ve created that reverberates, centuries later, during a crisis for your protagonist.

SciFi/Fantasy – February 28

“Your account with the Treasure Book Club, of $4.98 plus interest and charges, has been turned over to our agency for collection. The amount due is now $6.83. Please send your check for this amount or we shall be forced to take immediate action.” – from a letter to Walter Child on this date in Gordon R. Dickson’s 1966. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is imprisoned at...

SciFi/Fantasy – February 27

“… because they were lonely and perplexed, because they had all come from a place of sadness and worry and defeat, and because they were all going to a mysterious new place … a strange thing happened….” Writing prompt: Describe what strange thing happened by writing a scene that finishes this line from John Steinbeck, born on this date in 1902.

SciFi/Fantasy – February 26

“I think precision in small things can be important.” – Elaine Metro, who on this date in Isaac Asimov’s 2076 identifies a spy sent from Earth. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must identify the one person who is not like the others in a group made up of lots of people who appear similar physically.

SciFi/Fantasy – February 25

“We can destroy what we have written, but we cannot unwrite it.” – Anthony Burgess, born this date in 1917. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s peers describe their vision of dystopia.