Tag: Ideas for writing speculative ficiton

Describe this Fantasy Scene Using Senses

Describe this fantasy scene using senses

The fun about using the senses to describe a scene in speculative fiction is that you can veer from reality. What if a character can smell color? Or hear emotions? Or sense heat like certain species of snakes? So today’s prompt is to describe this fantasy scene using senses, either the five we know or some you’ve invented.

Here’s my inspiration, going with the five usual senses, because my POV character is human:

I knelt behind the swaying fronds of the low palm, the leaves brushing my cheek.

There they were again: the mermaid seeming to enjoy the sunset while that whatever-it-was frolicked in the water around her rock. Third month in a row when the new moon would rise. It might not have been the same mermaid and whatever since I only saw them backlit against the flames of the sunset.

But the scent was the same. A rich, flowery smell with an undercurrent of tangy spice wafted over the murmur of waves caressing the shore of the cove. Did all mermaids have that scent or just this one? Or did come from the whatever?

Wiping my sweaty hands on my cut-off shorts, I stood. My tongue felt dry and stiff, like it’d been left on the beach all afternoon.

Breaking into a huge smile, I waved. “Hello!” I made myself sound as cheerful as a preschooler spotting new toys.

The whatever disappeared beneath the waves. The mermaid’s silhouette appeared to turn in my direction.

I waved again, still grinning like I hoped to split my cheeks.

The mermaid didn’t move. But she didn’t dive into the water.

For more prompts for speculative fiction, click here.

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Collaborative Speculative Fiction Part 2

Collaborative speculative fiction part 2

Here’s the photo for our collaborative speculative fiction part 2. In collaborative fiction, writers take turns adding sentences or paragraphs to a story. To read the first installment, click here. I’ll write the next section, and you can take it from there.

I ran onto the pier. I had to get out of the house, go some place without people–people meant problems.

Slowing to a walk, I jammed my hands into my windbreaker. The cold night and rising fog had left the pier empty of people. Perfect.

I leaned on the railing, breathing in the salt air. The sea was still, touched with silver where the moonlight could slip through the mist.

I stared at the horizon. How far could I see? How many miles? How many miles could I put between myself and–

The smooth surface of the water rippled. Something was swimming toward the pier. Something big.

My eyes widening, I felt my heart take a jump.

The ripple stopped, and a head broke the surface. A head like every dragon I’d ever seen in a fairy tale.

I slapped my hand over my mouth to squash a scream.

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Collaborative Speculative Fiction Part 1

collaborative speculative fiction part 1

My theme this month is speculative fiction. So I thought I’d try another collaborative story for prompts this month. I did this back in October for my mystery theme. I’ll post a picture, write a paragraph or more about it, and then you can add your sentence or paragraph to continue the story. Each Monday, I’ll post a another picture for the next installment of our story.

I’ll start us off with the first prompt.

The creature barely had to swish his tail, the sea was so calm. The moon turned the surface to silver, and the creature’s wake appeared as an arrow cleaving through it.

Lifting his head, the creature looked to the horizon, where many pinpricks of light dotted it, his nostrils flaring. He inhaled deeply, then tilted his head to one side and gazed at the sparks of light, which lined the horizon as if the stars overhead had fallen into a rut.

With one great last of his tail, the creature pivoted. Then with his tail acting as both rudder and engine, he swam toward the lights .

For more speculative fiction prompts, click here.

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