A year of writing prompts: 3 October

How to use these prompts

Why is the sun pink?
Is it our sun, or a sun/moon/planet the inhabitants of a different world see in their sky?
What happened on the Day of the Pink Sun?

Prompts

1. "It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail." Gore Vidal
2. It's Virus Appreciation Day. Write a story featuring a virus - biological or computer, your choice. If you choose the latter, it may be relevant that today is also Techies Day, a day to appreciate the technical people in your life.
3. In 1995, Stephen Hawking said that time travel was possible - for nuclear particles, at any rate. Write a story about time travel.
4. In 1978, the world's most prolific shoplifter was finally caught and sent to prison. He'd stolen £90,000 worth of stuff including a £1,500 carpet which had been nailed to the floor in Harrods. His nemesis was a store detective who let down the tyres on his getaway bicycle while he was nicking a tin of wax polish. Write a story about a prolific shoplifter, or someone who shoplifts just once.
5. Smile - Here Comes the World.

Character Names

Helga, Gudrun, Elza, Kristina, Keiran, Keira, Jasper, Ciara, Teresa, Gerard, Oswald

Character Traits

• Frivolous and vain, concerned with pointless leisure activities and their own self image.
• Good looking and courteous.
• May lack confidence in themselves, which can lead to them putting their trust in other people too much, allowing others to take advantage.
• That said, they may well have loyal friends who will mitigate potential disasters.
• Do not always learn from their mistakes.
• Often fail to make the most of opportunities.
• Find it hard to leave the past behind and move on.
• Males may suffer from impotence or be effeminate; females may end up with an impotent partner.
• Idealistic and romantic; not always practical.
• There may be a rags to riches story. Will have empathy for the downtrodden, because they have been there.
• Sensitive and imaginative; want to be useful to society.
• Know that hard work is more important than luck in achieving success.
• Possible careers: hospitality; film, modelling, sales, agent, working with chemicals or poisons.
• May suffer from claustrophobia.
• May have lung and breathing problems.

Possible Themes

Fascination with the past, nostalgia, regret.

Finding the way out.

Wishful thinking.

Dark and Gothic things.

Work.

Objects

A coalmine; a ravine; a mirror; a broken bridge; a burning bough of sage; a large diamond.