The Ether-Bound Guardian
Imagine a world where every human has a guardian spirit linked to an element (fire, water, earth, air). However, your character discovers they are bonded with a rare element thought to be a myth—ether. Describe their discovery and the powers that come with it, along with the dangers as they are hunted by those who wish to harness ether’s unique abilities.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Write it as a document from the world: a letter, a field report, a warning sign.
- Make the magic or technology cost your hero something they can't get back.
- Give the villain a reason that would convince you, if you lived there.
Writing paranormal fiction
Vampires, ghosts and witches, just around the corner.
Paranormal fiction drops supernatural beings into the real, modern world. Unlike horror, the creatures aren't always the threat: they're often the heroes or the love interests. It overlaps heavily with romance and urban fantasy.
What readers expect
- Supernatural beings in our world
- A hidden society with its own rules
- Romance, danger or both
- Secrets ordinary people can't know
A tip before you start
Decide the rules early. Can your vampires cross running water? Readers will hold you to it.
More Supernatural and Paranormal prompts
- Lives Beneath the Full MoonWrite a story about a small town where every full moon, inhabitants wake up with a faint memory of living another life in a parallel dimension.…
- The Ghost in the Tech MuseumWrite a story from the perspective of a ghost who is haunting a modern technology museum. Explore the contrasts and confusions they face in an era of…
- When Nature SpokeAfter a failed scientific experiment, you find that you can hear plants and animals speak. Initially, it's fascinating, but you soon learn they have…
- The Guardian Angel ReturnsIn your world, children are born with the ability to see their guardian angels, but lose this ability as they grow up. You're an adult who…
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