Hello. I would like to share some free story prompts with the community. First, a series inspired by the themes of Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose and Clive Barker’s The Great and Secret Show (or Books of the Art). Such a series could entertain and provide value to readers and writers alike. Second, a romantic comedy / drama / science fiction story about a quantum physicist developing antigravity and/or superluminal propulsion for NASA Eagleworks. Possible tech jargon: “quantum mirrors”, “gravitons”, “Higgs bosons”, “superconductors”, and “probability amplifiers”. Are pursuits other than love folly or might the protagonist have his cake and eat it too? Third, an occultist / war-profiteer seeks to galvanize an authoritarian Europe by starting a war. Can the peace-and-democracy-loving swashbuckling protagonist stop the villain in time? Fourth, a shadowy strategic communications firm, Shepherd Analytica, advances artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data analysis, psychographic modeling, social media bots, social media marketing, and political forecasting. The firm continuously updates their suite of tools to sell their campaign services to the highest bidders. Drama and conflict unfold inside the firm as the future of elections hangs in the balance. Fifth, a series in which a world history professor goes missing and his protégé determines to solve the case. P.S.: Amazon recently purchased MGM and writing reimagined MGM properties could be both timely and opportune.
1. A scientific study into psychedelics, e.g., DMT, delves too deeply and its participants encounter increasingly strange, increasingly supernatural, phenomenon. What if “machine elves” were real… something from beyond ordinary perception and comprehension? (https://maps.org/ , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N,N-Dimethyltryptamine#Reported_encounters_with_external_entities) 2. In the future, a prototype android is bestowed with the ability to form social judgments, to form opinions about the humans it encounters. Does this super-intelligent android enjoy the company of humans? What if it increasingly doesn’t until it meets the protagonist, a new scientist at the lab? 3. A former president’s speechwriter is arrested under a new law for their actions at a subsequent job at a shadowy strategic communications firm where they designed tactical conspiracy theories advantaging their clients, far-right-wing politicians. 4. A new chaplain arrives at a prison. The chaplain happens to be a silver-tongued storyteller, their tales transporting the inmates to fantastical worlds. The matter unfolds into horror, however, as the inmates’ increasingly lucid decisions in the storyteller’s fantastical worlds result in real-world consequences to them in the prison. Both second chances and dangers await the inmates. 5. A world traveler journeys to a fictional, remote, small island nation. Throughout the course of the story, the island community becomes as a microcosm of – a looking glass reflecting – the United States of America and its social, economic, and political systems.
Here are the story prompts rephrased as synopses. What do you think? Do any other story prompts come to mind based on, or in response to, these story ideas? 1. As science ventures further into the vast frontiers of psychedelic medicines, a research psychologist finds that something is pushing back. 2. A prototype android is equipped to navigate interpersonal social spaces and it chooses to steer clear of its creators and their students until, one day, a new scientist arrives at the laboratory. 3. A new law is passed, the Decency in Mass Communications Act, but is it enforceable? A first suspect is arrested, a former political speechwriter turned communications strategist who designs tactical far-right conspiracy theories. What might the audience expect at the trial? 4. A group of soon-to-be parolees under the supervision of a new chaplain / narrative therapist survive a catastrophic prison fire only to find that strange happenings are just beginning. 5. A world traveler journeys to a remote, small island nation which serves as a looking glass for reflecting on their homeland. Throughout the course of the story, the island community becomes as a microcosm of – a looking glass reflecting – the United States of America and its social, economic, and political systems.
I like #1: 1. As science ventures further into the vast frontiers of psychedelic medicines, a research psychologist finds that something is pushing back. There is currently a lot of research going on looking into psychedelics as therapy. It is a very timely topic. What form do you imagine the thing pushing back can take?
Thanks for the question. In the context of hoping to inspire some creative writing about idea #1, let’s brainstorm and explore the topic! Some opine that endogenous (naturally occurring) DMT has played a role in many historical and contemporary esoteric, mystical, spiritual, paranormal, supernatural, and religious states of mind and experiences. Some opine that breathwork and meditation can release endogenous DMT. “Evidence of ayahuasca use dates back 1,000 years, as demonstrated by a bundle containing the residue of ayahuasca ingredients and various other preserved shamanic substances in a cave in southwestern Bolivia, discovered in 2010.” History. The history of the relationships between “machine elves” and mankind could be phrased as a component of the history of civilization, compiling together historical esoteric, mystical, spiritual, and religious states of mind and experiences. Internality/Externality. Are the “machine elves” from shamans’ or DMT users’ subconscious minds and/or are they fully-fledged external beings? Cardinality. In your story, is there one being or supernatural force, perhaps seen through multiple lenses, or are there multiple, distinct “machine elves”? Monolithicity. Are there different types of “machine elves” (regardless of their visual appearances)? Can they be differentiated in some ways, e.g., by age, role, ideology, or opinion with respect to their relationships with mankind, its modern science, and the laboratory/laboratories in the story? What if there are “little elves”, or “little teachers”, that are more often encountered by humans during DMT experiences, and then “elder elves” or more powerful beings that the “little elves” grow or expand into? Powers and Capabilities. What are the powers or capabilities of the various kinds of supernatural beings or “machine elves”? Notes. Perhaps there is some disagreement among the “machine elves” about their preferred lenses with which to be viewed by mankind: traditional/spiritual/religious versus modern/secular/scientific. Given the long history and related cultural traditions pertaining to the relationships between “machine elves” and mankind in the story, perhaps some, but not all, “machine elves” could be frustrated by the scientific advancements depicted in the story. This premise, for example, could explain a conflict and some supernatural happenings at a psychedelic medicine research laboratory/laboratories in a story. Encyclopedia Articles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamanism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anunnaki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feathered_Serpent https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayahuasca https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N,N-Dimethyltryptamine YouTube Videos Related Stories and Films I can also provide a list of thematically relevant, related stories and films for your consideration to draw inspiration from, if you would like. I’m not sure whether such a list would percolate or stifle creativity, depending on your process.
As interesting, here are some more story ideas expanding upon the themes of story prompt #1. 1.1: Perhaps one or more of the subjects display supernatural abilities. Forbidden Planet (1956) – Dark City (1998) – 1.2: Perhaps the subjects have experiences which are, if effable, non-empirical. Contact (1997) – 1.3: Perhaps one or more of the researchers piece together, generalizing from a vast number of “trip reports” – and potentially utilizing computer technology – a number of unusual patterns. See also: See also: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0329101/mediaviewer/rm1001085184/ 1.4: Perhaps some of the subjects encounter strange and frightening “aliens”. Communion (1989) – Independence Day (1996) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlawibQ_QKI Lost Highway (1997) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZowK0NAvig 1.5: Perhaps some of the subjects encounter wise and friendly “aliens”. E.T. (1982) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75M1XXEZciU&t=110s
