Current Bimonthly Writing Prompt
Cosmic Horror Writing Prompt
September – October 2026
Word Count: 750–2500 words
Submission Deadline: 15 October 2026
Magazine Publication: 31 October 2026
Our theme is Cosmic Horror—a subgenre of horror that emphasizes humanity’s insignificance in an incomprehensibly vast, indifferent universe, where ancient and unknowable forces defy understanding or control.
We would like all stories for this prompt to take place in a shared writing setting called Aldrich. This is our nod to H. P. Lovecraft and his associated writers who made places like Arkham and Innsmouth come alive with their shared, interconnected stories. However, if you wish to create your very own Cosmic Horror tale, please do.
ALDRICH
Aldrich is a small town somewhere in New England nestled among rolling hills. Main Street runs east to west, and a railroad runs north to south. The town is laid out in a grid with streets running parallel and perpendicular above and below Main Street. Aldrich Lake is to the northeast with a single road running up to the waterfront. The town is surrounded by old-growth woods and high hills. Aldrich has five roads connecting the town the adjacent towns which are many miles away.
There is no modern commercialization in Aldrich. No chain restaurants or big box stores. Everything here is still small business driven with unique New England character. Despite the presence of cell towers, the town doesn’t have good cellular service, and most people still rely on land lines. There are a few churches, two large graveyards, and a few small ones, as well as an asylum on the west side of town, various stores, and curiosity shops. There is a roadhouse, a boarding house, and a big hotel on the east side of town.
SHARED WRITING
Please read the previous stories to get a feel for the shared space. In general, writers are free to create private residences, businesses, and other areas needed for their stories. Please only create what you need for your story and try not to describe areas not related to your story. If you want to include a place already mentioned, please talk to the author of that story before using it. Aldrich will grow in time, story by story, and become an interconnected tapestry of tales.
PUBLICATION
ProtoStar (formerly Nebula) Magazine seeks original, unpublished stories for inclusion. If accepted, your submission will be published online as part of ProtoStar Magazine’s Cosmic Horror September-October 2025 writing prompt. By submitting your work, you grant ProtoStar (formerly Nebula) Magazine the non-exclusive right to publish your story on our website and associated digital and print platforms. You retain full copyright and all other rights to your work, and you are free to publish or license it elsewhere at any time.
Anton Kukal
Submissions Editor
Writer Prompts
Please Read the Stories here for the first Cosmic Horror writing prompt - Halloween '24:
Please Read the Stories here for the second Cosmic Horror writing prompt - Halloween '25:
Review our Submission Guidelines here:
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