SciFi/Fantasy – May 24

“I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.”- Bob Dylan, born this date in 1941. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist decides to trade some of her/his freedom to avoid some responsibility.

SciFi/Fantasy – May 23

“The sky-filling disk of the dim yellow-orange sun was just rising on the east coast of the northern continent when the new universe was discovered.”- John Cramer, in whose 2004 George Griffin leaped from a Swiss mountain on this date. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist inadvertently communicates her/his presence to an opposing force your protagonist did not know...

SciFi/Fantasy – May 22

“After a short flurry of national and international concern over the ‘death of the Sun,’ the human race settled down to solving the insoluble problem in the best way that they knew – they ignored it and hoped it would go away.”- Robert L. Forward, in whose 2050 the Cheela discover agriculture on this date. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist does battle with an...

SciFi/Fantasy – May 21

“THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.” The Last Question was asked for the first time on this date in Isaac Asimov’s 2061. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must alter a fundamental law of the universe you’ve created.

SciFi/Fantasy – May 20

“Death is the most important word in the language, right after birth. What comes in between is immaterial; everybody goes through his days remembering that all his life is just preparation for the moment of his death. You’ve changed all that. Did you expect the world to take it calmly?” Richard Bryant is cremated on this date in Robert Silverberg’s 2033. Writing prompt: Write a scene in...

SciFi/Fantasy – May 19

“Cait, I have to try.”- Ronnie Raymond, who died on this date in 2015 after uttering those last words. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is transformed by merging with someone or something.

SciFi/Fantasy – May 18

“Whoever thinks algebra is a trick in obtaining unknowns has thought it in vain.”- Umar Khayyam, born this date in 1048. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s reaction to a mathematical challenge reveals the role math plays in the dominant culture of the world you’ve created.

SciFi/Fantasy – May 17

“It encapsulates the idea that the universe works like a machine, with rules we can discover, understand and predict.”- Jo Marchant on the Antikythera mechanism, discovered by Valerios Stais on this date in 1902. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist finds something mechanical for which there is no obvious purpose.