Summary

The website content presents a writing prompt challenge for July, inviting writers to explore the themes of "The Lord of Mischief" or "The God of Machines," and to incorporate these deities into their stories, choosing between the old god Loki and the new god Technology.

Abstract

The article introduces a creative writing prompt themed "Let There Be Light" for the month of July, encouraging authors to select a deity that intrigues them—either the Norse god Loki, known for mischief and chaos, or Technology, revered in modern times for its impact on human life. Participants are urged to weave their chosen god into their narratives, reflecting on the influence of religion and mythology in storytelling. The prompt suggests considering the dichotomy of Old Gods versus New, and how these entities can add depth to a story, particularly through the lens of their potential for both good and evil. Writers are instructed to craft stories between 100 and 1000 words, tag them appropriately, and link back to the prompt for community engagement. The article also promotes following Microcosm Pub for updates and highlights Zane's upcoming project, "Design Thinking for Storytellers."

Opinions

Loki is portrayed as an inspiring figure for writers, offering a wealth of material for stories due to his cunning and trickery.
Technology is personified as a modern deity, reflecting society's dependence on it and its dual role in improving and complicating human life.
The prompt suggests that the inclusion of religious and mythological elements can enrich stories by adding layers and complexity.
Writers are encouraged to explore the theme from a fresh perspective, moving beyond clichés such as those depicted in popular media like the Avengers.
The article implies a reverence for the power of words and storytelling, equating technology's influence to a form of worship.
It is suggested that technology, while beneficial, can also lead to negative outcomes like addiction and isolation.
The prompt emphasizes the importance of community by asking writers to link back to the source and to follow Microcosm Pub for ongoing engagement and support.

Writing Prompt: The Lord of Mischief or the God of Machines?

What tricks are up your selves or in your notification-ridden inboxes?

**“Technology as God”** a painting by Zane Dickens and a helpful AI.

Prompt one for July’s theme: Let There Be Light

July Theme: Let There Be Light

Apologies to the faithful this month may be a little blasphemous

medium.com

This month the prompts are simple

Pick the god you find most interesting.

Weave them into the core or the background of your story. Consider how religion and mythology give your story so many more layers. And how your luckless hero can get tangled in the dice games of the gods.

Pick a side, Old Gods or New.

Choose Old God: Loki

Loki was the Norse god of mischief and chaos.

He’s known for his cunning and trickery, and is often portrayed him as a mischievous trickster god.

Which, if you ask me, inspires oh so many twisted and dastardly ideas.

We also knew Loki for his appearance, which was said to be that of a tall, slender man with long, dark hair and a pale complexion.

See one Tom Hiddleston for reference.

Loki’s backstory is that he was born to two giant parents, Farbauti and Laufey, and was raised in the realm of Jotunheim. Loki’s most famous stories include his role in the theft of the golden apples of Idunn, and his part in the binding of the giant Fenrir.

And of course we’ve all seen the Avengers, so try something different.

Choose New God: Technology

Technology, as a god, embodies a belief that technology can improve the human condition.

This god is worshipped by those who believe that technology can solve problems and improve the quality of life.

We cannot live without it. These very words are one of the first kinds of technology, and as writers, it's impossible not to worship words at some level.

We pray for cars to start. For trains to be on time. For television to keep us company, for the lights to come on, and for our phones to unfreeze.

Its pulsing electronic circuits and invisible binary influence suffuse our lives up to our bloodshot eyeballs and doom scrolling opposable thumbs.

Technology is often seen as a force for good, as it can provide us with new ways to communicate and connect with each other.

However, it can be a force for evil too, leading to addiction and isolation.

Technology has us all. Whether we like it or not.

Choose your ‘god’, mythology, and make it your own!

Your story must:

Be min 100 and max 1000 words long, excluding the title, subtitle, and any post-story bio/links. (We use Medium’s own word count feature.)
We recommend tagging your story Fiction, Flash Fiction and maybe your genre too. Or 100 Word Challenge if you’re doing that. But it’s your choice.
Please link back to the prompt so others can find it easily.

Also please follow Microcosm Pub, as our official account will soon start publishing the prompts. Hit the Newsletter icon to get these in your inbox.

New here? Here’s how to write with us. We’d love to see your stories.

Microcosm: Write With Us

A publication for readers and writers who love tiny stories with big hearts.

medium.com

Zane’s launching Currently Untitled anew in August as Design Thinking for Storytellers to help writers rethink their fiction to be more like Obi Wan Kenobi helping young Luke. A product with a purpose.