September Theme Prompt: The Bogeyman Cometh
Write a science fiction story in which the villain or antagonist is an artificial intelligence. This Halloween, there's a lot of scary...
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Jim Dutton
- Jul 20
- 2 min
May Theme Prompt Winner
"Cyborg Isle" by Maren N. Law is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for May/June.
590
Jim Dutton
- Jul 15
- 3 min
July Theme Prompt: This Mortal Coil
Write a science fiction story that explores the nature and consequences of (im)mortality. The current US president is 81 years old, and...
1760
Jim Dutton
- Jun 9
- 2 min
April Theme Prompt Winner
Editors' Choice The Wittiest Man in France by Philip Apps is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for April/May. Congratulations...
1040
Jim Dutton
- May 15
- 5 min
May Theme Prompt: Gothic Sci-Fi
Theme: Write a science fiction story that uses gothic settings and tropes. Gothic science fiction is the oldest kind. Mary Shelley's...
2000
Jim Dutton
- May 12
- 3 min
March Theme Prompt Winner
Editors' Choice Caring for Barbara by B. M. Gilb is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for March/April. This is a new author...
1881
Jim Dutton
- Apr 13
- 4 min
April Prompt: Meta-Sci-Fi
Theme: Write a science fiction story that refers to itself or breaks the fourth wall in some interesting way. Metafiction is a set of...
1650
Jim Dutton
- Apr 7
- 2 min
February Theme Prompt Winner
Editors' Choice Adrift by Randall Andrews is the editor's pick as the winning theme story for February/March. Last month's theme prompt,...
2190
Jim Dutton
- Mar 19
- 5 min
March Prompt: Othering AI
Theme: Write a story about the complex relationships between humans and artificial intelligence as this new form of "life" assimilates...
1720
Jim Dutton
- Mar 9
- 2 min
January Theme Prompt Winner
Fallstreak by Dale E. Lehman Editors' Choice The January theme prompt, Weather Warnings, ended on February 15, with the final accepted...
830
Jim Dutton
- Feb 17
- 4 min
February Prompt: On This Special Day
Theme: Write a story in which a special day plays an important role. A special day may be a holiday or a national observance of some sort...
1210
Jim Dutton
- Feb 3
- 2 min
Results for December Theme Prompt
Editors' Choice The December theme prompt, Treasures, Brightly Wrapped, ended on January 15 with the final accepted entry published on...
1130
Jim Dutton
- Jan 20
- 3 min
January Prompt: Weather Warnings
Theme: Your challenge this month is to write a story in which the weather or climate is an important plot element. Our monthly theme...
1420
Jim Dutton
- Jan 6
- 2 min
Results for November Theme Prompt
Editors' Choice The November theme prompt, Feasts with the Beasts, ended on December 15 with the final accepted entry published on...
1420
Jim Dutton
- Dec 16, 2023
- 3 min
December Prompt: Treasures, Brightly Wrapped
Theme: Your challenge this month is to write a story where the main character discovers something surprising about themselves. Something...
1900
Jim Dutton
- Dec 2, 2023
- 2 min
Results for October Theme Prompt
Editors' Choice The October theme prompt, Machine in the Ghost, was an enormous success! We received a bunch of fascinating,...
1650
Jim Dutton
- Nov 15, 2023
- 3 min
November Prompt: Feasts with the Beasts
Theme: This month we’re looking ahead and behind at the same time. Did you ever hear how aliens gave the ancient Egyptians the blueprints...
1740
Jim Dutton
- Oct 15, 2023
- 3 min
October Prompt: Machine in the Ghost
Theme: We challenge you to write a piece of flash sci-fi in which mechanical or AI contrivances imitate, replace, or become someone who...
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