#sfwc “nightly routine”

[shortfictionweeklychallenge]

Short Fiction Weekly Challenge

Time for a new prompt from the Short Fiction Weekly Challenge, tumblr edition.  Let it spark your imagination.  Any character, any fandom, any original world.   Reblogs welcome!

Post your story to your blog and send the link to Short Fiction Weekly Challenge!  We’ll send the link out to all our followers to enjoy.

This week’s SFWC prompt:

Week of May 17, 2024

Nightly Routine: Does your character have a routine to go through before falling asleep? What is it? Something very human, like a soothing beverage and a book, followed by some personal hygiene, changing, and then bed? Is their only routine staying awake until they can't anymore? Do they have insomnia if they can’t perform their routine, or are the steps habits they can skip if need be? What about a specific bedtime or time spent sleeping? Why do they do what they do? Can they change? If their species doesn't sleep, what nighttime habits do they notice among their companions?

Feel free to continue submitting stories for any prompt.  A masterpiece missed the deadline?  Don’t let it gather electronic dust.  Submit it anyway and Short Fiction Weekly Challenge will publish it.  

This week’s featured previous prompts are: 

Culture and Cuisine: Expansive worlds have many different cultures--think Wheel of Time or Game of Thrones--while others are more limited or less described for a variety of reasons. Even in the most detailed worlds, there are places to put your own stamp on things. How about a town or planet with its own unique celebration or hero (Jaynestown, anyone)? A character who rejects a belief or observance otherwise widely accepted? Food, cuisine, and manners are intricately tied up with culture--see the aforementioned works--how does your story explore them? What do they miss, what are they glad they left behind, and what new things have they adopted? Did they do so to get along or because they genuinely enjoy or believe them?

Enemies to Friends: Occasionally, your character and an enemy end up on the same side. And beyond sharing a common goal or working together just this once, they begin hanging out and relying on each other. Why? What converts their enemy to a friend? Note: this is not necessarily a heel-face turn. If your character is villainous their enemy might end up on the dark side. They have cookies, after all. Maybe both decide the struggle is futile and retire together. What about your character’s other friends?

Got an idea for a prompt?  Submit it here.