Science fiction is not really about predicting the future. It may occasionally seem to precede technology with concept, but it’s record of prediction is really just awful. It’s more of a way to explore things, like different ways people and society could be, investigate questions of ethics, and explore human nature.

• Your story should feature an extraterrestrial. It should not be humanoid, because aliens aren't going to be anything like humans, and humanoid aliens are boring. Through this extraterrestrial—and it could be a thing just as much as an organism—explore something about people. Your story should probably challenge some assumptions, and explore something interesting. Hopefully this is specific yet vague enough to inspire something. Note: Your story does not actually need to be sci-fi. It could be a medieval mystery, or a myth, or a western, I don’t care. The extraterrestrial thing might not even be super obvious.



• Extra rule: Your protagonist should not die at the end of the story. Break this rule at your own peril.

Regular rules of no erotica, fanfiction, rants, etc.

Flash inspiration: Can’t think of something neat to base your extraterrestrial off of? Request a critter and I will give you a picture of some weird-ass organism on Earth to inspire you. Use it! Or don’t.