Science Fiction & Fantasy writing prompt
The Library of Altered Pasts
Construct a tale about a librarian who stumbles upon a secret section in the library that houses books affecting the reality around them. One particular book allows them to alter aspects of the past — delve into their experiments with history and the consequences of these changes on the present.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
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Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- 1Tell it from the point of view of someone who thinks this world is perfectly normal.
- 2Shrink the stakes to one family, one street, one night.
- 3Choose one ordinary object and show how this world changed it.
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See them all- The Living Books of OrraAn ancient library is found on a distant planet, filled with books in languages no human can read. Follow the story of a linguist and a team of archaeologists as they decode the planet’s secrets, only to find that the books are living entities.
- The Library of WorldsDevelop a narrative about a mystical library where every book is a portal to a different universe. A novice librarian accidentally opens a cursed book, trapping them in a reality where literary characters seek to escape their narratives. To return, they must broker peace between heroes and villains who no longer wish to follow their written paths.
- The Magical EngineerEnvision a city where magic isn't just real—it's part of everyday life and industry. Follow the life of an engineer who specializes in blending technology with magic. Their next big project could solve an energy crisis but might also attract the ire of a rival magical engineer.
- The Fifth Element's SongImagine a society where musical notes can manipulate the elements—fire, water, air, and earth. The protagonist, born mute in a family of renowned composers, discovers an alternative kind of music through sign language that can control the fifth element, Aether, which has long been considered a myth.
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