Mixing old genre tropes can often have fresh new results, and result in amazing stories.

So imagine this scenario. You are the Captain of a brand new starship on her maiden voyage. Your ship is hundreds of light years from Earth when you start hearing odd noises. The head of engineering delivers her team’s findings in person, knowing you won’t believe them any more than she did at first.

There is a very confused troll under the bridge of your new starship. His name is Horatio.

Remember: Challenges are supposed to be fun, but don’t forget to stretch yourself and take risks. If you normally write fantasy, try science fiction. If you’ve never tried writing in first or second person, here’s your chance. The story doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, this is all about trying new things and gaining new skills, and most of all, having fun. Challenge stories can go up at anytime. Put “Challenge” in the title so people can find it.

Challenges can be suggested by anyone and suggestions should be sent to Jaime (news (at) onlinewritingworkshop.com).

Some of the best stories start with the writer asking her or himself a “what if…” question. One question leads to another, and before you know it, you’ve got a story idea.

So here’s a question for all of you: What if summer never ended? How would the world, and the people living in that world, change?

Remember: Challenges are supposed to be fun, but don’t forget to stretch yourself and take risks. If you normally write fantasy, try science fiction. If you’ve never tried writing in first or second person, here’s your chance. The story doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, this is all about trying new things and gaining new skills, and most of all, having fun. Challenge stories can go up at anytime.  Put “Challenge” in the title so people can find it.

Challenges can be suggested by anyone and suggestions should be sent to Jaime (news (at) onlinewritingworkshop.com).

Pictures are often the best writing prompts of all. A single photograph can generate entire worlds and situations, scenarios and put you into a character’s mind. No two people will view a picture the same way. No two writers will write the same story about a photo.

The challenge we have this month is for you to write a story about this photo:

Remember: Challenges are supposed to be fun, but don’t forget to stretch yourself and take risks. If you normally write fantasy, try science fiction. If you’ve never tried writing in first or second person, here’s your chance. The story doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, this is all about trying new things and gaining new skills, and most of all, having fun. Challenge stories can go up at anytime.  Put “Challenge” in the title so people can find it.

Challenges can be suggested by anyone and suggestions should be sent to Jaime (news (at) onlinewritingworkshop.com).

Writing prompts and challenges can come from anywhere. This month I want you to think about the word “last” and what it could mean, and what it might imply.

Think about what it means to be the last one left behind, to see the last sunset, to find the last survivor. What if you lived on the last planet to still support life? What would it feel like to know that the Fae were dying and you were leading the last wild hunt?

Think about all that and more, then flip those ideas on their head.

Remember: Challenges are supposed to be fun, but don’t forget to stretch yourself and take risks. If you normally write fantasy, try science fiction. If you’ve never tried writing in first or second person, here’s your chance. The story doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, this is all about trying new things and gaining new skills, and most of all, having fun. Challenge stories can go up at anytime.  Put “Challenge” in the title so people can find it.

Challenges can be suggested by anyone and suggestions should be sent to Jaime (news (at) onlinewritingworkshop.com).

Leah Quire, resident challenge guru, gives us this idea: “Create a character and include a full bio. Now write an article or a story about him/her, and frame it as if you are writing a psychiatric evaluation.”

Remember: Challenges are supposed to be fun, but don’t forget to stretch yourself and take risks. If you normally write fantasy, try science fiction. If you’ve never tried writing in first or second person, here’s your chance. The story doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, this is all about trying new things and gaining new skills, and most of all, having fun. Challenge stories can go up at anytime.  Put “Challenge” in the title so people can find it.

Challenges can be suggested by anyone and suggestions should be sent to Jaime (news (at) onlinewritingworkshop.com).