time travel creative writing ideas

127+ Time Travel Story Ideas & Prompts For Creative Writers

What if you could go back in time and read this introduction before I wrote it? That’s the kind of mind-bending question time travel stories love to explore. It’s no wonder they’ve been popular since H.G. Wells penned “The Time Machine” in 1895.

Time travel isn’t just a sci-fi gimmick. It’s a powerful tool for storytellers. It lets us rewrite history, peek into the future, or create complex character arcs that span centuries. But with so many time travel tales out there, how do you come up with something new?

Don’t worry – I’ve got your back! This article is packed with fresh, inspiring time travel story ideas. Whether you’re writing a novel , screenplay , or short story, you’ll find concepts here to kickstart your creativity. From historical “what-ifs” to futuristic paradoxes, we’ll explore the full potential of temporal tales.

Ready to warp your imagination? Let’s go!

Tons of Time Travel Story Ideas

Historical adventures.

These stories allow characters to journey to significant historical events, interact with famous figures, and explore “what if” scenarios that alter or preserve key moments in history.

The Unwritten Symphony : A time traveler visits Vienna in 1827 to meet Ludwig van Beethoven, who is struggling with his hearing loss while trying to complete a symphony that could redefine classical music. As they help Beethoven find inspiration , they change the course of music history and influence future composers.

The Day Lincoln Lived : Traveling back to April 14, 1865, a historian prevents the assassination of Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre. As they explore how Lincoln’s survival impacts his plans for Reconstruction and the healing of a divided nation, they witness significant changes in American history.

The Fall of the Aztec Empire : Journeying to 1519, an anthropologist attempts to warn the Aztecs about Hernán Cortés’ arrival. As they face the challenges of convincing the Aztec leaders, they see how the survival of the empire impacts global history.

The Unburned Library : A scholar goes back to ancient Alexandria to save the Great Library from destruction. As they witness how the preservation of knowledge accelerates scientific progress, they see its influence on future generations of thinkers.

The Unseen Armistice : A diplomat prevents the outbreak of World War I by mediating peace between European powers in 1914. As they explore a world where the Great War never happens, they observe how political alliances, technological advancements, and cultural shifts develop differently.

The Unfinished Painting : Traveling to 1503, an art enthusiast assists Leonardo da Vinci in completing the Mona Lisa. As they discover the secrets behind the painting’s enigmatic smile, they see how its completion influences the art world and da Vinci’s legacy.

The Unfought Battle : Altering the outcome of the Battle of Hastings in 1066, a military strategist leads to a different ruler on the English throne. As they examine the cultural shifts and political changes that follow, they witness a transformed history.

The Unbroken Treaty : Preventing the signing of the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494, a navigator changes the geopolitical landscape. As they explore the effects on colonization, trade routes, and relations between European powers, they see a new world order emerge.

The Unwritten Declaration : Visiting Philadelphia in 1776, a political philosopher influences the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, ensuring more inclusive rights from the start. As they consider how these changes impact the founding of the United States, they witness its future development.

The Uncrowned King : Traveling to 1483, a royal advisor prevents the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower. As they witness how their survival changes the course of English history, they alter the Wars of the Roses and the rise of the Tudor dynasty.

The Unstoppable March : Joining Gandhi in 1930 during the Salt March, a peace activist uses foresight to prevent British retaliation. As they explore the impact of a more peaceful transition to independence, they see how India’s future and its role in the world are affected.

The Unseen Revolution : Going back to 1789, a political advisor influences the French Revolution’s leaders to adopt more moderate reforms, preventing the Reign of Terror. As they consider how these changes impact France’s development, they observe its influence on global revolutions.

The Unsunk Armada : Traveling to 1588, a naval strategist aids the Spanish Armada, leading to its victory over England. As they explore how this victory changes the balance of power in Europe, they see the future of the Spanish and British empires transformed.

The Unwritten Gospel : Meeting Jesus of Nazareth, a historian documents his teachings firsthand. As they consider how this firsthand account might alter the course of religious history, they witness the development of Christianity.

The Unfought Duel : Preventing the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in 1804, a political ally preserves Hamilton’s life. As they explore how Hamilton’s continued influence shapes early American politics, they observe changes in the nation’s financial system.

Futuristic Explorations

These stories allow characters to go into the future and see new technological advancements and societal changes. They may explore the implications of dystopian or utopian futures and how they came to be.

The AI Overlords : In a future where AI governs society, a human rights activist navigates the ethical dilemmas of coexisting with machine rulers. As they uncover a hidden resistance movement, they must decide whether to join the fight for human autonomy or seek a peaceful coexistence.

The Last Green Oasis : An environmental scientist travels to a future Earth devastated by climate change, discovering a thriving green oasis amidst the desolation. As they investigate the oasis’s secrets, they face moral choices about whether to share its technology with the world or protect it from exploitation.

The Utopian Experiment : A sociologist visits a future society that claims to have achieved utopia. As they delve deeper, they uncover the hidden costs and sacrifices made to maintain this perfect world, challenging their beliefs about happiness and freedom.

The Time Capsule : A historian stumbles upon a time capsule from the future containing advanced technology. As they grapple with the decision to introduce these innovations to their present, they face unforeseen consequences that threaten to unravel the fabric of time.

The Genetic Divide : In a future where genetic engineering has created a divide between enhanced and unenhanced humans, a journalist investigates societal tensions and conflicts. As they uncover a conspiracy that could bridge the genetic gap, they must choose between exposing the truth and protecting their loved ones.

The Virtual Reality Escape : A gamer and programmer enters a future where virtual reality is indistinguishable from real life. As they become entangled in a virtual world, they struggle to maintain their identity and relationships in the face of digital addiction.

The Last Human Colony : An astronaut and engineer travels to a distant future where Earth’s last human colony struggles for survival on a new planet. As they work to ensure the colony’s future, they uncover secrets about the planet’s past inhabitants that could change everything.

The Solar Flare Crisis : In a future where a massive solar flare threatens to wipe out all digital technology, a scientist races against time to preserve knowledge and society. As they lead a team to build a digital ark, they face sabotage and betrayal from those who would see them fail.

The Time Traveler’s Guide to the Galaxy : A time travel enthusiast and guide operates in a future where time travel tourism is booming. As they navigate the risks of altering timelines, they encounter a mysterious traveler with a hidden agenda that could disrupt the entire industry.

The Rewilding Project : An ecologist returns to Earth in the future after humans have left to allow nature to reclaim it. As they lead the first expedition to explore the rewilded planet, they discover unexpected dangers and wonders that challenge their understanding of nature.

The Memory Market : In a future where memories can be bought and sold, a detective uncovers a conspiracy involving stolen identities. As they delve deeper, they must confront their own past and decide whether to risk everything to expose the truth.

The Quantum Leap : A physicist witnesses a future breakthrough in quantum computing that allows for instantaneous travel across the universe. As they explore new worlds, they face ethical dilemmas about the impact of colonization and the responsibility of discovery.

The Dystopian Rebellion : In a future where a totalitarian regime controls every aspect of life, a rebel leader fights for freedom. As they lead the underground movement, they must navigate betrayal and sacrifice to ignite a revolution.

The Utopian Downfall : A historian and writer visits a future utopia on the brink of collapse. As they uncover the events leading to its downfall, they must decide whether to intervene or let history take its course.

The Time Loop Society : In a future where society lives in a perpetual time loop, a scientist works to break the cycle. As they uncover the mysterious event that triggered the loop, they face the ultimate choice between personal happiness and the greater good.

Alternate Realities

These stories allow characters to explore parallel universes and experience the butterfly effect, where minor changes in the past lead to vastly different present realities.

The Unseen War : A soldier discovers a parallel universe where their country lost a major war. Faced with this alternate reality, they must decide whether to return to their own world or fight for a cause they once opposed.

The Divergent Path : A scientist invents a device that allows them to visit parallel universes. As they explore worlds where they made different life choices, they must confront the impact of these decisions on their identity and happiness.

The Altered Timeline : A historian accidentally changes a minor event in the past, creating a new timeline where a different civilization dominates the world. Exploring this altered reality, they must choose whether to restore the original timeline or embrace the new world.

The Parallel Family : A parent stumbles upon a universe where their family dynamics are completely different. Experiencing life with alternate versions of their loved ones, they must decide which reality they truly belong to.

The Forgotten Friendship : A time traveler inadvertently prevents a chance meeting that led to a lifelong friendship. In a world without their closest ally, they must find a way to restore the bond or accept a life without it.

The Alternate Revolution : A political activist discovers a universe where their movement succeeded in creating a new government. Exploring this reality, they must decide whether to bring these revolutionary ideas back to their own world.

The Unwritten Novel : An author finds themselves in a universe where their most famous work was never published. As they explore the consequences of this absence, they must decide whether to recreate the novel or pursue a new path.

The Lost Invention : An inventor discovers a parallel world where their groundbreaking invention was never created. In this reality, they must choose whether to introduce the invention and risk altering the course of history.

The Unmet Love : A romantic soul finds themselves in a universe where they never met their soulmate. Experiencing life without their partner, they must decide whether to seek them out or embrace a new love.

The Alternate Legacy : A descendant discovers a universe where their ancestor made a different choice, leading to a vastly different family legacy. As they explore this reality, they must decide whether to restore the original legacy or accept the new one.

The Unseen Disaster : A scientist prevents a minor environmental change, leading to a world where a major disaster never occurred. Exploring the consequences, they must choose whether to restore the original timeline or embrace the new reality.

The Parallel Career : A professional discovers a universe where they pursue a completely different career path. Experiencing life in this new role, they must decide whether to return to their original career or embrace the change.

The Unchallenged Leader : A political figure finds themselves in a universe where their rival never existed. In this new reality, they must decide whether to maintain their power or seek out new challenges.

The Alternate Childhood : An adult revisits a universe where their childhood was vastly different. As they explore the impact of these changes on their personality, they must decide whether to return to their original life or embrace the new one.

The Unseen Art : An artist discovers a parallel world where their artistic style is completely different. As they explore the impact of this change on their career, they must decide whether to adopt the new style or return to their original work.

Personal Journeys

These stories allow characters to use time travel for self-reflection and personal growth, as well as to explore family ties by meeting ancestors and uncovering family secrets.

The Regretful Reunion : A character travels back to a pivotal moment in their past to mend a broken friendship. As they navigate the emotional complexities of their younger self, they must decide whether to change their actions or accept the past as it is.

The Ancestral Quest : A character journeys back in time to meet their great-grandparents, uncovering hidden family secrets. As they learn about their ancestors’ struggles and triumphs, they gain a deeper understanding of their own identity and values.

The Second Chance : After a failed career, a character travels back to their first job interview, determined to make different choices. As they relive their early career days, they must confront the fears and insecurities that held them back.

The Lost Love : A character revisits a past relationship, hoping to understand why it ended. As they relive moments with their former partner, they must decide whether to change the outcome or find closure in the present.

The Family Heirloom : A character travels back to the origin of a cherished family heirloom, discovering its true significance. As they uncover the story behind the object, they learn valuable lessons about their family’s legacy.

The Unspoken Apology : A character returns to a moment when they hurt a loved one with harsh words. As they navigate the emotional landscape of their past, they must decide whether to apologize or let the experience shape their growth.

The Forgotten Dream : A character revisits their childhood dreams and aspirations, reigniting their passion for an abandoned hobby. As they explore their younger self’s ambitions, they must decide whether to pursue these dreams in the present.

The Family Reunion : A character travels back to a family gathering they never attended, meeting relatives they never knew. As they uncover the dynamics and secrets of their extended family, they gain insights into their own place within it.

The Unfinished Letter : A character finds an unsent letter they wrote in their youth and travels back to deliver it. As they confront their younger self’s emotions, they must decide whether to send the letter or leave it in the past.

The Sibling Bond : A character revisits a childhood rivalry with a sibling, seeking to understand its roots. As they relive their shared experiences, they must decide whether to mend the relationship or accept it as it is.

The Mentor’s Wisdom : A character travels back to meet a mentor who profoundly influenced their life. As they seek guidance from their younger self’s perspective, they must decide whether to follow the mentor’s advice or forge their own path.

The Parental Legacy : A character journeys back to their parents’ youth, witnessing pivotal moments in their lives. As they learn about their parents’ struggles and sacrifices, they gain a new appreciation for their upbringing.

The Unlived Life : A character explores a path they never took, experiencing an alternate version of their life. As they navigate this new reality, they must decide whether to embrace the changes or return to their original timeline.

The Healing Journey : A character revisits a traumatic event from their past, seeking closure and healing. As they confront their pain, they must decide whether to alter the event or accept it as part of their growth.

The Ancestor’s Choice : A character travels back to witness a critical decision made by an ancestor. As they observe the impact of this choice on their family’s history, they gain insights into their own decision-making process.

Time Travel Romance

These stories explore the complexities of love across time. Characters may fall in love with someone from another era or attempt to rekindle lost love by traveling back to important moments.

The Timeless Connection : A modern-day historian falls in love with a portrait from the 18th century. When they are mysteriously transported back in time, they meet the subject of the painting and face the challenges of a love that defies centuries.

The Lost Letter : A character discovers an unsent love letter from the past and travels back to deliver it. As they meet the letter’s intended recipient, they must decide whether to alter the course of history for the sake of love.

The Dance of Eras : A ballroom dancer from the present day finds themselves in a 1920s speakeasy, where they meet a charismatic partner. As they fall in love through dance, they must find a way to bridge the gap between their worlds.

The Revolutionary’s Heart : A character travels back to the American Revolution and falls for a passionate revolutionary. Amid the dangers of war, they must decide whether to stay in the past or return to their own time.

The Victorian Affair : A character from the future finds themselves in Victorian England, where they fall for a charming aristocrat. As they explore the constraints of societal norms, they must decide whether love is worth sacrificing their modern freedoms.

The Medieval Romance : A character is transported to a medieval kingdom, where they fall for a knight with a mysterious past. As they uncover secrets and face battles, they must decide whether to fight for their love or return to their own time.

The Jazz Age Serenade : A musician from the present day travels back to the 1920s and falls for a jazz singer. Immersed in the vibrant world of speakeasies and prohibition, they must find a way to bring their love into the future.

The Time-Traveling Artist : An artist falls in love with a muse from the Renaissance. As they travel back to capture their muse’s likeness, they must decide whether to remain in the past or return to their own time with their art.

The Ancient Love Story : A character travels back to ancient Greece and falls for a philosopher. As they explore the world of classical thought, they must decide whether to stay in the past or bring their newfound wisdom to the present.

The Pirate’s Heart : A character finds themselves on a pirate ship in the 17th century, where they fall for the enigmatic captain. Amid the dangers of the high seas, they must decide whether to stay with their love or return to their own time.

The Regency Romance : A character from the future is transported to Regency England, where they fall for a dashing duke. As they experience the complexities of courtship and society, they must decide whether to remain in the past or return to their own time.

The Lost Love Song : A character discovers a forgotten love song from the past and travels back to meet the composer. As they fall in love through music, they must decide whether to alter the course of history for the sake of their relationship.

The Time-Traveling Detective : A detective from the present day travels back to solve a mystery and falls for a witness from the past. As they work together to uncover the truth, they must decide whether to stay in the past or return to their own time.

The Renaissance Rendezvous : A character is transported to the Italian Renaissance, where they fall for a brilliant inventor. As they explore the world of art and science, they must decide whether to remain in the past or return to their own time.

The Colonial Courtship : A character travels back to colonial America and falls for a charming settler. While adjusting to the challenges of frontier life, they must decide whether to stay in the past or return to their own time.

Time Loop Dilemmas

These stories explore the intriguing concept of time loops, where characters are stuck repeating the same day or experiencing different outcomes based on their choices.

The Endless Monday : A character finds themselves reliving the same Monday over and over. As they navigate the monotony, they must uncover the lesson they need to learn to break free from the loop.

The Wedding Day Repeat : A bride or groom is stuck in a time loop on their wedding day. As they experience the day repeatedly, they must confront their doubts and fears about marriage to move forward.

The Exam Day Dilemma : A student relives the day of an important exam, each time making different choices about how to prepare. As they explore various outcomes, they must discover the true purpose of the loop.

The Reunion Loop : A character attends a high school reunion and finds themselves repeating the night. As they reconnect with old friends and enemies, they must resolve past conflicts to escape the loop.

The First Date Cycle : A character is trapped in a loop on their first date with someone special. As they relive the date, they must learn to be authentic and vulnerable to break the cycle.

The Office Groundhog Day : An employee experiences the same workday repeatedly, facing different challenges and interactions with colleagues. They must discover the key to improving their work-life balance to escape.

The Birthday Paradox : A character relives their birthday, each time making different choices about how to celebrate. As they explore the significance of the day, they must confront their fears of aging and change.

The Concert Loop : A musician is stuck in a loop during a pivotal concert performance. As they relive the show, they must overcome stage fright and embrace their passion for music.

The Family Dinner Repeat : A character finds themselves repeating a tense family dinner. As they navigate the dynamics, they must learn to communicate openly and honestly to break free.

The Election Day Cycle : A politician relives election day, each time experiencing different outcomes based on their campaign choices. To escape the loop, they must confront their motivations and values.

The Vacation Paradox : A character is stuck in a loop during a vacation, each day offering new adventures and challenges. They must learn to appreciate the present moment to break the cycle.

The Job Interview Repeat : A job seeker experiences the same interview repeatedly, each time making different choices about how to present themselves. To escape, they must discover the key to self-confidence.

The Hospital Loop : A doctor relives a day in the hospital, facing different medical emergencies and ethical dilemmas. To break free, they must learn to balance empathy and professionalism.

The Festival Cycle : A character is trapped in a loop during a cultural festival, with each day offering new insights into their heritage. To escape the cycle, they must embrace their identity.

The Market Day Repeat : A vendor relives the same day at a bustling market, each time making different choices about their business. They must discover the importance of community and connection to break the loop.

Time Police and Enforcers

These stories explore the concept of time law enforcement and temporal outlaws, where characters navigate the challenges of maintaining or disrupting the timeline.

The Time Patrol : A dedicated officer in a time-traveling police force is tasked with preventing illegal alterations to history. As they chase a notorious time thief, they must confront their own past decisions and the moral complexities of their role.

The Temporal Fugitive : A former time cop becomes a fugitive after discovering corruption within the force. As they evade capture, they must gather evidence to expose the truth and clear their name.

The Paradox Enforcers : A team of enforcers specializes in fixing paradoxes caused by rogue time travelers. As they tackle a particularly complex case, they must work together to unravel the mystery and restore the timeline.

The Time Heist : A group of skilled thieves plans a heist across different time periods, aiming to steal valuable artifacts. As a time cop tracks their movements, they must outsmart the criminals and protect the timeline.

The Temporal Peacekeepers : In a future where time travel is common, a peacekeeping force mediates conflicts across eras. As they navigate a delicate negotiation, they must prevent a war that could alter history.

The Rogue Agent : A seasoned time cop goes rogue, using their knowledge to alter key events for personal gain. As their former partner pursues them, they must confront their motivations and the consequences of their actions.

The Time War : A rebel group fights against an oppressive regime that controls the timeline. As they launch attacks on key historical events, they must balance their desire for freedom with the potential for chaos.

The Temporal Conspiracy : A young recruit in the time police uncovers a conspiracy to manipulate history for profit. As they investigate, they must decide whom to trust and how far they will go to protect the timeline.

The Time Traveler’s Dilemma : A time cop faces a personal dilemma when they encounter a loved one from the past. As they struggle with their emotions, they must choose between duty and desire.

The Historical Guardians : A secret organization protects the timeline from those who would exploit it. As a new threat emerges, they must rally their forces to defend history from destruction.

The Temporal Double Agent : An undercover agent infiltrates a group of temporal outlaws, gathering intelligence to bring them down. As they gain the rebels’ trust, they must decide where their true loyalties lie.

The Time Enforcers’ Legacy : A retired time cop mentors a new generation of enforcers, passing on their knowledge and wisdom. As they face a new threat, they must confront their past mistakes and guide their protégés.

The Time Traveler’s Code : A group of ethical time travelers adheres to a strict code to protect history. As they encounter a rogue traveler, they must decide whether to uphold their principles or bend the rules.

The Temporal Refugees : A group of refugees from a war-torn future seeks asylum in the past. As time cops pursue them, they must navigate the challenges of survival and assimilation in a new era.

The Timekeeper’s Trial : A time cop stands trial for altering history, facing judgment from their peers. As they defend their actions, they must confront the moral and ethical implications of their choices.

Historical Mysteries

These stories have characters that use time travel to solve enigmas from the past or recover artifacts with hidden secrets.

The Pharaoh’s Secret: A time-traveling detective is sent to ancient Egypt to uncover the truth behind a pharaoh’s mysterious death. Navigating court intrigue, they must solve a mystery that has been lost to history.

The Vanished Manuscript: A scholar travels to the Middle Ages to find a lost manuscript with groundbreaking scientific knowledge. Facing rival factions, they must decipher its secrets before it disappears forever.

The Enigma of the Templars: A character journeys to the time of the Knights Templar to solve the mystery of their sudden disappearance. As they infiltrate the order, they uncover a conspiracy that could alter history.

The Lost City: An archaeologist travels back to the height of the Mayan civilization to discover the fate of a lost city. They must navigate jungle dangers and ancient politics to unravel the city’s secrets.

The Disappearing Duchess: A future detective travels to Victorian England to solve the mystery of a duchess who vanished without a trace. Delving into social circles, they uncover secrets buried for centuries.

The Cursed Crown: A character is tasked with retrieving a cursed crown from a notorious medieval king’s court. They must decide whether the curse is real or a clever ruse amidst treacherous politics.

The Alchemist’s Riddle: A time traveler ventures to the Renaissance to solve the mystery of an alchemist’s disappearance. They must unlock the secrets of the alchemist’s work before it falls into the wrong hands.

The Pirate’s Treasure: A character travels to the Golden Age of Piracy to locate a legendary treasure. Battling rival treasure hunters and treacherous seas, they must decipher clues left by a notorious pirate captain.

The Vanishing Violin: A musician journeys to the Baroque era to find a famous composer’s missing violin. Navigating the world of classical music, they must solve the puzzle before the instrument is lost forever.

The Witch’s Trial: A time-traveling investigator is sent to the Salem witch trials to uncover the truth behind the accusations. They must separate fact from fiction to bring justice to the innocent.

The Emperor’s Puzzle: A character travels to ancient China to solve the mystery of an emperor’s missing artifact. As they navigate the imperial court’s intricacies, they must piece together the puzzle before it leads to war.

The Disappearing Diplomat: A detective ventures to the early 20th century to solve the mystery of a diplomat who vanished during a peace conference. They must unravel political tensions and uncover the truth before history is altered.

The Viking’s Secret: A character travels back to the Viking Age to uncover the mystery of a legendary warrior’s burial site. Exploring Norse mythology, they must decipher the clues left by the warrior’s clan.

The Painter’s Muse: An art historian journeys to the 19th century to solve the mystery of a famous painter’s missing muse. They delve into the artist’s world to uncover the truth behind the muse’s disappearance.

The Timekeeper’s Artifact: A character is tasked with retrieving a mysterious artifact from the ancient world. Navigating the dangers of time travel, they must uncover the artifact’s secrets and its connection to a modern-day mystery.

Time Machine as a Commodity

These stories explore the concept of time travel as a commercial enterprise. Characters can purchase journeys to the past or future, leading to ethical dilemmas and unforeseen consequences.

The Time Travel Agency : A character invests in a time travel agency that offers trips to historical events. While running the business, they must confront ethical questions about altering the past for profit.

The Tourist’s Dilemma : A time tourist visits ancient Rome and accidentally disrupts a key event. Faced with the consequences, they must find a way to restore the timeline without revealing their true identity.

The Time Share : A character purchases a timeshare in the Renaissance, allowing them to experience life as a noble. While enjoying the luxuries of the past, they struggle to maintain their modern values.

The Temporal Cruise : A luxury cruise line offers voyages through time, with each stop at a different historical period. A passenger must adhere to strict rules to prevent altering history, but resisting temptation proves difficult.

The Ethical Traveler : A character works for a company that offers time travel experiences, ensuring clients follow ethical guidelines. When they encounter a client intent on changing history, they must decide whether to intervene.

The Historical Auction : A wealthy collector purchases time travel experiences at an auction, bidding on moments from history. As they explore their acquisitions, they must face the moral implications of their actions.

The Time Tourist’s Guide : A character writes a guidebook for time tourists, offering advice on how to handle different eras. As they gather material for their book, they must balance historical accuracy with the potential for unintended consequences.

The Temporal Resort : A resort offers guests the chance to experience different time periods, with themed accommodations and activities. As a guest, a character must deal with the challenges of living in a different era while adhering to the resort’s rules.

The Time Broker : A character brokers deals for clients seeking time travel experiences, matching them with specific historical events. While dealing with client demands, they must confront the ethical dilemmas of their work.

The Time Travel Lottery : A lottery offers winners the chance to travel to any time period of their choice. As a winner, a character must decide whether to pursue personal desires or use their journey for the greater good.

The Temporal Detective : A detective investigates crimes committed by time travelers, tracking down those who have altered history for personal gain. As they pursue their cases, they must tackle the complexities of time travel law.

The Time Traveler’s Club : A character joins an exclusive club for time travelers, where members share stories of their adventures. After hearing tales of ethical dilemmas and unintended consequences, they must decide whether to embark on their own journey.

The Historical Vacation : A character takes a vacation to a different time period, exploring the culture and customs of the era. While trying to fit in, they must adhere to strict rules to prevent altering history.

The Time Travel Entrepreneur : An entrepreneur develops a new time travel technology, offering affordable experiences to the masses. While running the business, they must confront the potential for exploitation and unintended consequences.

The Temporal Exchange : A character participates in a time exchange program, living in a different era while someone from that time visits the present. As they adjust to their new life, they must adhere to strict rules to prevent altering history.

Future Self Interactions

These stories explore the intriguing concept of characters interacting with their future selves, offering insights into life choices, potential outcomes, and the lasting impact of their actions on future generations.

The Unexpected Encounter : A character unexpectedly meets their future self, who is living a life they never imagined. As they learn about the choices that led to this future, they must decide whether to embrace or change their current path.

The Legacy Conversation : A character is visited by their future self, who reveals the impact of their actions on their descendants. As they grapple with the consequences, they must decide whether to alter their present behavior to create a better legacy.

The Career Crossroads : At a pivotal career decision, a character meets their future self, who has taken a different path. As they explore the outcomes of each choice, they must decide which path aligns with their true aspirations.

The Family Reunion : A character encounters their future self at a family gathering, witnessing the dynamics and relationships that have evolved over time. As they reflect on their role within the family, they must decide how to nurture these connections.

The Health Revelation : A character meets their future self, who reveals the long-term consequences of their current lifestyle choices. As they confront the reality of their future health, they must decide whether to make changes in the present.

The Artistic Journey : An aspiring artist meets their future self, who has achieved great success. As they learn about the struggles and sacrifices required, they must decide whether to pursue their passion or seek a different path.

The Environmental Impact : A character is visited by their future self, who reveals the environmental consequences of their actions. As they witness the state of the future world, they must decide how to contribute to a more sustainable present.

The Romantic Revelation : A character encounters their future self, who reveals the outcome of their current romantic relationship. As they explore the possibilities, they must decide whether to nurture or reconsider their partnership.

The Financial Forecast : A character meets their future self, who shares insights into the financial decisions that shaped their future. As they weigh the risks and rewards, they must decide how to manage their resources wisely.

The Community Leader : A character is visited by their future self, who has become a respected community leader. As they learn about the impact of their civic engagement, they must decide how to contribute to their community’s growth.

The Educational Path : A student meets their future self, who reveals the outcomes of their educational choices. As they explore the possibilities, they must decide which path aligns with their goals and values.

The Technological Innovator : A character encounters their future self, who has developed groundbreaking technology. As they learn about the challenges and successes, they must decide whether to pursue innovation or focus on other interests.

The Personal Growth Journey : A character meets their future self, who has achieved personal growth and fulfillment. As they learn about the steps taken to reach this state, they must decide how to prioritize their own development.

The Social Impact : A character is visited by their future self, who reveals the societal impact of their actions. As they witness the changes they have inspired, they must decide how to continue making a positive difference.

The Spiritual Awakening : A character encounters their future self, who has embarked on a spiritual journey. As they explore the path to enlightenment, they must decide how to integrate spirituality into their present life.

Cosmic Time Travel

These stories explore the vast possibilities of cosmic time travel. Characters journey through time and space, encountering alien civilizations and navigating time as a dimension with its own unique rules and inhabitants.

The Galactic Explorer : A character embarks on an intergalactic journey through time, visiting alien civilizations at different stages of development. As they learn about the diverse cultures and histories, they must decide how to use this knowledge to benefit their own world.

The Cosmic Cartographer : Tasked with mapping time as a dimension, a character discovers hidden pathways and cosmic phenomena. As they navigate this uncharted territory, they must confront the challenges of documenting a constantly shifting landscape.

The Alien Alliance : A character travels through time and space to broker peace between warring alien species. As they navigate the complexities of intergalactic diplomacy, they must find common ground to prevent a cosmic catastrophe.

The Temporal Navigator : A skilled navigator guides a spaceship through time as a dimension, encountering celestial beings that exist outside of time. As they learn the rules of this dimension, they must ensure the safe passage of their crew.

The Time Rift : A character discovers a rift in the fabric of time, leading to a parallel universe where time flows differently. As they explore this new reality, they must decide whether to close the rift or embrace the possibilities it offers.

The Cosmic Library : A character stumbles upon a library that contains the history of the universe, recorded by an ancient alien race. As they delve into the knowledge within, they must decide how to use this information to shape the future.

The Temporal Refuge : A character seeks refuge in a time dimension to escape a dying universe. As they encounter other refugees from across time and space, they must navigate the challenges of building a new society.

The Celestial Guide : An alien being guides a character through the complexities of time as a dimension, revealing its secrets and dangers. As they journey together, they must confront the moral implications of their discoveries.

The Time Wave : A character rides a cosmic wave that transports them through different eras and galaxies. As they experience the wonders and perils of the universe, they must learn to control the wave to return home.

The Intergalactic Historian : A historian travels through time and space to document the rise and fall of alien civilizations. As they uncover the patterns of history, they must decide how to share their findings with the galaxy.

The Cosmic Symphony : A musician travels through time as a dimension, encountering alien species that communicate through music. As they learn the universal language of sound, they must compose a symphony that unites the cosmos.

The Temporal Sanctuary : A character discovers a sanctuary where time stands still, inhabited by beings who have transcended time. As they explore this timeless realm, they must decide whether to stay or return to the flow of time.

The Alien Artifact : A character finds an ancient artifact that allows them to travel through time and space. As they uncover its origins and purpose, they must decide how to wield its power responsibly.

The Time Dimension Explorer : An explorer ventures into the dimension of time, encountering creatures that exist only within its boundaries. As they navigate this strange world, they must learn its rules to survive.

The Cosmic Reunion : A character travels through time and space to reunite with a lost loved one, encountering alien civilizations and cosmic wonders along the way. As they journey across the universe, they must confront the challenges of navigating time as a dimension.

Time Travel in Storytelling

Time travel has fascinated audiences for years, blending science fiction with deep philosophical questions.

It offers a unique way to explore the mysteries of time and existence, and it makes us rethink the very nature of reality.

Definition and Appeal

Time travel is the idea of moving between different points in time, much like traveling from one place to another. Time travel stories allow writers to explore themes like causality, destiny, and the human condition.

What makes time travel so appealing is its endless possibilities—whether it’s changing the past, seeing the future, or experiencing alternate realities.

These stories make audiences think about “what if” scenarios, challenging their views on reality and time.

Historical Context

The idea of time travel has come a long way since it first appeared in literature.

Early examples include Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle and Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward , where characters find themselves in different times through supernatural or futuristic means.

H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine further established time travel in literature and paved the way for countless stories about the impact of altering time.

Common Tropes and Themes

Time travel stories often use certain tropes and themes.

One of the most famous is the grandfather paradox , which deals with the consequences of changing the past—like potentially preventing your own existence.

Another popular trope is the alternate timeline or parallel universe , where changes in the past create different realities, allowing stories to explore themes of destiny and choice.

Then there’s the time loop , like in Groundhog Day , where characters relive the same day repeatedly, often leading to personal growth and self-discovery.

Your Time Travel Toolkit

Time travel stories are an open invitation to adventure—to explore new worlds, uncover hidden truths, and let your imagination soar.

As you dive into these story prompts, remember that this is just the beginning of your creative journey!

To help you along the way, download my free worksheet designed to help you build unforgettable characters.

And if you need a guiding hand, explore my coaching services to take your storytelling to the next level. The adventure of writing your next great story awaits. Are you ready to begin?

Filmmaker, Author, Actor and Story Consultant

Neil Chase is an award-winning, produced screenwriter, independent filmmaker, professional actor, and author of the horror-western novel Iron Dogs. His latest feature film is an apocalyptic thriller called Spin The Wheel.

Neil has been featured on Celtx, No Film School, Script Revolution, Raindance, The Write Practice, Lifewire, and MSN.com, and his work has won awards from Script Summit, ScreamFest, FilmQuest and Cinequest (among others).

Neil believes that all writers have the potential to create great work. His passion is helping writers find their voice and develop their skills so that they can create stories that are entertaining and meaningful. If you’re ready to take your writing to the next level, he's here to help!

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30 Time Travel Writing Prompts

Ever feel stuck in the present moment?

Wishing you could grab a pizza with Cleopatra, mastermind a plan with Machiavelli, or explore a future city filled with gadgets we can’t even imagine?

Hold onto your hats because we’re about to blow the doors off time travel stories!

Forget boring timelines, paradoxes are your new BFFs. These prompts will have you rewriting reality, jumping through history, and making the rules of time as bendy as a pretzel.

Let’s check them out.

Time Travel Writing Prompts and Story Ideas

Winds of the Lost Era: A gust of wind has the unique ability to transport anyone it touches to a different time for just one hour. When a young woman gets caught in this wind, she finds herself in the midst of a pivotal historical event. She has exactly sixty minutes to observe, interact, or possibly change history. What event does she witness? And what choices does she make?

The Last Sunset Before Eternity: The world’s leading scientists discover that there’s only one sunset left before the earth stops rotating, plunging half the world into perpetual day and the other half into eternal night. They’ve also created a one-time-use machine that can send one person back in time to prevent this. Who is chosen? And what historical point do they go back to to make things right?

Messages Across Time: A young woman discovers she can send messages to her younger self through dreams. Each message can only be a short sentence, but it’s enough to give her past self clues or warnings about the future. However, every change she makes creates ripples in her present, and sometimes, the outcomes are not what she expects. What message does she send first? And what unforeseen consequences emerge?

The Day the Clocks Stopped: Time everywhere freezes, except for one city. Its inhabitants live through days, months, and years while the rest of the world remains static. As they advance technologically and culturally at a rapid rate, they prepare for the day time might resume for everyone. How do they plan to reintroduce their city to the world, which is now centuries behind?

Chrono-Tourists: A company starts offering ‘Time Travel Tourism’. You can’t change major events, but you can witness them. A young couple decides to go on their honeymoon to witness a peaceful, beautiful moment from the past. But when they arrive, they realize it’s the eve of a significant, unrecorded disaster. How do they reconcile their experience with the joy they were expecting?

The Museum of Moments: In the future, there are no traditional museums. Instead, there’s a museum where people can experience any moment from the past in full sensory detail. A teenager decides to relive the ‘most peaceful day on Earth’, only to realize that peace is often a matter of perspective. What does he truly witness on this so-called peaceful day?

Time’s Locket: A locket passed down through generations in a family doesn’t just contain pictures; it allows the wearer to briefly live in the moments the pictures were taken. A young girl decides to experience a day in her great-grandmother’s life, hoping to understand her better. However, she discovers a family secret that has been hidden for decades, changing her understanding of her lineage.

Letters in the Sands of Time: In a small coastal town, messages mysteriously appear at sunrise on the beach, always addressed to someone present there. These are letters from their future selves. A man, skeptical at first, starts reading a letter addressed to him and discovers details of a choice he’ll soon have to make. What decision looms in his future, and how does this knowledge affect him?

The Two Lifetimes of Ms. Daniels: On her 30th birthday, Ms. Daniels wakes up to find herself back in her 10-year-old body but with all her memories intact. She lives her life again, making different choices based on her memories, until she reaches 30 again. And then, she’s back in her original timeline. How do her dual experiences shape her perspective? Which life felt more real to her?

Echoes of the Time Vortex: A cavern hidden in the mountains is said to echo not sounds from the present, but conversations from the past and whispers of the future. When a grieving mother enters the cave, she hears the voice of her departed child from a future that never happened. What message does she receive, and how does it change her healing process?

The Train at Midnight: There’s a legend of a train that passes through a town at midnight. Those who board it are taken to any point in time they desire, but they can only observe and feel emotions—they can’t interact. A woman boards to revisit a day she considers her life’s biggest mistake. What day does she return to , and what closure does she seek?

Chronicles of the Hourglass City: In a city shaped like an hourglass, the top half lives in the past and the bottom half in the future. A bridge connects the two, and citizens are allowed a single journey across it. A young woman from the future decides to cross into the past. What or who is she seeking, and what challenges await her in this duality?

Diary from Tomorrow: A man finds a diary on his doorstep, and to his astonishment, it’s filled with detailed entries from the next year of his life. Each day he reads about tomorrow, and each time he’s faced with the moral dilemma of acting on or ignoring the knowledge. What major revelation does the diary hold, and does he dare to change its course?

The Timestream Weaver: In an old attic, a loom is found that doesn’t weave fabric but moments in time. When operated, it can merge moments from different times into one. A curious teenager weaves together a day from her childhood and one from her elder years. What harmonies or conflicts emerge from this singular day?

Guardians of the Temporal Oasis: Deep in the desert lies an oasis where every drop of water lets you relive a moment from your past. But, you can’t choose the moment—it chooses you. A traveler, seeking refuge, drinks from the oasis and is thrust into a forgotten memory. What long-buried moment resurfaces, and how does it change his path forward?

The Timeless Town Square: A secluded town has a central square where time doesn’t flow linearly. Every day at dawn, the square chooses a random day from the past or future to reflect. Townspeople can enter to relive memories or see snippets of what’s to come. One day, the entire town gathers as the square displays a date significant to all. What date is shown , and how does it bind the community?

Candles of Yesteryears: A boutique sells candles, each corresponding to a year in history. When lit, the room transforms, enveloping the person in the ambiance of that year. An elderly woman buys a candle corresponding to a year she wants to forget. As it burns, what secret memory unfolds, and what catharsis does it bring?

Threads of Time: In a mystical land, there are multiple threaded structures that showcase the entire timeline of the universe. When touched, a person can feel the emotions of any moment stitched into it. A young prince touches a seemingly insignificant thread and is overwhelmed by its intensity. What hidden moment did he discover, and how does it reshape his understanding of history?

The Mirror of Moments Past: A mirror in an antique store doesn’t show the present but a past version of whoever stands before it. A woman sees herself as a child, interacting with someone she doesn’t remember from her childhood. Who is this mysterious figure , and why have her memories of them been erased?

Temporal Tunes of the Old Gramophone: An old gramophone has the power to play not just songs but also ambient sounds from specific moments in time. A listener can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of that moment. A man hears the background noise of a place and time he never visited but finds strangely familiar. Where does this sound take him , and what lost connection does he rediscover?

The Garden of Future Blooms: In a secret garden, flowers bloom showing visions of potential futures. One rare flower is said to bloom only once every century, showing a vision crucial for humanity. As it blossoms, many gather to witness its vision. What future does the flower reveal , and how do those who see it react?

Clockwork of Cosmic Consequences: A clockmaker designs a timepiece that can turn back time, but for every minute turned back, it fast-forwards another person’s timeline by a year. The creator, desperate to rectify a personal mistake, uses it, but at what cost? Whose life gets fast-forwarded , and how does this unintended consequence play out?

Whispers of the Time-Touched Tree: A tree in a forest is said to be touched by time. Those who sleep under it dream of a moment from their past, but from the perspective of someone else who was there. A soldier, burdened by guilt, sleeps under the tree, hoping to understand a decision he made in battle. Whose eyes does he see through , and how does this new perspective aid his quest for forgiveness?

Shadows of the Sundial: In an abandoned village, there’s a sundial said to cast shadows not of the current time but of times gone by. When a researcher places her hand where the shadow falls, she’s momentarily transported to the moment the shadow represents. She inadvertently touches a shadow that takes her to a day the village wishes to forget. What dark secret is unveiled, and how does she reconcile with the truth?

Temporal Café: A café opens downtown where each table is set in a different era. Patrons can’t interact with the past or future directly but can witness and hear conversations. A detective sits at a table set in the future, trying to solve a case that’s stumped him. What revelation about the case does he overhear, and how does it change the course of his investigation?

The Time-Torn Map: An explorer discovers a map that doesn’t just lead to places but to times. Marking a location and date transports the holder to the specified moment. The explorer chooses a date and place where a famous artifact went missing. What happens when he arrives , and how does this journey reshape historical narratives?

Waves of the Temporal Beach: There’s a beach where each wave that crashes ashore comes from a different era. Collecting items brought by the waves can provide glimpses into various moments in time. A historian finds an item linked to her family’s past. What story does the item tell , and how does it redefine her family’s legacy?

Melodies from the Time-Touched Violin: A violin is found that, when played, doesn’t produce sound but images from the past or future. A musician plays a tune, and a series of events unfold before her, hinting at a future personal dilemma. What decision does she foresee , and how does she prepare for it?

Stairs of the Epoch Tower: An ancient tower’s stairs are said to ascend through time. With each floor representing a different era, climbers can observe, but not interfere. A writer ascends, seeking inspiration, but finds himself on a floor mirroring a future event of his own life. What event does he witness , and how does it inspire his next work?

The Time Capsule’s Promise: A school’s time capsule is unearthed not by students from the present but by visitors from the future. They leave behind a message for the current generation about an impending global challenge. What warning do they give , and how does the world rally in response?

Founder and Chief Content Curator @ Digital Phrases

I'm a writer, words are my superpower, and storytelling is my kryptonite.

Not Your Usual Time Travel Story Ideas (2024)

Looking for unusual time travel story ideas and writing prompts? You’ve come to the right place!

Read on for ideas like a world where time flows differently in different regions, a person with an ability to travel in their dreams, and more!

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• S tory ideas

Picture prompts

The time travel trope.

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Related posts: Tragic Love Story Ideas (2023) The Most Enticing Forbidden Love Story Ideas (Updated in 2023) 40+ Sad Backstory Ideas for Your Character (2023) 17+ Enticing Soulmate Story Ideas (2023)

Time Travel Story Ideas & Writing Prompts

Time travel has long been a captivating concept in storytelling, transporting us to narratives of endless possibilities. Now, let’s explore some unique and unconventional story ideas!

Please note that the genders in these prompts and story ideas are just placeholders and do not mean to enforce any hurtful stereotypes nor offend anyone.

Story ideas

From unexpected time travelers to unconventional methods of traversing through time, embark on a thrilling, time-bending adventure with these exciting ideas.

• Lost Time A group of explorers stumbles upon an alien-made, time-traveling elevator that can transport them to different moments within their own lifetime, at the cost of reduced longevity.
• Reversed A scientist makes a mistake in their time travel machine, which sends them spiraling into an alternate reality where time operates in reverse.
• Past and Future Memories In a post apocalyptic world, a person finds that they can jump into the past as well as potential future memories of others. Then, they navigate through different people’s experiences in the hope of finding a way to undo the effect of the apocalypse.
• Time is Money In a world where time flows differently in different regions, a society formed where time travelers exist and time itself can be a commodity. (Originally appeared in my post The Most Mesmerizing Fantasy World Ideas (2023) )
• Chronicler of Lost History A person wakes up every day in a different time period, with no control over when or where they’ll end up next. As they try to find out why, they realize that their purpose is to witness and document crucial moments in history that have been erased from collective memory.
• Time-Traveling Detective In a time when time travel is possible, a time-traveling detective agency specializes in solving crimes and incidents that occur across different points in time.
• Network of Selves There’s a new invention that allows people to split their consciousness into multiple timelines, creating a network of parallel selves.
• Tour Across Time Time travel is a regulated industry, and a tour guide accidentally takes a group of tourists to a time period that never existed, causing a ripple effect that alters the course of history.
• Time-Traveling Companion There’s a peculiar type of animals that have the innate ability to traverse time. Once they form a unique bond with a human, the bond will allow that human to time travel along with said animal.

• The Time Capsule After unearthing a long-forgotten time capsule, a tight-knit group of friends is transported back to their younger selves. (A similar concept appeared in my post Beyond the Mundane: Captivating Slice of Life Story Ideas (2023) )
• The Time Thief A physicist accidentally creates a device that allows them to move between parallel universes. They exploit this power to commit crimes across dimensions, staying one step ahead of authorities.
• The Reversed Time Traveler A time traveler’s machine malfunctions, causing them to experience life in reverse. Frustrated by their reversed existence, they seek to disrupt the flow of time itself.
• Cheering Through Time An alien with the ability to explore different time periods gets stranded on earth and befriends a cheerleader. But as the two jump between time periods, they unwittingly start a chain of event that might spell catastrophe for both of their home planets.
• Happy Days Specific emotional triggers can create a quantum leap, launching individuals through time to a moment in the past or future when a similar emotional event occurred.

Here are some time travel picture prompts, because a picture speaks a thousand words! What kind of time travel prompt or story jumps out at you when looking at the picture prompts below?

The concept of time travel has fascinated storytellers for generations, offering endless possibilities and narrative intrigue, allowing writers to explore the complexities of cause and effect, challenge the boundaries of linear time, and delve into the profound impact of altering the past or glimpsing into the future.

In time travel stories, protagonists often find themselves in paradoxes and moral dilemmas as they attempt to correct past mistakes, change the course of history, or prevent catastrophic events where the smallest alteration can have far-reaching repercussions.

Time travel narratives also provide a fertile ground for exploring themes of identity, self-discovery, and the relentless march of time, prompting characters and readers alike to ponder the nature of free will and the fragility of existence.

If you need more story ideas and prompts, please browse our Story Ideas & Writing Prompts category!

Have any question or feedback? Feel free to contact me here . Until next time!

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10 Ideas for a Time Travel Story

Here are 10 quick ideas for a time travel story, including everything from colonies in the distant past and future, to time traveling Jews, Jesus, and jealous husbands.

If one of these ideas inspires you to create a time travel story of your own, let us know and we’ll share it with out community!

1. Future War

A future dictator invades the past. He sends giant war machines into 19th Century London, Paris and Washington, and he demands that all world leaders surrender to him. It’s up to a team of time traveling heroes to stop him.

2. As Time Goes By

A scientist discovers that he can slow down time in a localized area. He can use this to visit the future (and stop off anywhere along the way), but he can never go back. At first, he uses the device to prolong his own life, spending a day inside the time-bubble as a month passes outside. Later, curiosity compels him to travel into the distant future in search of new wonders and a fresh start.

Our protagonist finds a future world full of wonders, and he begins to build a new life for himself. But when things start to go wrong, he finds himself traveling forward yet again. Eventually, the urge to travel forward becomes irresistible as he searches for perfection. Is he really searching for something, or just running from his own past?

As our traveler comes to the end of his life he realizes that, while he has seen more than most people, he hasn’t really lived at all. He’s spent his whole life running.

3. Doing Time

Using a time machine, a penal colony is established in Earths distant future – a future in which humanity is extinct and the sun is approaching the end of its natural life-cycle. When the end finally comes, do the guards evacuate the prisoners or leave them to their fate?

4. The Man You Used To Be

After his wife leaves him, a scientist travels back in time to be with her again. He’s determined to get it right the second time around, and thinks he knows what to do to keep her happy. But when he travels into the past he comes across an obstacle he hadn’t counted on – the past version of himself.

SEE ALSO: Travelling in time but NOT space

Desperate to be with his wife again, he plots to do the unthinkable – he plans to murder his past self and take his place.

There are two obvious ways in which this story could end, each equally as ironic. 1) He kills his former self and is happily reunited with his wife, but after spending one perfect day together the time paradox begins to kick in and he vanishes into oblivion. 2) He kills his former self, but his wife recognizes that he is not the man he used to be. Because of what he’s been through and what he’s done, he’s changed, and his wife can see it in his eyes. She leaves him again.

5. Future Tense

Fearing the extinction of humanity is on the horizon, a large group of humans travel into Earths distant future to avoid the catastrophe. They arrive in a time in which the Earth has recovered from the disaster, and in which all traces of human civilization have disappeared. Many animal species have evolved beyond recognition. In this new wilderness, they attempt to build a home.

Knowing that the end of human civilization is near, people are desperate to travel to the future colony. With a limited number of places available, people fight for the last remaining passes. Eventually, the future colony finds itself with too many mouths to feed.

6. Past Participants

With the destruction of Earth imminent, humanity begins colonizing the distant past. The colonization effort slowly begins to interfere with the timeline. Each group of colonists that arrives from the future has experienced a different version of history, with increasingly interesting results.

One group of time travel colonists is from a fascist timeline in which the Nazis won the Second World War, and they try to take over the colony. Another group reports having found the remains of the colony during a future archaeological dig, indicating that the colonization effort will eventually fail.

7. Populating Zion

A team of scientists rescue Jews from Nazi extermination camps by transporting them forward in time just before the moment of their deaths. Nazis are confounded when they open the doors to gas chambers and find that their victims have mysteriously vanished. In the future, thousands of rescued Jews struggle to understand what has happened to them, and they begin to hail the lead scientist as their Messiah.

8. Time Me Up, Time Me Down

After inventing a time machine, a scientist travels into his own future where he meets his beautiful future wife. Back in his own time, he meets his future wife for the first time (for her at least), but she isn’t interested in him. He tries his hardest to impress her but fails. How can this be when they are meant to be together?

Determined to win her heart, he travels back to their first meeting over and over again, trying something different each time. He even visits her past in an attempt to learn more about her, but nothing works. Becoming increasingly obsessed, he eventually resorts to kidnapping her. He takes her forward in time to show her their future life, but his actions have drastically changed the timeline.

9. Final Interview

A time travel agency sends a man to interview famous historic figures just hours before they die. The interviews are not only important to historians, they have also become a form of popular entertainment. After interviewing countless historic figures over a long and distinguished career, our protagonist has become something of a celebrity himself. One day, a younger man arrives at his home insisting that he be allowed to interview the protagonist. The protagonist realizes that the younger man is his future replacement, and that he himself is soon to die.

(Thanks to  Jorgen Lundman for this idea, the full version of which can be read here )

10. Jesus vs The Time Police

The technology needed for time travel exists, but it has been outlawed by most of the world’s governments. A special police unit or federal agency uses specialist equipment to track down illegal time travelers and prevent them from damaging the timeline.

Some of the time travelers are attempting to alter their own past for personal gain, others are rich tourists seeking a thrilling but illegal encounter with the past. One day, however, they track down a time traveler who has managed to evade them for several years. He has been living in the past for all this time, and he claims to have become an important historical figure. Doing a little research, they determine his claims to be true. The time traveler has had a profound effect on the timeline, and undoing his actions might have profoundly negative consequences. He has written himself into history – a history that the time-police have always accepted to be true.

The illegal time traveler might be a famous general, monarch, or president. He might even be a religious figure, such as Jesus (as such, he may not have had an entirely positive effect on history, but a profound one nonetheless). If the illegal time-traveler is Jesus, might his ascension to heaven actually be his forced return to his own time, staged by the time-police?The time-police are faced with a dilemma – set the timeline straight and undo his actions without knowing what the result might be, or allow him to continue living in the past.

This article was written by Mark Ball . With thanks to Jorgen Lundman.

Use our Random Story Idea Generator for inspiration for more stories.

Kimberly Van Ginkel

Author and avid reader. I love sharing interesting research and promoting other authors.

9 Rules for Writing Time Travel

I’m a sucker for time travel stories. I’ll read any book or short story, watch any movie or TV show, if it has a time travel element. I can’t get enough.

As a connoisseur of the art form – and as a novelist myself – I’ve developed these story-building tips for writing time travel

1. Give us the Shock & Awe

Writers are always told to start each story in media res , so it’s tempting to skip over the typical set-up scenes. With a time travel story, however, it’s best to introduce us to the characters before learn that time manipulation is possible. Why? Because if we watch them travel for the first time, we get to experience it with them.

Sure, we’ve seen hundred variations of this already, where the character who knows time travel doesn’t exist gradually comes to accept that it is real. It may be hard to find a fresh take. On the other hand, mastering the 4th dimension is a mind-blowing concept, so it ought to take a while to process.

The original draft of Groundhog’s Day opened with Phil Connors already trapped in his loop of repeating days. Had they filmed that version, we’d have been robbed of all the great build-up scenes where the tiny details of Phil’s day start to build, hinting at him that something is very, very wrong.

We’d have skipped past the catalyst of the story and the audience would be struggling to keep up.

Picture Marty McFly walking through 1955’s Hill Valley for the first time in Back to the Future . He has already been told that Doc invented time travel. The writers might have had him immediately accept that fact and jump straight toward some decisive action to change his predicament. Instead, they allowed him a little time for confusion, a period of denial, which also gave us time to look around with him and spot the changes in the town. With every new person or building he sees, we feel his sense of awe growing, taking in the enormity of where he is and what has happened to him. These few moments immerse us in the world with him.

It’s worth mentioning that in Palm Springs , Nyles has been repeating this day for years, but this works because we, the audience, get to watch the other main character, Sarah, enter the time loop for the first time.

This is the magic of a time travel story. Think of it as your “Dorothy opens the door to Oz” moment. Don’t rush it. This is often the most captivating scene of any time travel story.

2. Pick Your Method

Every time travel story has to have something that functions as the device, portal, or catalyst to time travel.

In H.G. Well’s The Time Machine , it was a literal machine that the hero climbed into, and that set the standard for decades of time travel stories. Poul Anderson’s Time Patrol stories employ hover-motorcycles that can jump through time. Doc Brown used a Delorean. Time Travelling with a Hamster (a very funny middle-grade book) uses a metal washtub wired to an old Mac computer.

Just like the wardrobe leading to Narnia, portals are a specific location that allows you to pass between times. In Stephen King’s 11.22.63 the portal is simply a staircase that they refer to as “the rabbit hole.” Star Trek TNG often utilizes worm holes for its time jumps.

Sometimes there is nothing mechanical involved, nothing that would give our characters any control of their destination. Any number of stories involve a character getting a concussion or struck on the head and waking up in another time. In The Time-Traveller’s Wife , Henry has a chromosome disorder that randomly catapults him through time; before each occurrence, he can feel the sensation of an impending jump.

3. Anything goes, as long as you explain it.

The important thing is to show the audience what your method looks like so that we know what to watch for during the story. Even if the character doesn’t know what caused it, if we witnessed him falling asleep and waking up in a different time, we have a framework for the story. We don’t know how the person will get home, but we realize something similar will have to happen to return them to their own time.

No matter what means you use to allow your characters to time travel, the important thing is to show the audience how it happened – at least, as much as your characters know – then give us the rules that govern it .

Doc Brown explains how to set the target date, load the plutonium, and get the car going 88 mph to trigger the time jump. When we see Marty doing exactly those steps a few minutes later, we know before he does that he’s about to travel to 1955. It also sets up the rules for bringing him back home.

In The Edge of Tomorrow , we learn that it’s the blood of the “Alphas” that allows the hero to loop through time. Therefore, if he gets a blood transfusion he will lose the ability. Until then, every time he dies the day resets. All of this is explained to him in the first act of the story, and is repeated again so the audience knows the rules and the way to end it.

It’s OK to keep the explanation brief, and even to leave out critical information, if that’s what your plot requires. But when you skip the explanation altogether, you’ll leave your audience wondering. You don’t want them to be distracted throughout the story, looking for clues that you haven’t dropped, as they try to understand how the hero is going to get back home.

4. Create Your Own Rules

Can the characters change the past? If so, can they make changes to their own future? How does the cause/effect work? There are a million permutations to this, and the most wondrous thing about his genre is that since time travel doesn’t really exist, your logic can never be wrong . How freeing is that?

The only thing your audience will expect is that you stay consistent with whatever version of time travel you set up initially.

Some of the most common time travel tropes are:

• “I know what I’m doing.” – the time-traveller knows both the original time line and the new version because he is immune to the effects of the change – see Jodi Taylor’s Chonicles of St. Mary’s series.
• “I used to know what was going on.” – as soon as the hero interacts with the time line, he is changing the past, including his own memories – see Looper , Quantum Leap (Sam and Al’s memories of events differ after a major change, as Sam is remembering only the original time line. For example: Watergate.)
• “There is no cause and effect.” – anything the traveller does are events that always existed. The past changes him as he changes the past, so there are no alternate time lines. – See The Time-Traveller’s Wife .
• “Nothing is able to change.” – the time-traveller is forbidden from making changes (not just a rule, but a law of physics) so they are viewing the past only. Alternately, they can make only minor changes that have no lasting effects. – See To Say Nothing of the Dog .
• “I’m only looking” – our heroes cannot move through time, but they can send technology that allows them to see the future or past – See Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus .
• “Time corrects itself.” – attempts at major changes are thwarted as the universe finds its own ways of staying on track. – See Night Watch (Sam’s mentor is killed when he visits the past and he is forced to take the man’s place, thereby making himself a major influence in his own young life.)
• “Everything changes.” – any large-scale disruptions in the time stream will completely disrupt everything “downstream” from that event. See Anderson’s Time Patrol series (These time cops base their operations a million years B.C. so that if anything upsets the time stream, their patrol can still exist to fix it.)

Know which type of story you are writing and stay true to the cause/effect rules you have created.

If your character goes back in time, confident that the past cannot be changed, then kills his own grandfather and blinks himself out of existence, both you and the audience are now in quite a pickle. This character who no longer exists was never there to kill the grandpa. Oops. You’ve introduced a paradox that is going to hurt everyone’s brain unless you have an amazing trick up your sleeve to get us out of it.

Paradoxes suck for everyone. Give your readers an expected structure and then stick to it so that we’re not left arguing with the screen that, “that makes no sense!”

5. Or Give Yourself an “Out” to Break the Rules

Because it’s difficult to write time travel without flirting with paradoxes, some writers give themselves a work-around — a way of breaking their own rules in a way that feels as though it’s still consistent.

You can cheat.

Avengers: Endgame is a brilliant movie. It’s so good, in fact, that it gets a pass on blatantly breaking its own rules about time travel constraints. The Hulk gives a short lecture explaining why they can’t change the past, they then go on to twist time in ways that make no sense against the structure of time travel in this movie (remember the scene where AntMan is turned into a baby, then an old man, then himself again in what appears to be seconds for him?). But all these discrepancies get glossed over by explaining that the Quantum Realm is mysterious. Ah, Quantum Realm, the magical spackle for filling in plot holes.

You can play dumb.

Ever notice how the main character in these stories is rarely ever the brilliant scientist who developed time travel? Not only is it easier to relate to an everyman character, it saves us all from having to understand the science. You can have your extremely smart person introduce it and explain the rules, then let your hero accept it on faith without thoroughly understanding it.

I love this method because it gives you, the author, the freedom to include as much or as little science as you want to. Gloss over as much as you want to and have the scientist say, “Just push this button” and you can forge ahead with your plot. It’s enough for the audience to know that someone in this world understands it all.

You can yell “Hey, look over there!”

One of my favorite “nevermind my rules” moments is from Grand Tour: A Disaster in Time . Our hero, Ben, has jumped through time to break himself out of prison. The viewer immediately has to wonder how the universe will reconcile this, as Ben has now changed his past and there are suddenly two of him living in town. The writer must have felt trapped in a corner as well, because he threw in this beautiful bit of dialogue:

Original Ben: “How can we both be in the same place at the same time?”

Time-Travelling Ben: “(Forget) the physics, Ben! By the time you figure out whether it’s possible or not, we’re gonna be dead. Twice!”

Easy as that! The paradox doesn’t really matter because we’re now diving back into the action.

Which brings me to:

6. Keep the Clock Ticking

When you have time at your command, why panic, right? Why rush anything?

Because stories need tension. And a great way to add tension is to give your hero a ticking clock. As the wise Rufus once said (in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure ), “No matter what you do, no matter where you go … the clock in San Dimas is always running.” They had only 24 hours to get to their history exam, despite being able to hop through time.

A less silly example is King’s 11.22.63 , where his time portal leads him to the year 1958. In order to prevent the JFK assassination, Jake must spend 5 years in the past. Because of that time commitment, the idea of doing it more than once becomes nearly impossible. Thus, in the countdown to November 22nd, his time is as short as everyone else’s. The time portal can’t help him anymore. And the tension is every bit as high as if he had never discovered time travel.

7. Flip the Script to Make it Difficult

We are rooting for people, not gods of time. It’s cool that they have this wonderful ability, but your story is more gripping if something happens to make them unable to use it. We want them to be able to suffer setbacks, something they can’t easily undo.

Perhaps there is something inherent in your rules of time travel that will constrain the hero. In the Time Patrol stories, one unbreakable rule is that a traveller can never visit the same time twice. So if they make a mistake, they can’t return to that same time to undo it. In About Time , Tim can travel at will to any day within his own lifetime. Just as he’s getting used to this ability, he discovers that changing anything that happened before his children were born will cause them not to exist.

Sudden reversals are even better. In Time Bandits , our heroes have a map of every time portal in world history … so, of course, they lose the map!

8. Choose a Global Background, Then Make it Personal

Give in to the temptation to choose huge moments in world history. Why not? That’s the lure of time travel — the great question of “Where would you visit if you could go anywhere at any time?”

The birth of Christ? The signing of the Declaration of Independence? Woodstock? Pompeii? The assassination of Lincoln? The birth of Rock & Roll?

The history books are open to you. Pick something awesome.

But here’s the thing – as cool as all of those are, the best time travel books are the ones that focus on people . The bigger your background event, the more important it is to show it through the eyes of the people living there.

Connie Willis set The Doomsday Book in the middle of the Black Plague. Instead of showing the cities, she sent her hero to live with a small family out in the safety (uh-oh) of the country. She also created a 2-book series, Blackout and All Clear , set during the blitzkreig of London. Her plucky historians mix with civilians and military personnel, forging relationships that make us care about the fate of those individuals.

King’s 11.22.63 is ostensibly about the JFK assassination, but the characters our hero meets along the way are so wonderful that, to be honest, I wanted the hero to give up on trying to save Kennedy and settle into his fake life in the ’60s.

Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series stretches from the Jacobite Uprising in Scotland through the American Revolution. We see wonderful scenery, experience famous events, and encounter great figures from history. But no one reads those books just for the historical details. The heart of that story is the romance of Claire and Jamie.

Remember that time-travel is a means of telling your story, not the entire story itself. Make your characters matter .

9. Be Unique

Time travel has been the source of some of the most creative sci-fi works ever made. Keep twisting it to create your own rules and your own wonderful stories.

Remember that it does not have to be linear time travel. Though most of the stories I’ve mentioned involve a person being displaced from his own time, there are other permutations to explore.

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe involved a bubble existing outside of space-time so that elite diners could watch the death of the universe while enjoying cocktails.

Groundhog’s Day introduced such a charming notion of 24-hour time loops that it created a whole sub-genre, including the comedic horror film Happy Death Day .

And The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything allows its main character to stretch time, living an entire hour in the space between seconds. This gives him the superpower of incredible speed, as viewed by other people. Since we’re living in the time gaps with him, it makes for an intriguing notion of time travel.

One last thought … if you are looking for inspiration for a new type of time travel story, I recommend the book Einstein’s Dreams , a quick read with beautiful vignettes that illustrate different time theories.

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11 thoughts on “ 9 rules for writing time travel ”.

Hi. Releif. Im trying to be Mr. Spock as it pertains to my time travel rules. Doubably difficult for me as the ‘ Brain’ of the bunch needs to spew out some plausabile sounding techno babble. I need to be acurate too as Im postulating relativity theory. I think though I have a device to get arround that. And what doesnt fit, fits a quantum paradigm Im saving ( if I ever get to the writing part) for book three. Im going to definitly not abuse the priveledge of the readers crudility.

When you’re done, make sure to post a link here so we can all read it.

Thanks for a great article. Just starting to write my first time travel novel.

Like Liked by 1 person

Thank you, this was a great article! I’m planning to write a time travel story for NaNoWriMo.

Best of luck! NaNo is a wonderful challenge.

Wow, love the article Kimberly. Really glad that in addition to covering the different models of time travel and making sure the character story is more important than the time travel aspect — you gave great tips on how to get yourself out of a paradox. I tend to paint myself into a corner even when not writing about time travel. But those are some handy examples of how and why to break the rules, very freeing!! I wish I could go back in time and tell all this to my younger self. But then, I wouldn’t need to!!

Amazing article! It has helped me so much. Thank you!

This was a very helpful article. Thanks so much for posting it. I am trying to write a handful of time-travel short stories, keeping them under 5,000 words. I’m finding it difficult to develop the characters properly while operating in such a limited length.

I’m so glad you liked it. Let me know how you do with your stories. I have always had a harder time with short stories than with novels, myself.

Thanks so much! I will try to keep you updated. I learned a few lessons when I wrote my first and only (so far) book, “Nineteen for Lincoln”, which is a time travel novel set in Civil War Missouri, and then Tudor England. I did not market the book at all, even though it’s available on Amazon, B & N, etc. in print and Kindle. Sort of a shameless plug there, but I’m not looking to make money–I just love time travel. 🙂

I changed my name from “Anonymous” to DJoseph, by the way.

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Kimberly Van Ginkel is an internationally-published author living in the Midwest.

Her debut novel, “ In the Sleep of Death ,” has been described as “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell” meets “The Ten Thousand Doors of January.”

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1158 Writing Prompts About Time Machines

March 24, 2021

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Have you ever wondered at least once in your life how it would feel like to have a time machine that would allow you to travel back in time to correct past mistakes or go to the future to see how your present decisions would affect the future? If your answer is ‘yes,’ maybe you should consider writing a story about it to satisfy your curiosity.

Enter writing prompts about time machines.

Below are some storyline suggestions and plot ideas that would allow you to write stories about time machines and time travel that would work for any genre, including sci-fi, adventure, historical fiction, and fantasy. May they inspire you to create short stories and novels.

• You use your time machine to go back in time and kill Hitler.
• You accidentally open a wormhole and find yourself back in the Middle Ages.
• You travel along a relative’s family tree to discover something unpleasant about your past.
• A sudden power surge transports you 400 thousand years in the future.
• A time traveler with the same machine as you asks to see the future, but in order to do that you must both target the exact same place at the exact same time.
• You develop a time machine but can’t find the main power button.
• When your time machine arrives, the city is enveloped in a black mist.
• You use a malfunctioning time machine to try to save someone you don’t like, only to find yourself doomed.
• You’re the first human to govern outer space.
• You discover a small vial of glowing fluid and a note stating that it can deliver anyone from a fixed point in time to another point in time relative to their own current position.
• By the power of God, your time machine crashes in prehistoric times and you are stranded there. After months, you encounter one of the creatures…
• You send your time machine to the future, and it explodes when it reaches its destination.
• You parallel park your time machine in a space that is much too small.
• An astronaut arrives from the future with a time machine. He shows you some things that may or may not happen.
• The past shows you a previously unknown superhero from the future who’ll be the next savior of mankind.
• You can’t stop yourself from using the time machine.
• While seated at breakfast, a time traveler sits down, telling you stories about the future.
• You strangle a loved one to death in the past to prevent a terrible future.
• A woman from the past shows up asking if you know the date and you do. Then she explains that people from the future made her travel back in time to ask you this question.
• Your grandchild hears you have a time machine and asks if you can travel to the moon to see if there is life there back in the ’70s before NASA sent a probe.
• A time traveler appears in front of you, takes you for a ride in his time machine and asks you to go to eight years in the past.
• You enter an uninhabited city with dozens of buildings in ruins. You wonder when it happened and what caused it.
• You travel back in time to meet an ancestor you previously only knew by name or reputation.
• You discover that changing something in the past makes your present and future different.
• In the future, fresh water can be purchased, but it is illegal to drink water from the tap.
• You want to travel in time to visit a specific person or event.
• Your future self tries talking you out of doing something, but you ignore your future self.
• Someone claims they visited you in the future with a time machine and that the events they described are taking place in your present.
• You travel off the end of the world and back again transforming your planet in multiple ways.
• You meet yourself in the past and stop yourself from doing something crazy.
• You accidentally travel back in time and ruin your own birth or your own death.
• You witness your favorite crime take place. You send yourself back in time to stop it.
• A person from the future appears before you in a time travel suit.
• But what writing prompt would be complete without an interactive presentation?
• You travel a million years in the future and return to find the whole planet has been ripped apart by the sun.
• You journey back in time and witness the death of your own mother.
• The time machine gets broken beyond repair. What did you do?
• You see into the past and find out your life is about to take a turn for the worst.
• Your final time travel expedition before retirement.
• It is 2064 and you have invented a time machine capable of going back fifty years in time. What have you been doing for the last fifty years that allowed you to build the time machine?
• You meet yourself in the past using your time machine.
• A small boy from the future steps into a time machine asking for his past life.
• Your time machine erupts in flames.
• A scientist steals your time machine and hides on top of Mount Everest.
• Someone steals your time machine. Possibly to go back in time and give you a nicer model.
• A dying homeless person asks you to take him 50 years in the future with your time machine. The drug addict is so charming you contemplate sparing his life, just to see what will happen. Or maybe you could help him recover. Or would it be better to help him now? If you bring him forward in time would he become cured automatically?
• You build a time machine to learn how grandma will react when you tell her your relationship.
• You are playing cards with Adolf Hitler and accuse him of cheating.
• What is your favorite thing about time travel? Remember that there are no bad answers to this– you just want to write right now!
• You visit yourself growing up through time with your time machine.
• You take your date to the future, but somehow end up back in prehistoric times.
• You accidentally visit and alter the past. A different version of you comes along with you and gives you sound advice that – with your original time machine – prevents the history disaster from happening.
• You’re on an island where everyone has a time machine, and yet refuses to use it on moral grounds.
• Someone you love time travels.
• Your time machine closes and then opens again a minute later, erasing a decade of your life. How do you survive?
• You plant your time machine into the back garden so your distant relative could use it to go back in time and kill Hitler as a baby.
• You find the vision you have just experienced a year ago to be true.
• You decide to fix the future by backtracking to the beginning of time and making sure the Big Bang never happened.
• You’re able to correct a fatal mistake before it happened. But when you return, what is the correction you don’t do that makes the fatal mistake be there anyway?
• You find yourself in the Stone Age and you use your time machine to make yourself his great leader.
• You travel back to a time where you have already been and see yourself doing something you’ve never done before.
• A person is inspecting your time machine and is just about to touch it when you beckon them not to.
• What good is traveling through time to visit prehistoric dinosaurs.
• Your biggest competitor is working on a time machine very similar to yours.
• Your last chance to see your dying grandfather in the hospital is in the past, when he was alive and well.
• You accidentally kill yourself with your own time machine and there’s no way to prevent it.
• All attempts at designing a time machine have failed, until your invention worked. What are your feelings on accomplishing a goal no one else could? A) Excited B) Angry C) Scared D) All of the above So, we designed the time machine correctly and built it. Now we’re going to send a person into the past… Who should be the first? How does he react to seeing yourself without knowing who it is? In the middle of a heist, you realize your temporally-oriented watch is working again. What would you do with your chance to do it over? Another inventor and you begin to have a rivalry. What steps can you take against her/him? Your logical time machine reveals that paradoxes are a basis for your universe. Will you continue to use your time machine or try another one? You travel to the future and see that from 2150 to 21505, humanity began to haven the universe until we encountered a powerful adversary. We lost
• You get the idea to use a time machine to overthrow your boss.
• A time traveller arrives in your time and claims he owns every book in a library you spent your life years building.
• You travel back in time to do something evil to yourself in the past and it all backfires.
• What historical event occurs three hundred years into the future?
• An inventor is working on their latest invention. It looks like a normal box but is much too small to fit any living thing inside. What does the inventor claim will happen when they turn it on?
• You’re been critically injured by a time traveler.
• You’re the only survivor after an atomic holocaust.
• Your time machine’s history shows you an identical machine knocking over the water cooler and spilling it all over your briefcase. What did you do differently?
• You’re being pursued by a killer, and take refuge in the time machine.
• A thick fog descends as you approach the spot where you left your time machine.
• You find a way to travel back into the past.
• You find a new use for your time machine.
• A dwarf appears in your time machine saying he is from a parallel universe. He says that his universe runs on a day length that’s half of your days. You adjust your machine so that you can time travel to his universe. What happens?
• The professor you write reports for is working on time machine technology. If you can’t tell him who you are, what do you do about it?
• Describe a weird thing that happened when you were traveling through time.
• You receive a message from the year 5023. What is it?
• What did you do with your time machine at first?
• You find out time travel is real and set off on an adventure to visit historic events.
• You travel to the beginning of time and observe the Big Bang with your time machine.
• You create a time machine so powerful that you create two of yourself. Two inventors. Where do you meet? What do you do?
• You encounter yourself out of the blue. You remember he’s trying to kill you, so you fight him. Who won your first fist fight with yourself and why?
• The movie Time Cop showed what a bad idea it is to mess with the timeline. Now, what would happen if you REALLY messed with the timeline?
• You are kidnapped by your doubles from the future.
• Earth is populated by colonies of time travellers constantly travelling back in time to change the course of history.
• A scientist tells you that you will never invent the time machine and he will never live to invent the time machine.
• While traveling back in time, you encounter yourself.
• You use your time machine to fix a mistake you made in the past.
• An unmanned time machine crashes into your home.
• You discover chimpanzees are the true but hidden masters of humanity.
• You discover you’re a character in a futuristic video game.
• You don’t know how you managed to survive for this long in the year…
• A time traveler approaches you on how to make time machines.
• You find a time machine but you can’t use it – you have to convince someone to use it for you.
• After you’ve traveled into the future a year, the world you observe seems to be stable. But in future year two, nuclear armageddon occurs. You go to your past year one self and tell them to warn their future selves to evacuate the world. But it wouldn’t work because now you yourself are the problem with the time travel.
• You design the perfect murder using your time machine to dispose of the evidence.
• A man who claims to be your father from the future warns you that you must prevent your family from getting in trouble with the mob.
• Someone tries to mess with the time-space continuum and sends you on a wild ride through time.
• You time travel to ancient Egypt where you help Joseph make the pyramids. You’ve studied Egyptian history all your life – how could you help Joseph?
• You travel back in time and accidentally kill your father when he was a little boy.
• You watch Abraham Lincoln give his famous Gettysburg address. How do you convince him that it is important?
• A magical genie appears and gifts you with a time machine. Upon activation the genie promises to appear each year on your birthday and grant you a single wish. The wish cannot involve the time machine.
• Write a story about yourself being given the power of time travel.
• When the time is right, you decide to go back and kill your own grandfather before he can conceive your mother.
• At the end of mankind, robots from the future come and transport humans to the far future.
• If your Kickstarter project is successfully funded, you have indicated you will send a personal time machine to backers who give a certain amount. Will the time machine be designed like a box? Why or why not? If so, can you share your design with us?
• The inventor of the time machine dies before he can reveal the secret of how to actually make it function. It’s in his head. The thought of a paradox makes your head hurt! Never mind.
• A time traveller from the future tells you how to become filthy rich.
• An alternative time line splits off when you decide whether to make cookies or brownies.
• You are arrested for sabotaging your own time machine, providing a one-way ticket to the past.
• You have the chance to go back in time and make either of your parents famous jazz musicians. Which one do you make famous? Who do you marry? What do you do?
• Your time machine requires one more fix before it’s finished. While days turn into weeks, months and even years, you’re still tinkering with it. What keeps you motivated to build it?
• A time traveller comes to you and predicts the past saying that everything is going to be alright.
• You see an advanced race who have developed a pocket sized time machine!
• Your path to the future is blocked by an increasingly steep hill. You climb it, unaware that it is no hill – it is a descending path and you will meet yourself at the bottom.
• A person arrives from the future and warns you not to return to 2003.
• A group of historians want to take a tour of the ancient savage world with your time machine.
• You invite a friend along on your time machine. Both of you pick dates in the future to return to.
• Try writing one or two paragraphs using the prompts.
• A perfect crime has occurred in another country. Using your time machine, you go back in time and stop the crime before it happens.
• You’re reading a book about time travel and turn to a page randomly and read the last few words.
• Corporal Matthews is driving around in his tank when it suddenly materialises in the middle of a World War One battlefield. How does he react?
• You use your time machine to give King Philip IV of France an unshaven face.
• You spend more time in the past than the present.
• You arrive in the future and find a society clone-based around a genocide you  perpetrated against a minority.
• You travel back in time and prevent yourself.
• You’ve secretly decided to manipulate things that happened in the past.
• The time machine repairs itself and launches you into The International Space Station.
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• You find a way to return to the past and tell yourself to avoid being arrested.
• You have the chance to travel to any point in your past.
• Imagine that you’ve built the first time machine. What mischief do you get up to after that? Write a story inspired by it.
• You find out you were actually allied with an evil dictator, whom you topple.
• You’re a dailiness reporter in Buenos Aires and you witness Hitler taking the bunker. He asks for your name and tells you to go back to tomorrow, when you’ll find a letter to you.
• Go on the moon with Neil Armstrong using your time machine.
• You claim to be an alien from the future.
• You’ve built a time machine but realize that someone has stolen the instruction manual.
• You’re late for work, and nothing can get you there in time.
• You’ve managed to travel back in time. In your quest to change history, you find a family photo of Adolf Hitler.
• A wormhole splits a town in half.
• You’ve only been married for three years but have been separated for another thirty. What was life like?
• The world is ending in a week and you’re kidnapped and told to stop a time traveller.
• You find yourself in the last time a specific event occurred, such as an apocalypse.
• You are tasked by the President of the United States to build the first ever time machine.
• You’ve never heard of “groundhog day” until you meet yourself in the future and learn about it.
• You accidentally step on a butterfly, and sends the earth off course, ultimately creating the apocalypse.
• You visit the time of Jesus, but have a hard time because He sees you as an angel.
• You are taken into the time machine. What would you say to the designer to improve it?
• Somewhere in the pit of your stomach, you feel something stir at the sight of your time machine rusting in the corner, ready to be used again.
• You meet a time traveler from a planet identical to Earth.
• You wake up from a magical coma centuries in the future.
• It’s Star Wars, but instead of the Force you–
• You use your time machine to make tons of money before returning to the present.
• Your time machine has malfunctioned and now your world is stuck in a new permanent dark age. What do you do?
• Using your time machine, you race ahead of important events or people and write eyewitness accounts of very important events.
• You arrive at a crossroads in time, where versions of yourself seem to be playing out opposite versions of your life.
• You travel to the future and discover that the human race has been wiped out.
• Everything is bleak and dark in the future world.
• A girl comes up to you and tells you she’s actually just travelled from the past to talk with you, then adds…
• You use your time machine to set up a sports betting operation in the vein of Dog Day Afternoon.
• You attempt to shove your annoying friend into the past, but accidentally send him to the future.
• How far into the future will you visit yourself? How will you react when you see yourself?
• A stranger drops by with a time machine similar to yours and says they are you from the future.
• You are abducted by aliens. They leave you on present Earth and let you keep your time machine.
• You’ve always dreamed of entering a time machine, and finally you win the lottery and you can buy one.
• A brilliant scientist says he can prove parallel universes exist.
• As you move through time, you notice you look different each day. Yesterday you were blond, today you’re Asian.
• You’re visited by your future self as a child.
• You discover that time travel is not a fluke of your invention but has been around for a while. Your inventor friends bet you a million dollars you don’t go back and kill their baby selves.
• Your future self reveals that time travel is actually removing your soul and popping it into your destination. Your future self also reveals that the only way to use this process is to kill yourself, which right now he is in the process of doing…
• A spooky person in a costume approaches you saying he knows that you created being the first time machine and goes on to make an Oprah-like self-help statement.
• You come back from your time machine to find your sister has become President of the United States. The weather and the rest of the world remains the same.
• You go back in time to take Napoleon’s place and save France.
• A professor wants you to invent a time machine so that she can see her son again.
• On your way to the bank, your time machine is broken by a monkey.
• You blackmail a time traveler that you are planning to publish his past in your blog.
• You create a device to travel forward through time just an hour. When you return, everything is different.
• The time machine you invented leaps into the past. But it’s been stolen by another inventor.
• While being chased by time police, you accidentally run through a time chrono-inversion.
• A baby is born and an old man dies simultaneously. Decide who is lucky and who is cursed.
• You meet your older self. He tells you a secret about the family that you didn’t realize until decades later.
• Wherever you go in time, the most influential person is always Henry Ford.
• Your time machine malfunctions and throws you back in time into an unknown world.
• While traveling through time, you lose all your stuff and have a chance encounter with the only alien ever to live on earth.
• A child who seems familiar to you follows you to your time machine.
• You hear a knock on the door one night and open it to find yourself there.
• Someone steals your time machine and takes it back a decade but doesn’t return.
• There exist time machines in the future but you suspect the alien invasion and so you go to the future and kill Hitler.
• Time travelling is not as easy as you once thought when you found yourself in ancient London where the Great Fire is occuring.
• Someone betrays you and erases your memories and your time machine.
• Using the time machine, you travel to the nearest possible future or the nearest possible past.
• You think your daughter might grow up to be a murderer. You’re going to make sure of it.
• You are monitoring a black hole to prevent its collapse. As you observe, it consumes your time machine. You must now decide what you want to do next.
• You’ve cracked the designs for the first time machine when you meet a stranger who wants to buy it.
• You attempt to travel back in time to kill God but you travel back to the beginning of time instead.
• Your time machine breaks down in the primeval forest of the Middle Ages.
• An agent from the future approaches you. Says the world will never be the same again.
• You help the time machine inventor you are working for with the first time machine. But she might not have your best interests in mind.
• You travel back to Armageddon and stop the apocalypse. You realize however that the universe is borderline rational and the apocalypse is actually a bingo tournament.
• Your time machine starts working and you get messages telling you to change your past.
• You use your time machine to travel back to the Stone Age.
• You travel back in time to your tenth birthday only to find out that you are yet to be born.
• You get trapped in a time loop again and again.
• Your brother invents a time machine. You steal it and ditch him in the past.
• You accidentally kill the wife of your past self while using the time machine.
• Your life is unfulfilled. In your time machine, you visit yourself in the past
• An alien with superior technology offers to send you back in time.
• You visit an alternate universe where everything is upside down and you need to escape.
• You somehow enter the time stream and return back to the moment when you were born.
• While time traveling you pursue a Neanderthal man going the opposite direction, and are mortally wounded.
• Find a frying pan, a banana, a sledge hammer and a spider.
• The person you defeat in a battle travels back in time to kill your ancestors.
• In the unimaginably distant future, humans create a time machine and through it discover that alien life has been visiting Earth for centuries.
• You find a time machine in Ancient Egypt and are the first ever time traveller.
• Clanking into the stables, you see a very old machine. Realising it is your original invention, you start to hear voices from inside the room …
• You visit future America using your time machine.
• You discover a remote cabin that is a tunnel to the stars.
• When you travel back in time you watch yourself living the week you just left
• You travel into the future to confront the villain who wronged you in the present.
• You use your time machine to force your very worst enemy to undergo a horrible transformation.
• You’re allowed to bring a single item of tech from the future or past.
• In ancient New York you meet a time traveler who has come back to warn you of a disaster that not even he can escape.
• You travel to the future and find that humanity has finally died off from a nuclear holocaust. The only being left is a clump of blue self-replicating goo in the middle of Australia.
• You design a time machine that only works in the day or the night and there is a switch over an hour during the transition. If you miss the switch you go to the wrong time period. What happens when you get a late start going home?
• Clinging to the side of a comet centuries away from Earth, you wonder if Earth as you knew it is still there.
• A man sat in the corner of a café is revealing to his friend that he has access to travel through time, but can only go to the future and is suggesting his friend make use of his services.
• The machine is designed with no safeguards. The last one you send away through it never returns.
• Suddenly, you get the opportunity to stop yourself from making the biggest mistake of your life.
• Newly-weds experience marital problems when the husband goes back in time and sleeps with the bride at her own wedding.
• You visit a time before humanity. All that you’ll ever do has already been done.
• A time-travel researcher tells you his project is being shut down by shadowy figures.
• You are arrested for stealing the Declaration of Independence, but you’re able to prove you did it with a time machine, and you’re set free.
• A man without a past murders you with a time machine and continues to murder you repeatedly in the past in random locations until he has a past.
• The Zombie Apocalypse is taking place in your time. You have a time machine and could spend the rest of your life hiding, however the government has control of your time machine and says you must help stop the zombie apocalypse. Do you do it?
• You build an army of time machines and conquer the earth.
• What is your time machine of choice?
• A deep regret starts troubling your mind to the extent where you want to erase it by traveling to the past. You know, however, that your very own self is responsible for the regret. How would you deal with it?
• The age of the dinosaur is peaceful. What does your newly discovered, peaceful existence make you think about.
• Writing prompt for time travel
• You go back to the future and miss your appointment with your own past self.
• You use your time machine to travel back in time and kill Hitler.
• You get a glimpse of how life a thousand years into the future looks.
• By using the time machine you realize that you have won the lottery by traveling back in time and buying your winning ticket.
• You find a time machine in a workshop.  After trying it out for yourself, you decide to tell your ancestors about it.
• A group of time travellers accost you. They want to borrow your time machine.
• You meet someone in the past with a time machine.
• You’re given the option to fix any problem with time. What are you going to do?
• A mysterious time traveler comes to you saying he teases time.
• Your time travels were successful, and human civilization went on well despite all the negative prophecies.
• A Time Traveller walks into your bedroom and scares the living daylights out of you.
• You’re a decorated soldier who has been sent to stay in the future for your company.
• After a night of debauchery, you wake up in the future.
• Your time machine malfunctions and sends you into the Mesozoic era.
• You bump into yourself from the future with your time machine.
• You enter your time machine and emerge again at the same place but just a year ago.
• You find an abandoned time machine in your garage.
• You step into your time machine as it’s nearing a critical singularity.
• What would you like to see in the future?
• After borrowing a time machine, you drop in on yourself on the other side of the world after you’re famous. What do you say to yourself ?
• Your boss requires you to prove the time machine actually works.
• Each day, every hour, someone is killed by a time machine. The authorities catch the culprit and you are needed to testify in court. Who is guilty?
• You visit the time of Jesus Christ and meet a side of him no one’s ever heard about before.
• You accidentally hit the “return home” button in your time machine which leaves you stranded in the past.
• You meet a man from the future who steals your time machine to travel backwards in time to 2023. When he does this, he takes away your access to a cure for your favorite dog of cancer. Worse yet, you steal the time machine to go to 2023 and find he got there first and imprisoned you in a subway to get away with the time machine and his crimes.
• A time traveller from the future tells you that you are doomed and that he can only accelerate the time when you will meet your end.
• A newspaper article is printed declaring you, the inventor of the time machine, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics.
• You’re the first person in the history of humanity to travel more than 10 years back in time. What do you do?
• You travel into the past to see the birth of your first pet.
• You are given a time machine by your future self. He tells you that you can raise a kid that will save the world. As a child, you make a terrible mistake, something that ruins your adult life. Using your time machine, you make the change so that the terrible thing never happens. But after making the change, you find that everything changed back.
• A criminal pursued by the police hides in your time machine.
• You get stuck in time with the ability to just pop back to the present when convenient. Time goes by really fast.
• During a time travel experiment you arrive in the middle of the road and accidentally force an oncoming vehicle swerve and rollover on top of a highway divider.
• While flying your time machine to see the dinosaurs, you fall back to the age of the dinosaurs’ reign.
• You find yourself in prehistoric times.
• You appear in a time where time machines are common and they already have mastered quantum physics.
• You take in a wrong turn in the time machine and wake up to realize the future is bleak.
• You see a flying car and kidnap the inventor.
• A woman appears in a flash of light, crying out that you are destined to save the future, and that time travel must never exist after you invent it.
• A love affair with a time traveler sends your life into a downward spiral from which you never recover.
• Butterfly effect. A butterfly causes you to step into the future with your time machine.
• A director is filming a time travel movie and wants you on set to give him some pointers about time travel.
• Travelling through time, you find yourself witnessing your own funeral.
• Your brother has met a good poker player ten years his senior, but then he breaks the heart of the girl living across the street. If he didn’t break her heart, she would have won the lottery.
• You’re stuck in the Dawn of Man era. A member of your tribe who just read “The Singularity is Near” and feels invincible due to the exponential increase in intelligence and strength of humankind comes and trashes your time machine.
• A time traveler visits you and warns you not to build a time machine.
• Your friend tells you that he has a time machine. You visit him from the past just to see for yourself, but there’s no mechanical impossibility that prevents him from referring to his time machine if he explains how it works. Your friend has no reason to lie. Still, you just can’t figure out time machines.
• You take your own tape recorder with you and ask famous people of the future to record their answers.
• You are approached by a man claiming to be a time-traveling Roman.
• You travel to the past and abduct your younger self.
• You add a “past” button to your time machine, but it overshoots and instead it takes you to the future.
• Your wife is dying of cancer in the present but you can save her with a time machine from the future. Meanwhile, you’re forty pounds too heavy, while your wife is a trim model.
• You build a time machine and travel forward a day in your calendar and the world has ended.
• Localized time paradoxes make time travel into specific time periods impossible.
• You go back in time and save yourself from an earlier accident.
• You’re thrown off your time machine by a no-good time bandit, causing you to land at random.
• You accidentally take 10 minutes instead of 7 minutes and find yourself another person.
• You pick up key structural elements from the Roman Empire and recreate them to design your time machine.
• Two versions of you use your time machine to meet each other, and you are in a position to gather some important information, but your younger version doesn’t know that you’re from the future. What do you do?
• Your time machine runs out of juice, forcing you to recharge it somehow.
• You are trapped in a time loop.
• You visit yourself in the past with your time machine.
• Your time machine malfunctions and you find yourself stuck in the Middle Ages. How do you manage to survive?
• Your best friend just graduated. You borrow their time machine to travel back in time to tell them to major in something else.
• Your time machine’s power runs out in the middle of a crucial football game.
• You are torn between going back in time to save a loved one from death and going forward to see how the rest of your life will progress.
• Your time machine wipes your memory and you have to find a “time traveller” savvy enough to help you get back.
• You travel a billion years into the future and meet a god.
• A scientist invents a time machine and appears to disappear. The police question you to see if you are responsible for messing with the time-space continuum.
• A letter falls out of your drawer. It’s addressed to you by yourself from the future and contains advice or information.
• You have to stop a killer who knows your secrets, and who also has a time machine.
• Your time machine lands on top of a very tall building.
• A time traveler from the future confronts you and gives you two tasks.
• You discover writing from a mysterious woman who claims to be from the future.
• Describe a time machine disguised as something not expected.
• Your friend wipes their memory using your time machine.
• The first time machine tour guide is eaten whole by a bookshark.
• You and your kids partake in a major altercation over your time machine usage.
• What is time would be like to a tortoise and infinitely long, containing everything possible.
• Your time machine malfunctions and tosses you into the distant past. You have to fend for yourself.
• You meet yourself in the past with your time machine.
• It is your loved one’s birthday anniversary.
• After building a time machine, you visit yourself on Friday. Friday acts like everything is everyday, even something as drastic as the transportation of matter from the past into the present. Do you tell him?
• A malfunctioning time machine appears to have sent someone from the future into a prehistoric age.
• Two men show up in a time machine, both claiming to have invented it.
• All the components of the first time machine you were developing disappeared in the middle of the night. Only a letter left behind instructs you to give up inventing, and is signed by yourself.
• The writing prompts in this article are just enough to get your creative juices going. But don’t stop there. Take out your journal, grab your pen, and wait for inspiration to strike.
• You win the lottery using a foreseeing device.
• Your uncle, a wealthy businessman, steals the time machine.
• The world ceases to exist. You use your time machine to set into motion events that will alter the past, therefore creating a new future for yourself.
• You build an abusive time machine that traps and tortures anyone stupid enough to use it. Who do you suggest first?
• You discover a time machine on the other side of the universe.
• A scientist in ancient Egypt transfers the soul of the pharaoh into a wooden puppet to save his life.
• You leap through time accidentally and lose the ability to return home.
• Your time machine accidentally creates a time paradox and a second time machine falls out of the sky emitting a loud “BANG”.
• You go back in time and arrive immediately after the Big Bang, allowing you to alter the Universe.
• The government has invented time travel and appointed you commander of a time army.
• You meet your parents when they were in their mid-twenties, and they start asking you questions about who you’re dating in high school, and you accidentally tell them that you’re gay, and the universe changes.
• You are thrown back in time and climb into bed next to your young parents.
• You run into yourself with your time machine. Explain.
• The time machine is used for divorce proceedings.
• You work together with your future-self in a project. You encounter a time paradox, and together, you have to solve it.
• Another time traveler steals a major piece of information from the future and threatens to change the course of history. Now you have to chase him down and retrieve the missing data.
• You set the time machine to return to your Birth Time by mistake and end up there as a baby.
• A pigeon steals your time machine and takes a trip into the past.
• Along your travels you’re confronted by a time-traveler from your future.
• You discover a way to travel back in time to kill Hitler.
• You find yourself in the same place again and again in time.
• You’re trapped in a house where you can see yourself outside through a window.
• A kaiju appears and starts destroying cities in your time after slowing down time.
• When you flee into your time machine, it transports you a few seconds back in time.
• You have a time machine, but decide that going into the future would be no fun with only one head — you could only imagine what would happen if your nose grew — so you went back in time. When you arrive at your house, a young lady tells you that she will marry you in fifty years. Will she still be single?
• You discover your time machine is the last machine on Earth.
• A strange traveller invites you to a feast and entertainment in his time machine.
• You’re flying home over the Pacific, when all of a sudden your jet’s engines cease to function. Panic sets in until you spot a gigantic floor fan a few kilometers away. You float over to it and get blown safely to shore.
• You join a resistance with a time machine and go back in time to stop the powerful.
• A bearded figure approaches you saying he comes from the future and tells a story of a vampire with huge fangs haunting you in the future.
• You achieve enough power to build a time machine. The first thing you do is…
• Your girlfriend is using the time machine to neglect her responsibilities on Earth. You’re angry, confront her about it, and she says you were the same way when you were with her.
• You’re visited by yourself from the past using your own time machine.
• The Scientist can always do one nice thing for the Hero when she has exhausted her Loyalty/Heroism/Sanity tokens.
• Your time machine is stolen and used by a madman. You had your mission to fulfill.
• You send a book back in time for yourself to read when the events in it take place.
• The cargo the government wants you to bring back is the memories of a woman who has committed suicide.
• You just won the lottery but used the money to buy a time machine. How will you use it?
• You accidentally destroy your time machine, only to discover you’ve already built a new one.
• You are given the opportunity to speak to a famous historical figure from centuries ago with the help of your time machine.
• Your time machine malfunctions and puts you into the past instead of the future. Do you try to fix it or simply stay in the past?
• A wizard claims to have sent a message into the time stream to avert some disastrous event in the future. Is he telling the truth?
• You accidentally wind up in the past, right before your 16 th birthday.
• Your happily married, 60-years-young grandparents invite you to their place. They live isolated from the rest of the city in an old dilapidated building overlooking their sprawling garden.
• You end up as chopped liver.
• You try to go back in time to save a friend’s life. But strangely, that friend never existed.
• You discover another time machine and decide to steal it.
• One day you have a philosophical debate with Einstein about time travel.
• You attempt to change the past but discover that doing so is futile.
• You visit a parallel universe.
• You use the time machine to steal pretty things from the time you just arrived in.
• You plan to steal a treasure from a museum in the 1930s but you are distracted and return without the treasure or the time machine.
• You take your time machine out for a joy-ride and end up seriously injuring yourself.
• Your time machine causes you to run over your own self days ago.
• You stumble on a time machine part during your vacation.
• You save someone’s life, but the time ripple effect kicks in, causing your new found friend to become handicapped.
• The ghost of your great-great etc. grandmother visits you with a task to perform.
• In the 19th century, you encountered yourself from earlier that morning in a verdant part of the Amazon River basin. You catch a pig which your younger self is squealing after, for your morning breakfast.
• The clock is devoted to telling the correct time.
• You find a time machine in a pile of junk and take it home.
• You’re trying to get your pet chimp into the past to make him human.
• You visit yourself in the past before the birth of yourself.
• Your family hires a thief who claims that he can engineer a time machine.
• Your time machine breaks and you are stranded outside the present day.
• Your time machine malfunctions and tosses you into the future.
• You bring yourself back to the past as a baby in an attempt to win the lottery with your newfound wealth.
• You find that your girlfriend from the future is now your ex, and you’re crushed.
• An old tramp from the 1800s tells you that he is your grandfather.
• Your time machine can only physically exist at one place at one time. It can only move through time when it is not occupying space. Where do you choose for the machine to be tethered to?
• In ancient Rome, you are captured by the emperor and made to fight against gladiators for survival.
• An old friend tells you this is the first time you two met.
• Your time machine malfunctions and you land in the distant past in ancient Egypt.
• After losing the election and feeling extremely depressed, you visit a future where the revolution has succeeded and there’s a tramp sitting on the throne and…
• After traveling into the distant future you are attacked by a spaceship from a rival time traveler on your way home. How do you find it?
• A time traveller from the future tells you he is invading Earth at present.
• You travel back to the past and give some experience to your younger you for the future.
• You’ve had a good run of it so far since designing your time machine — all gold, all the time. What happens the first time you use it and it gives you an unexpected bounce?
• You live in a society where it is a crime to use time machines.
• Your time travels attract too much attention.
• You build a time machine that only allows you to visit the same location and time twice. For instance, if you were in Paris in 1968 you can return the same time in 1968 to Paris. What do you do with this advanced technology?
• Write a story opening with a character using a time machine to try and correct a mistake. You know they can’t succeed.
• You meet yourself in the future.
• A scientist declares the impossibility of time travel, but he and his colleagues go ahead and build one anyway. What happens?
• Undo your wrongdoings
• Your mother-in-law/uncle-in-law/yourself asks to take your time machine for a spin.
• You vanish for half an hour and when you return, there is a zombie apocalypse.
• Things didn’t just change in the future, they changed more than anyone expected. You had a tendency to speak your mind to everyone, and got thrown into jail.
• We’ve smashed graphene into dust.  Worst is yet to come.  Write about it.
• An intelligence sends you a cryptic message from the future, which you can’t decipher.
• An inconsiderate kid dings your helmet with a toy laser gun and now you can’t see out of your time machine.
• You can never be sure that a piece of technology is truly intelligent. Or maybe you believe that inanimate objects can be sentient.  Write a short story about a  smartphone, or perhaps a  car  that explores its own  consciousness   or experiences an awakening .
• You specifically made a time machine to counter terrible things that were to happen in the future.
• You travel back in time and gather seeds of now extinct plants.
• Your story ends in one hundred words or less.
• Using your time machine, you travel to a place in the past. While there you meet two little angels on your shoulders and two little devils on your hips. How else did things change besides those four and your physical appearance while you were in that time? What if angels looked like tiny devils and vice versa? What if you can’t decide between good and evil? An angel and a devil aren’t exactly helpful as they’re constantly in your mind.
• You find a time machine and steal it, taking it back to your era.
• Your time machine malfunctions and suddenly you take several left turns within warped time and space.
• A friend takes the time machine to go back in time and win the lottery.
• You step inside your time machine and vanish. The only way to get back to where you need to be is to retrace your steps.
• A machine is invented that can reduce wash time from two hours to ten minutes.
• You travel to the future and your machine is destroyed. You must survive in this new world.
• You take an experimental time machine to a job interview and hope for the best.
• A criminal jumps into your time machine and disappears. You just know he’ll appear in the distant past where he’ll destroy evidence against him. He could already be back to his own time. Or, perhaps, he’s traveling around time killing you at intervals.
• There exists a society in the future which consists of the smartest people from throughout history.
• You decide to kill your arch rival when travelling in time.
• Future tells you about life changing technology.
• You pretend to be God with your time machine.
• Your dog, acting as a time machine, takes you on a trip to the Moon.
• The god of life, Yor, hates everyone you know and has sent you back in time to ensure that no one for whom you care is born. You have one year to find their ancestors and change their names to remove them from notice.
• A secret organization appears to be trying to destroy your time machine before you can fix it again.
• You use your time machine to exact revenge on a neighbor.
• You are able to time travel and create a duplicate of yourself.
• A time traveler arrives out of nowhere and shocks you by saying he’s already met you..in the future.
• You suspect the time machine will betray you, but with some modifications you convince it to take you back to the age of mammoths.
• Someone gives you a rare item from a time not yet witnessed. You collect it, what would it be?
• You gave yourself advice in the past. And then regret it.
• You travel back to the time of your parents’ high school prom.
• You stay in the past too long and instead of heading home to the future your matter degrades into a pile of dust.
• The Earth ran out of coffee and you must find a new solar system with this time machine.
• You become lost in time and find yourself in the very distant future.
• You claim to have designed the first ever time machine. A man stands in front of you, asking how you built it.
• You invent a time machine with your friends, and are looking for ideas on where to go.
• You get stuck in the past due to unexpected time machine failure and drop a message as a time capsule for future generations.
• A time traveler visits you and tells you to do everything you do except today.
• A time traveler who’s stuck in the past decides to sire a son and give him the time machine into your hands.
• Zombies are attacking people and only your time machine can get them to safety.
• Your time machine malfunctions while on a field trip with 30 of your students.
• The whole town is quarantined following a sloppy test of a new chemical that grants eternal life because all of the people turn into their Halloween costumes.
• The first time you visit your future home, you find it as a smoldering ruin. People you know are helping with the construction of additional buildings. When you see yourself carrying a large stack of lumber on your shoulder, you realize how you are responsible for the end of the world.
• You can only take one object with you if you are abandoning your home due to nuclear fallout. What is that object?
• Using the time machine, you travel back and prevent your house from being burned down.
• Your favourite goal of travel in the future with your time machine is to see other versions of yourself. Have you tried it? Are you comfortable with that?
• You visit Mars in the 24th century and have a good conversation with a robot from that time.
• Time detectives torture you to find out about your time machine.
• You find a note telling you to never use the time machine and to destroy it.
• A message sent from the future arrives just in front of you.
• You inadvertently landed in the time of King Arthur, but you were unlucky and ended up in a battle between King Arthur and some unruly knight.
• You are put in prison for murder. The judge gives you time travel as your sentence.
• You use your time machine to locate a missing person and save them.
• Do time machines work backwards in time? To answer this question, advance your time machine into the past and see if you can reach its entrance.
• You construct a time machine that allows you to change small details that are part of your life, but not your journey. You must decide whether you will do this or not.
• You get too close to a black hole and end up witnessing the big bang.
• Someone from the future reveals himself to you and announces that he is your greatest fan.
• You don’t die.  You only dream of dying.
• You land in a field you recognize as your own. You return to your time.
• Your family is present in a portrait from centuries before.   You feel a sense of dread at the foreboding.
• Your brother brings home a disturbing book from his school, and he may be thinking of living as an anarchist.
• You use your time machine to exact cruel revenge on a certain authoritarian figure from the past…
• Part 1. Your memory is erased every night when you sleep, and eventually-
• Your wife accepts a dinner invitation from Hitler. You suspect she’s going to sleep with him, and you think it’s your duty to kill Hitler, but you’re unaware of any means of preventing your wife from following through with the plans.
• People in the future are using skins of animals as if they were human clothing. What’s your first reaction?
• You need to travel back in time to eliminate a younger version of yourself before you can be born.
• You’ve been given the honour of piloting the first ever manned mission to the closest star. What do you say to the time machine driver?
• An alternative version of yourself travels in time to warn you about the end of the world.
• Much to your horror, you see your kids acting as vampires and drinking your blood when you go back in time.
• A time machine appears before you. It is tempting but you recognize it as a trap and throw away the key.
• A time traveler from the distant future complains to you about the direction of the present day to help him complete some books he’s been writing.
• You are given the entire future to be filled with whatever you’d like to do.
• Your time machine stops, but you don’t know how to figure out why.
• Your time machine slowly begins vibrating.
• A friend builds their own time machine. Their first thought is to go back in time and kill Hitler.
• A time machine is found on a desert island. What’s inside it?
• You travel to the past but find yourself unable to return as your time machine does not work anymore.
• Your future and past selves meet.
• What if the ancient Mayans didn’t miss the deadline to stop building their dam of suns and asteroids ended up pulverizing their civilization?
• You meet your ancestors from the past with your time machine.
• Visiting the future, you find people attached to giant machines that keep them alive indefinitely.
• You travel to look at dinosaurs in the past.
• You always wanted to work as a shopkeeper in the days before credit cards. But your time machine has malfunctioned and thrown you back into the past. How will you survive?
• You order a ride with a time machine company.
• You send your neighbor Sonic the Hedgehog back in time to be eaten by a Tyrannosaurus rex.
• A pornographic movie is made in the future with the technology from your time machine.
• A disturbing figure demands the time machine and takes it away.
• Your father invents a time machine, which he never finished, and you’ve been working all week to build it. At 11pm on the 11th day, you finally finish it. You turn it on and a blinding white light surrounds you. Before you know it, you feel intense nausea and feel like you’re falling over but you’re still standing. You fall to your knees and everything goes black.
• Your time machine malfunctions again, this time sending you sixteen years into the future. Reflect on this.
• You find yourself lying on a hospitable planet next to a time lodged robot.
• You visit a parallel universe where everyone is living the opposite of your existence.
• You are trapped on a desert island. You have a time machine.
• The universe runs on a finite clock of time.
• You have the chance to interview great political figures like Hitler or Gandhi but you have the added ability to travel back in time to watch them at work. What do you do?
• Your psychic ability gets out of control and you see the future -and it’s not good.
• You accidentally travel through time and witness your own funeral.
• You realize the time machine breaks a fundamental law of physics.
• You go to a costume party dressed as a time traveler. After you have arrived home, you realize that you came dressed as someone who was alive in the 1800’s. Explain how this could have happened.
• You find a mysterious clock marked with golden numbers. It seems to govern the flow of time.
• Access the Dark Future Through Time Travel Plot Line Generator
• You’ve died and been reincarnated through time. You don’t wear the glove in this life though.
• You are working on a time machine and decide to take a break with a cup of coffee. You return to find your friends have become ants.
• You want to prove time travel works, so you take the time machine on a test run…where are you going?
• A strange girl with a curved ear beamed into your living room coming from an alternate time. She gives you a cryptic message.
• The latest trend in technological advances includes transporters that can take you back in time to place you exactly where you were seven seconds ago. A mishap occurs during your seventh trip.
• You can say anything you want to a young you.
• You have the chance to kill Hitler as a baby with the time machine, but minors cannot go back.
• You build a time machine that always fails you.
• You travel back in time and stop yourself from inventing the time machine. So now you never invented it. Uh-oh!
• A farmer who hates machines claims he once saw a time machine.
• Your time machine is malfunctioning. During your visit to the past you discover you have saved Hitler. What do you do?
• What would you do if your time machine gave you a warning that the country will experience a catastrophic event? Hope you enjoy/find this free list of time machine writing prompts useful!
• You find a time machine.
• You meet your future self when you have just acquired the time machine.
• You are absolutely amazed to see your own biography on sale in a futuristic bookstore.
• Your time traveling partner is kidnapped with a time machine that is stolen from you. Go into the past in your own time machine and rescue him/her.
• You approach a black hole and find a time machine that you use to escape before your ship is destroyed.
• Somebody wants to buy the patent for your time machine.
• You travel back in time and see what your life was like before you were born.
• You go back to the past to discover the origin of your favourite game, but realize it didn’t originate with you.
• You mess up the past by accidentally bringing a butterfly into the present…
• You invent a time machine and use it to go back in time dozens of years to tell your father the exact lottery numbers for him to save a bunch of money. But one number he refuses to reveal is the secret code for launching World War III through Bluetooth devices.
• You find a time machine, whose location is unknown to you, but you suspect that it belongs to someone you know.
• Two copies of you are made from different futures with time machines.
• You join a time traveling race and can only move forward in time.
• You discover the secret origin of time travel and attempt to change history to make the world a better place.
• Time-traveling villain tells you the world will be destroyed after he kills your friends.
• You use your own time machine to change history.
• You witness a future war and you’re changed forever by it.
• What is the strangest thing you can imagine is hiding in the UFO that crash- lands on your roof?
• You are told that clones of yourself automatically appear in other lifetimes once you die. How do you react?
• You bring a book about time travel with itself stuffed inside.
• You create a time machine that brings you back to the time of your childhood.
• Your time machine malfunctions and you vanish from the future, you reappear in the past.
• An eccentric gentleman makes an explosive offer to build you a time machine if you’re willing to pay the price.
• You go into the past for revenge. You find the one who wronged you. But instead of killing him, you use your time machine to digitally record and forward the exact moment he wronged you to thousands of other people, causing them all to wrong you equally in the same way. Are you satisfied with how you dealt with it?
• You’re having dinner with your favorite celebrity in their time machine.
• Three men in black suits approach you saying they’ve seen you around town and they want to talk.
• Your great-great-grand-daughter gives you a tip that turns you into a successful person.
• A boy from the past arrives in your present using his time machine. You try to help him find his way home, so you can go to the future.
• Your son is sent years into the future because of nobody’s fault.
• A person appears from a distant era stating they need your help to avert a disaster.
• Your time machine is destroyed and the universe is collapsing so you have to rely on wormhole technology to escape but this accelerates time – the world is now like it was many years in the future.
• The inventor of the time machine is not a quantum physics expert, but an expert in transportation.
• A strange room appears from within your time machine.
• You are revealed to have been the only man on Earth at one time in the future.
• You travel back in time and find yourself on the battlefield of Gettysburg – the American Revolution.
• You arrive in the past and taught primitive man how to talk and perform acts of kindness.
• The one particular day of your life ends up being constantly repeated. You decide to go back in time and stop the one specific incident from happening.
• Your time machine malfunctions and places you in the wrong time and place.
• Paranoid, you only go forward in time and when you see what the world will look like, you decide not to go through with time travel at all.
• You think you’ve seen Hitler’s greatest secret, so you’re about to go back in time to stop him.
• You freeze your dead dog and toss it in a machine that digitizes it, uploading the data to a computer in the future in order to reanimate it.
• An Amazonian tribe recruits you to fight off enemies with your time machine.
• Your time machine malfunctions and sends you to the Middle Ages.
• A future version of yourself uses a time machine to travel to the past to meet his younger self.
• You travel back in time using a computer wormhole. A female version of you shows up and asks you on a date.
• The ability to travel in time inspires a new form of entertainment called the killing-spree industry.
• You witness yourself from the past use your time machine. Describe the moment.
• You’re visited by your future self. Present day you describe something to the future you that once happened today. Future you doesn’t believe you.
• You begin to tell your friends and family what a great writer you are.
• A young woman is being chased by her angry ex. Your time machine is the only place of refuge.
• You create another time machine so you can stay in a romantic relationship with a person from the future.
• The universe is about to explode, and you have a time machine. There’s a way to fix the impending annihilation of the universe, but you require too many pieces of a very rare material which will be completely destroyed in the destruction of the universe. Luckily, you have a time machine.
• The characters travel back in time a few days to stop a gunman from shooting President McKinley.
• You think you’ve made a huge discovery when you find an advanced civilisation in the past.
• Machines from the future started hunting humans and they are almost completely wiped out, except for you and 1 million others. The future reveals that there were 2 evil versions of you, which was the reason behind the machines hunting you down. You have the option to choose which of the 2 versions of you will live. What do you do?
• While traveling with your time machine, you look into the night sky and see a constellation that hasn’t been formed yet.
• Someone steals your time machine.
• Your time machine lands in a purgatory inhabited by creatures that love humans.
• A paranoid inventor of a device that controls the weather starts World War 3.
• Having found a better time machine you visit the future of the time machine maker.
• There’s a man on the street corner yelling at people. He tells you that you must go back to your own time or else risk setting in motion an apocalyptic chain of events.
• A voice from your time machine says to you “Remember that the time machine is your friend!”
• You use your time machine to commit a murder that goes unsolved.
• You invent a time machine and later realize an evil dictator has constructed one as well. And he plans to use yours to travel back in time and change history. What do you do?
• Your time machine malfunctions and you visit an alternate reality instead.
• You challenge your alternate-self to mortal-combat in the arena of time.
• After discovering a time machine, you travel back in time to tell yourself something that isn’t so random.
• You plan to bring someone back from the past as a souvenir as a joke, but they change everything and almost cause disaster.
• A machine on your desk malfunctions and you’re flung back in time with a chance to prevent all the horrible things that’s been happening to you lately. Everything else is the same except for one small detail. Who do you hug the moment before you go back in time and what was about to happen the next moment?
• In a modern country, Neanderthals have survived.
• A lowly future version of you appears out of nowhere and warns you that if you do not change your current course of action that the world will come to a horrible end.
• You’re informed by the government that your time machine is a security threat and decide to hide it in an impregnable location – and you haven’t gotten it back ever since.
• You go back in time to prevent your great, great, great, great grandfather’s murder
• Your time machine transports you to the same place over and over until you stop it.
• The three of you begin arguing about existence and end up destroying yourselves and your time machine forever.
• While visiting the past, you are prevented from returning to the future by some future familiar to you covering the time machine.
• You decide to become a time traveling law enforcement officer.
• You reveal to the public the existence of time travel.
• Your time machine malfunctions and sends you back to a pivotal time in history.
• Your future self is a lot different than what you imagined.
• A time travelling stranger gives you advice that changes your life and allows you to benefit from it in the present.
• While on another planet you come across a giant cave filled with artifacts. A pedestal on the far side is handing a vial containing a dark green liquid.
• You’ve armed your time machine with a newspaper that predicts the outcome of the great war.
• Your time machine malfunctions and throws you directly into your own childhood, before you have a doubt of what the future is like or imagined you would create the time machine.
• You worship an entity known as Time. All your technological advances flow from this belief.
• You discover an enigmatic time wand on the beach. Presumably bought by tourists in ancient times.
• You travel back in time to the day your parents were born.
• There is a contest to see the most interesting person in the universe, and the winner goes to the moon.
• A time-traveler from the 22nd century tells you a disturbing tale.
• You were dead all the time. You just didn’t remember. But remember at the end when you wanted to take a look at yourself so you used a time machine only to look at yourself when you were dead in the present.
• A savant that you’re visiting tells you that you shouldn’t have been born.
• A meteorite devastatingly knocks you and your time machine off course, before landing in prehistoric times.
• Your time machine crashes, and its inner mechanisms are revealed.
• You travel into the future but your time machine malfunctions and sends you to a different century than you a…
• You crash into the west gate of ancient Rome on the day that Titus unites it. What is the result of you introducing yourself to the people?
• The time machine needs to be regularly recharged with a special potion invented by you.
• A lone traveller arrives in your time and says he’s from the much distant future, asking for food and shelter.
• Your dog travels to the far future with your time machine, which is now ineffective.
• In an attempt to go back and change the past something goes wrong and brings you face to face with yourself.
• You visit a future where time travel doesn’t exist, yet you are still alive.
• You design a time machine capable of taking you into the future instead of the past.
• You are living your life again and again.
• Werewolves.
• You’re standing at the end of a platform waiting for a train, when a time machine whisks you off for a quick visit in the past.
• Your time machine malfunctions and tosses you into the past, just after the dinosaurs became extinct.
• After travelling to the future, you stay there for a year and return to your original timeline. How does the world differ?
• Your two best friends discover your time machine and use it to sabotage your projects in life. A rich madman offers to help you in your work. You only find out later that he intends to use you to take over the world. A better looking, richer guy offers to help you deploy your time machine. Turns out what he wants to do is use it for his own social engineering projects.
• An elderly man walks into your time machine office.
• Would the past and the future ever meet?
• You explore the future as an old man.
• You decide to visit your future self. What do you do there?
• This time machine has a few suspicious features which you’ve never noticed before. You walk over to it and . . .
• One of your friends has a time machine. It malfunctions and sends you back in time. What happens?
• A mad man with a torch opens the lid of the time machine where you and your son are. What do you do?
• You find that you cannot see the future as it is happening as easily as you thought.
• The laws of physics completely break down and the flow of time ceases to exist.
• You’re on your way to a job interview and your time machine breaks down in the present.
• The enigmatic figure you collided with comes from the future to ask you a question.
• People have discovered how to travel back in time and undo the events of the Second World War. That means you must disappear from the face of the Earth. How do you do so? Your visit to 2016 prompted you to start a student revolution.
• You kill your past self with your time machine, hoping to shape your destiny.
• Once you return from the past, and you look around where you live. It has changed…if only a little.
• You travel back in time before you were born. You must stop yourself from being conceived.
• What do you say to yourself when you meet yourself in the future?
• With your time machine, you go back in time and do something to prevent a tragedy.
• You travel back in time to witness the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
• You’re engaged in a dicey battle with a mad scientist. Your time machine malfunctions.
• Your time machine malfunctions while on a trip to Paris.
• What would you say to your future self when he sees you?
• A sci-fi “tech noir” game inspired by film noir, smog, and Blade Runner…
• You attempt to modify a time machine, hoping to find a way to return to the past.
• You are sent back to the stone age, your time machine is destroyed and you must find a way to go home.
• The same prompt is posted in four different places scattered about the house, each written in a different hand. Given no knowledge of the others, how do you spot the fifth?
• You find a perfectly working time machine and go back in time to give yourself advice.
• You discover an alien machine that looks like a time machine.
• You ask yourself to lend you a book, but your future self never responds and you never see the book again.
• Returning to the present with a lot of sweat and tired muscles, you’re greeted by your friends. “I’ve spent time in the future”, you say.
• A time traveler approaches you and asks to borrow your time machine.
• Your time machine just landed.
• You ask someone from the past for a light.
• An old woman pleads for you to turn up at her great-granddaughter’s birthday party.
• You attempt to travel back in time to the era of pirates to explore their treasures, but you end up in jail instead when you’re mistaken for a stowaway.
• You’re trekking and you discover a puddle of a gooey substance, you set off a time machine in the past and it arrives with a man who is calling himself a god.
• Your pet has been taught how to use a time machine.
• You become lost from your time machine and can’t find your way back home.
• Buy the entire Time Machine Story Bundle!
• You wish you were smart enough to invent a time machine.
• A tragic accident occurs and you only have 10 minutes to decide how to react.
• Someone is murdered, but you found a time machine to arrive on the crime scene three minutes before the murder occurs. You find yourself immediately confessing to the crime, even though the victim is still alive! Explain why so in the comments section.
• Lightning strikes the time machine momentarily giving you superpowers.
• What did you say to your past self?
• You’re part of a time machine tourism agency and you pick up two groups of famous people.
• You’re plagued by your jealous friend who travels to the past to alter your history.
• You’ve investigated some disturbances in time and need to ask your future self just one question to give you a nudge in the right direction.
• You go back in time and see what would have happened were your parents to elope.
• Time travelers observe your humble offering in the desert.
• You use your time machine to “visit” the afterlife.
• Delaware is hit by a nuclear bomb targeting Foggy Bottom in 1986 but you and your friends survive because your time machine had you surfing on your backyard pool.
• You travel back in time and take over the life of your great grandfather before he met your great grandmother.
• You use a time machine to save a person from committing suicide.
• Your time machine malfunctions, and you are sent back to World War I.
• According to multiverse theory there are an infinite amount of copies of you travelling through time. One day you meet one who is a detective running around with a gun trying to catch the crook.
• Inherited your great-great-grandfather’s time machine.
• The holy book tells you that the most important task of man is to perfect time machines. With the first time machine built, the chronoknights arrive from the 21st century.
• You land a time machine on your wedding day. Your future self tells you that you picked the wrong suit.
• The world is on the brink of total annihilation and only you have a time machine that can save humanity.
• Upon landing, you wake up in bed. It is the next day.
• An impossible time paradox rears its perplexing head and makes you question your own existence.
• Captain Picard and the Enterprise encountered time nexus points in the The Next Generation episode “Remember Me”.
• You decide to introduce the concept of the time machine to society. You do, and then everything changes.
• Someone from the future takes your time machine and sends you far in the past.
• You’ve found another time machine. Describe how you show it off to your friends.
• Adventure game design frequently revolves around avoiding death. The game could feature a serious subject line or a tongue in cheek title. Games recently released or popular with the Quest studio are listed below along with a few of us from the Quest team who could possibly run/lead a game. If you sign up and someone from Quest leads or runs your game, you will also receive a coupon for a $5 discount off any future Quest games.
• Every part of the time machine malfunctions and then breaks after just a single use.
• You’re supposed to go to a party but decide to hit a baseball instead.
• While wearing your time machine, you bump into a friend you went to high school with and have to convince them that it’s still you. Tell us how that went down.
• You find a time machine. How do you feel?
• You’re in a writing slump and pick up a book about time travel. It seems to have the answers you’re looking for, but to write your own ending, you must follow the rules of the book.
• You go back in time and stop a tragic life event that was about to happen.
• One day you wake up to your alarm and find that even when you look at the clock it’s broken.
• You find a time machine belonging to your schoolmate. She never knew it would belong to her.
• You’re in charge of the time machine department of a big corporation and you think you’re about to be replaced by a more junior employee.
• You and your friend take your time machines to the test track. What if everything isn’t quite as you thought?
• You learn that tomorrow will be the last day of your life. Tomorrow. What do you do?
• You meet Shakespeare.
• You’re the only person left in town because everyone else was killed in a time machine experiment gone wrong.
• Your family desperately needs money in order to keep the house, but due to unfortunate circumstances, you cannot make any more money.
• You, and all of your ancestors are seated in your living room after you purchased your first time machine.
• Your time machine traps you in the past.
• Someone’s taken your time machine from you and is playing pranks on your family and friends.
• What if your time machine changed the world as you knew it, and can never be used again? What did you see?
• You’re hurriedly trying to put together the pieces of a time machine when suddenly, a 10-foot-tall cock speaking in backwards sentences appears.
• You travel back in time and meet your one great great grandfather.
• Make one dream or nightmare come true with your time machine.
• King Arthur’s time machine was reportedly recovered from the peat bogs and is on display today.
• Supersonic jets are invented in your 30’s, ushering a new age of travel and intercontinental entertainment.
• You’re trapped in a timeless escapism reality and you must escape.
• Your father accidentally tampers with history, creating havoc.
• Your sister comes over for tea and tells you a story about how the two of you, when younger, would drive your parents crazy by fighting for control of the time machine.
• You accidentally travel back in time and change something, altering your future.
• Until the Whale Comes Inker Productions presents …
• Tomorrow you are going on holiday to the past. How do you convince your boss that this is a wonderful investment, besides of course for the fact that it’s your duty to the company to get the much needed experience.
• You steal one of the time machine parts from your former friend who claimed ownership of the time machine.
• People are chasing you and you run into a time machine and escape.
• Your dog has been run over. You build a time machine to go back in time to save Fido.
• You meet yourself in the future and regret the mistakes you made in the past.
• Time goes backwards while you are using your time machine.
• You get into an argument with yourself from the past future.
• Suddenly, the world’s most benevolent dictator comes to power while you are in your time machine. What’s your next move?
• After that you want to ask some specific questions.
• You want to know the cause of your future world but the future you are scared to tell you.
• You are approached by a maniac suffering from amnesia who insists he comes from the past.
• A strange metal object falls from the sky. When you touch it, it transports you into an unrecognizable land.
• Your time machine, on a non-specific spring night, takes you to the future on your birthday the day before you plan to celebrate.
• You travel back in time to meet your parents as teenagers.
• You’re racing a motorcycle to New York from LA, while your loved one is in labor.
• Someone asks you about time travel and you explain your point of view on the subject.
• You’re given the opportunity to travel back in time to your first big break.
• Your future self gives you advice that betters your life.
• A time machine is stolen from you and you must chase after the culprit.
• A time-traveler from the future appears to you and asks for help in saving the world.
• The future where you come from is a horrible dystopia ruled by mutant abominations.
• When you visit yourself you do so as a mouse living under the stairs.
• You ran over a beautiful antelope. You effortlessly summon forth your time machine to go back in time and replace the antelope with a live one.
• You’ve had a time machine all of your adult life. There’s one glaring evil you could have done to change history as we know it.
• Using this time machine, you can perform altruistic duties, like saving a loved one’s life.
• You come across a photo showing yourself in a familiar but future place.
• Global warming has changed everything.
• You can bring one article of clothing with you into the future. What do you choose?
• You are given a mission by an enigmatic wizard. He says only a sentient time machine will be able to do it.
• Your team raises enough money to develop a time machine and have it manufactured. The first thing you do with it is to time travel to Ancient Greece and conquer the cradle of civilization. When asked why you want to do this you reply that, “All will be answered in time.”
• Someone steals your time machine, dipping into all sorts of mischief while you’re trying to get it back.
• You visit the future expecting a good time. What happens instead?
• You are trapped in a room with no doors or windows with  one person and a time machine. Your best friend/killer/killer. Two of the buttons on the time machine are ‘go back 50 years’ and ‘go forward 10 years’. You can’t go back in time further than around 1949 or go further ahead in time than September 22nd of the year you are born in. Your only hope is to turn your friend/killer/killer into your slave. What do you do?
• You’ve been asked to stop time-travellers from ganging up on your time machine and destroying it.
• Your time machine malfunctions and tosses you into the Viking age. You communicate with the locals by writing.
• You see a modern sewer tunnel morphs into a tunnel from the past.
• Aunt May is visiting and accidentally steps on your time machine which sends her to the beginning of the universe.
• After using your time machine you realise you now know something no one else does.
• A time traveller appears out of nowhere telling you of your secret origin before disappearing again.
• You have the power to either go back in time or forward. You can’t use the same power twice in a row, so pick wisely.
• You meet a mysterious time traveling inventor who offers to tell you their secrets, but it may have consequences for your present day.
• “The Time Machine” still ranks as one of the greatest science fiction novels. What’s your opinion?
• You tricked your grandfather into stepping into your time machine and now regrets it.
• You’ve aged one hundred years and no longer remember what you named your time machine.
• You travel to the Stone Age but you aren’t able to build a fire and end up as a human meal.
• You enlist the help of Albert Einstein to help devise a time machine.
• Your time machine malfunctions and you end up five billion years in the future.
• Someone visits you with their own time machine and convinces you to go back in time in your own life to kill Hitler or to invent something that will change the world.
• You discover an autonomous time machine that you didn’t build.
• Little Miss Naughty of the Year starts taunting your sex life using time travel, and gives you an ultimatum.
• A prophetic dream leads you to build a time machine, but the journey into the future shows you the doom of the world.
• The first time machine malfunctions and destroys the world. You are the only one who knows it existed. Can you and will you tell everyone?
• You’ve been fired and lost all your money. What entry-level job are you considering doing in the future?
• You use the time machine to alter the outcome of the battle of Gettysburg.
• A time machine is an impossible construct–yet someone has demonstrated the concept. Who could it be and where is it being kept?
• You encounter a Weeping Angel when using your time machine.
• You ride a time machine into the past so that your grandparents fall in love.
• You’ve been studying your great-great-grandfather’s family history. They decided to immigrate to the United States in the mid-18 century. You can travel back and bring one of them back with you. Who do you choose?
• This list of five becomes ten then 30…
• Your best friend mysteriously moves away. How do you get them to come back?
• A dog barks at your time machine while you’re setting it up.
• Your time machine breaks down and you get stuck in prehistoric times.
• An ex-girlfriend appears to you with a time machine and asks you to travel with her for a quick trip into the future.
• You time machine malfunctions and you inadvertently destroy the world. What will you do now with your time machine?
• The Earth and the solar system have been destroyed by a past version of yourself. What do you do?
• A science fiction writer from the country of your nationality visits you and says he comes from the future. Is he lying or telling the truth?
• The more years you spend in the future, the younger you get.
• A mad scientist kidnaps you, but you manage to escape with your time machine.
• You and your mentor build a time machine together, but anything you try to bring back is always incinerated by the hot time winds. However, your mentor has no problem.
• A group of people steals your time machine and visits another era with it.
• Your friends discover your time machine and decide to play some pranks on people from the past. Who do you prank?
• You become good friends with Richard Nixon.
• You’ve just got back from the future with an answer to the question that made your career a success, after all it won’t be long until it’s published. When you return you find nothing has changed – why?
• You find a sentient time machine with the ability to make alterations.
• You meet a mysterious man in a bar who says he comes from the past.
• You’re given a time machine to jump from the past to the present. What do you do?
• You take a long awaited fishing trip with a beloved relative and can’t seem to catch anything.
• Different people from different times try to understand the concept and use it.
• Someone sends you a time machine and you decide to play pranks on all your friends.
• Your time machine malfunctions and tosses you into World War II.
• Your boss tells you to choose a vacation spot today or be fired in the near future.
• You’re actually from the future – and have traveled back in time to warn yourself, even though you know you’re going to dismiss what you’re about to say.
• Your time machine has artificial intelligence which is outright malevolent.
• A co-worker discovers your time machine and wonders what he’ll do with it.
• Traveling through time becomes a fad. Do your friends or family members try to go back in time to make different decisions?
• Your time machine breaks and suddenly you’re trapped in an airport. Later, you learn your fiance is soon to marry someone else.
• Which of your ancestors will you visit next using your time machine?
• Your time machine lands you just a few minutes before the start of the Battle of Hastings.
• You wake up in your time machine travelling through time.
• You cross paths with your future self.
• A futuristic robot approaches you. He tells you his time machine has malfunctioned and wiped out humanity in the year 3303. The robot asks for your time machine to jump back in time dimension and fix the situation. You already knew the robot was trying to trick you, so you destroy the robot.
• Your deceased grandma approaches you from the past through your time machine and advises you on your life.
• You decide to clean your time machine to perfection. You are so anal about it that you end up killing the person you were supposed to save. Explain.
• You’ve developed a cure for the common cold. Along with time travel, your amazing invention could eradicate a global health concern. Could you do it?
• The timer malfunctions and you are transported back a second before the machine is activated. The situation is exactly the same, except you remember how devastating the consequences will be.
• You ask people what they were like in the past and they respond.
• You use your time machine to save yourself a long time back.
• You return through your time machine to a year before you were even born, and must decide which of your parents get to have you, and which parent abandons you.
• A tachyon signal has been found from the Age of the Dinosaurs that you accidentally travel to.
• You are trapped in a situation that will only happen in the future.
• Try to explain time travel to a 10 year old.
• You use your time machine to look up the love of your life.
• You reveal a time machine to friends and yourself step inside, never to  be seen again.
• You disobeyed the laws of time and went fifteen years back in time. What are the consequences? Your family is not rent with grief? You returned home fifteen years ago and there was no change?
• You’re given tickets for two to a Broadway show in the past. Two of you arrive, but there’s only supposed to be one.
• Your time machine harnesses dark matter, but will these butterflies unleash a terrible plague into the future?
• A Martian approaches you on a lonely road and says he could use a good time machine, like yours. What happens?
• Your time machine drops you off at a random time in history.
• Three characters meet and discover that each of them has a time machine.
• The future you saw yourself in turns out to be false after your return.
• You’re kidnapped by a mad psychopath who threatens to kill you unless you take him back to the stone age.
• You use the time machine to film a music video.
• A future self arrives in a time machine to give you advice.
• You give your future self very specific instructions.
• Your time-travelling partner retrieves something from the past. However, on returning to the present, you discover that not as long ago, you had done the same thing.
• You are a marine archaeologist. Find me a time machine!
• You land in the future where all machines are now organic.
• Travel back to the time of the Sumerians.
• Your time machine ravages the universe by transporting matter in and out causing the universe to collapse on itself.
• A bunch of marauders are after you. They crash a bunch of ships everywhere and one of those ships gets sent messages back in time to when the Mayans were building Machu Picchu. They run around Machu Picchu and you’re pissed off the brand new structure is going to get destroyed before you can see what happens. Then you get transported to the future. What’s the first thing you do?
• There is a being on Earth that was made using your DNA and they’re behind your disappearance.
• You prepare to go into the past and visit the place you grew up in. The only problem is that you…
• Your first stop on your time travel vacation is the dawn of civilization.
• The world throws a festival inviting people from different time periods to the same party for the first time. Which moment do you visit?
• You find you already settled the argument that has plagued you since high school.
• You travel back in time in order to teach yourself how to design a time machine.
• Time travel is about to completely obsolete the Internet.
• A guy from the future shows up at your door with a time machine and says you will have a child together that will be a great writing talent.
• You are visited by your future self with a time machine and warned to stop what you’re doing.
• You’ve finally figured out how time travel works. But a new paradox makes all your efforts useless.
• You cannot help laughing maniacally all of a sudden for no reason. What had happened?
• You travel all the way back to the prehistoric period and have to fight a leaping T-Rex.
• Returning from another time, you find we’re all gloriously happy.
• You inherit a time machine from your grandfather. He has one condition for you to receive it, that is never use the machine. You can’t resist and ride the machine into the past. You witness a traumatic event in your past which changes your life completely. Where to place your time machine when you live in a one-room apartment.
• You receive the mysterious invitation to visit a rich stranger in the future.
• An old beggar woman approaches you saying she is your grandmother who was flung into the future for loving a beggar man.
• Your favorite celebrity says they can invent a time machine and wants you to be a history consultant. Do you take the job?
• You accidentally witness yourself die in the future.
• You’re robbing the house of someone you hate and time-travels back to kill you before you rob them.
• You find a time machine that was abandoned in a field with a hastily written note on a nearby rock.
• You get yourself lost in a time of your past which was exactly like your present. You’re getting accustomed to living in that age. But despite being in such a vivid age, you feel like something is missing. Your phone does not work, you don’t know what a word processor is, and cars are nowhere in sight. And what’s worse is that you can’t stop thinking about your future and your family. You spend the whole day crying. What has happened? Is this some sort of paradox? Your future has been erased.
• You realize that you’ve traveled back in time and no longer have your music player or cell phone.
• Someone steps into your time machine and begins travelling wildly through time.
• You travel back in time and encounter your favorite historical figure.
• You use your time machine regularly to celebrate your birthday every year. Will you continue to do this even if you turn 1000?
• You’ve just made a hot discovery in your lab. You run out to inform your chief. At this most opportune moment, your time machine malfunctions and you vanish. What are the reflections of your chief on the mystery of your disappearance? Returning to the present to process further on your discovery, you cannot believe the change. How do you return to the past? When you’re done remember to wipe away the five minutes of writing. This kind of writing involves only simple writing in which you have to develop your attention to specific subjects. Your approach differs when you develop a new take on an existing idea and allow your thoughts run like a river. Writing prompts about material interests and desires elicit this kind of writing. By looking at the mind’s deeper, wheeling thoughts leads to rousing writing reveals a lot of your personality. It enables you to bring forth your ideas with breathtaking results for you or someone else depending on your area of interest.
• Technology from your time machine deteriorates as it ages.
• You can leave your body out to die and let it move on when you don’t need it anymore, or at least try to.
• You accidentally take yourself back in time with your time machine.
• A little child finds your time machine and gets stuck in the past.
• A time-travelling visitor tells you to bring him food and water that you somehow do not already have. What do you do?
• You and your arch nemesis are fashion time machines. You race each other into the past.
• You can go to any era, real or fictional, what do you pick and why?
• You receive a text message from your future self with a date and time. You realize this is the time you will die.
• You accidentally travel into the future before developing a time machine and can never get back to your time to recreate getting the time machine.
• We have free time travel. What do we do with it?
• Comment below and let me know how your writing session “went”.
• The only weapon that will destroy the world’s oldest man.
• You’re taking a walk when you find yourself and your time machine inside a giant interdimensional transition wormhole.
• You want to take revenge on your last unrequited love by inviting her to your wedding.
• One day you decide to take a time machine journey, but you end up with the wrong time.
• You’ve been cryogenized in the future and brought back to now for spare body parts.
• You accidentally kill yourself in your time machine.
• You have the opportunity to make a wish in front of the church where 5 black crows are perched. What will it be?
• You use your time machine to prevent your childhood accident and thus erase yourself from existence.
• A crazed traveler from a different dimension destroys a nearby town before you realize he is on a misdirected time tour to the future.
• Your girlfriend is on her way to your house and if she doesn’t find you at home she’s going to dump you. You call yourself in the future and ask your future self to stall her.
• You visit the future.
• Your grandfather offers you a chance to tell him about the future.
• The Titanic sinks and your time machine gets destroyed as a result of the collision. You are now stranded in the past where you see the Titanic crash, as you try to swim away from the sinking wreckage you hear faint coughing.
• Your time machine goes haywire, and you travel back in time, helpless until you return to the present.
• The time machine you designed turns out to be a major disappointment.
• You meet your twenty six year old clone and become jealous.
• Elemental Powers is a new superhero, the first ever to gain their powers from all the elements. What do you think about the first superhero?
• When something morally wrong happens, you use your DIY time machine to erase it.
• Your time machine makes your mom give birth to you when you were born.
• You and a really old guy with wild hair are the only two humans left alive in giant ruins of the Time Machine construction facility.
• By flying through different eras, you have found a time machine blueprint in the Age of Dinosaurs. You return to the present and share this information with the World.
• You have arrived in Pompeii moments before Mt. Vesuvius erupts.
• Mother Nature takes your time machine on an adventure through time and space.
• While you were spying on your enemies with your time machine, you had it malfunction and you were stuck in their house.
• Time travel is so common now that you take it for granted. You get frustrated with tourists who visit the past just to marvel at what’s used to be.
• You invent a charming device that instantly transports the user to any point on the globe. The device is available commercially. What happens?
• You’ve inherited a time machine that was developed by your eccentric uncle.
• You invent a time machine and start fixating on specific time periods and lose track of the present.
• Your family builds a time machine to join you in the future.
• The clock you’ve invented, freeze time.
• You challenge Doc Brown to a race in your time machine.
• You try to use your time machine to send a letter back in time.
• You discover that someone from the future has been stalking you everywhere.
• You discover yet another time machine.
• While traveling through time, you encounter a paradox and manage to screw up the whole world. What stupid thing did you do to cause this?
• You meet up with a famous inventor, have dinner together, and then, the next morning, you tell them the invention they’ll be known for came from you.
• An abused kid asks you for a ride in your time machine to visit his rich self in the future and expose all the lies told to him.
• Wonderful, now the machine’s broken and you can’t go home.
• You get transported into the past and see yourself kill your grandparents.
• You discover a time loop in the time machine you used.
• As a time travel researcher, you receive an alarming report.
• You invent a time machine and use it to steal money from your own bank account yesterday.
• Your dead friend Willis returns from the future to visit you on your birthday… as a zombie.
• Unplug your time machine to find several copies of yourself waiting to use it. The more you witness the same event, the more this world vibrates with events before your eyes and waits to be witnessed. In this world, are you the original? Do you move on from one world to the next? To what end? Time travel continues indefinitely…
• Your time machine gets stolen.
• You get stranded on the moon. You have no supplies and only the moon’s supplies to survive. What do you eat and how do you avoid getting ill?
• What do you decide to do about the people who ruined your life?
• The time patrol says that you have changed time and now they have to destroy you.
• You approach a special cabinet in the basement of a museum and open it. You are not seen, though, and you enter it…
• A friend asks to borrow your time machine to travel to the future to read tomorrow’s newspaper.
• Come up with a famous use of time travel in a novel, a movie, a TV show, or a video game, and describe how it resolves.
• How would you describe your past life to someone else.
• You are stuck in a time capsule for fifty years. What was the best thing about it? You are stuck in a time capsule for fifty years. What was the worst thing about it? Time Machine fashion shows are popular. A time capsule opens. You forgot to include any clothes. What do you do?
• You find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere with your time machine.
• Someone invents a time machine before you, and when you find out who it was you wish you had invented it.
• You have the opportunity to set people free from the 9 to 5 rut from the past by reviving communism. You do this by walking into the time machine and doing it manually.
• Undesirable elements from the past come back to wreak havoc in the future.
• You visit the year you were born in with your time machine. Perhaps your parents spent their first anniversary with you or perhaps it’s the day you were born.
• The spaceship you were travelling in crashes on a remote planet in the past.
• Your primary mission is now accomplished but you’ve been unconfident in accomplishing your secondary mission.
• You invent a magic wand that lets you transport anywhere in time. So where are your favorite places in time that you would visit?
• Against your better judgment you use your time machine to head back into prehistory. The trip is a complete and total failure and you end up in 1000 A.D.
• You go back in time and watch yourself fall in love with the man or woman of your dreams.
• Your girlfriend tries to get you in on a time travelling threesome with you and another version of you from the future.
• You sell your time machine to the government for a large sum of money only to be told the government has also built a time machine.
• After speaking to the future you realise you’re destined to marry your favourite celebrity.
• You tune into the secret signal for time travellers and are transported as a spy from one war to another.
• Your time machine malfunctions and you end up back in time.
• You witness the Time Traveller.
• You win a Nobel Prize for designing the first time machine.
• The detective tries to reason with the professor to no avail and threatens to have his time machine seized.
• Using time travel, you’ve corrected an old mistake you made.
• You’ve just traveled back from the future, and before you arrive in the past you drop an important item. When returning to the past, you realize that you must give the object away to yourself, in the past.
• A time-traveling serial killer is on the loose.
• You accidentally take your time machine with you and wind up in the future—the far future.
• The last person on Earth is in a deep sleep. Using your time machine, you move him to the present day.
• You have the ability to travel to any time period you choose. You have arrived at a crucial period in history and need to contact friends about something really important.
• Inventors of a time machine grow rich and famous from fortune where they become controlling tyrants.
• You overhear two acquaintances plotting to kill your self in the future.
• Your time machine malfunctions and you double wound yourself. What else goes wrong?
• You find yourself at the moment of conception.
• You are stranded in a G major universe.
• Your time machine is on the fritz and you have a party with your future self.
• You find you can travel into the past and become your ancestors. Why do you immediately think of helping yourself? Does it make you feel ashamed regardless?
• You find out you’re destined to commit murder in six days.
• You discover two unknown time portals in your city, one leads to the past, the other to the future.
• You’ve traveled through time to a future date and discover that people living in that era already have time machines and can travel through time. How do you feel about this?
• A time traveller from the future travels back and asks you for one chance to save his family.
• The future you show you in a time machine is awful in many ways but exactly how you predicted.
• You’re a time traveller. A frightened young woman on the run takes shelter in your home while her pursuers are looking for her in the wrong direction.
• You use your time machine to go back in time and catch a murderer.
• You are trapped in an empty black room with your time machine.
• Your time machine malfunctions and unleashes Skynet into the world.
• Your time machine sends you decades into the future, but when you return your machine remains where it was.
• Unable to return to your own time, you use your time machine to tour the ages.
• A beam of light from a time machine appears overhead. You realize that you are stuck.
• You’re visited by a man and woman in the future, claiming they are your kids.
• A dog tags along with you when you’re testing the time machine. 20 years later, the time machine malfunctions and returns you and the dog to the present. The dog has then aged 200 years.
• Visiting yourself in the future goes wrong, but you get to keep the time machine.
• Someone suggests you save Hitler.
• The army of the future has time machines at their disposal.
• You’re jumped by a gang and wish yourself to be in your own time machine’s storage place to retrieve a weapon so you can defend yourself.
• A time machine is built based on your design, but you’re found dead, slumped against the time machine. You are declared a martyr.
• You find a time machine on your nose.
• While in the distant past, a saber tooth tiger appears out of nowhere.
• Your pet accidentally gets sent to the future. You have to be content with a slightly evolved animal.
• The person you love ends up marrying someone else. You journey all the way back into time to stop this from happening.
• You use your time machine to track someone across alternate universes. What happens next?

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Fiction Writing , Writing Prompts and Exercises

Time travel writing prompts, by lisa  •  may 3, 2019  •  0 comments.

What if you could travel back in time and live your life over again starting from the point you went back to? Would you do it?

To sweeten the deal, what if you retained the memories of everything that you had lived through and experienced in the future? Now you could avoid all the stupid mistakes you had made. Everything would turn out better, right? But would it?

Every decision we make, whether good or bad, sets into motion things that will happen. Each decision we make, the bad ones as well as the good ones, helps to form us into who we are.

The following quote is from Towards Zero , one of my favorite books by Agatha Christie: When you read the account of a murder – or, say, a fiction story based on murder – you usually begin with the murder itself. That’s all wrong. The murder begins a long time beforehand. A murder is the culmination of a lot of different circumstances, all converging at a given moment at a given point. People are brought into it from different parts of the globe and for unforeseen reasons. […] The murder itself is the end of the story. It’s Zero Hour.

That quote pertains to murder, but the same can be said for just about any other circumstance in our life. If we had the ability to go back in time to relive parts of our life over, it would change the future and maybe not for the better.

Writing Prompts:

Look at your own life and choose a decision you made in the past that you would like to change. Now pretend that you’re able to go back in time while retaining all of your present memories and change that decision.

How is your future affected? Since you remember what your life was like before you changed a decision you made in the past, you can see how different it is now. You can see the ripples that were put into motion by that one changed decision.

What is different?

Is your family life the same? Is it worse? Or is it better?

Do you have the same parents? How has you changing the one decision affected them? Do any of the family members you once had no longer exist? Are there new ones?

If you were married, are you still married to the same individual? Do you have the same children?

What about your job? Do you have the same job or do you have a better job?

Do you have the same circle of friends? Do any of the friends you had no longer exist?

Has your financial situation changed?

I’m sure there are many more ways you can think of that your life would have been changed by that one changed decision. Make notes on all of these things and write a story.

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The Writer's Workout

Be a better writer..

• Susan Matteucci
• Dec 22, 2022

Tips and Tricks to Writing Time Travel Into Your Story

Time travel and time manipulation is a very common conflict in science fiction, fantasy, and even more action-based genres of fiction. However, despite it being so common, it is possibly one of the hardest supernatural qualities to write effectively into a story.

Time travel can be very confusing, and you can lose your readers if you are not careful about how you approach it. Not only that, but since time travel has been done so many times, authors may feel the need to be original in their works which can cause even more confusion.

However, writing time travel can be fun and easy if you know what you’re dealing with! When writing a story with any sort of time manipulation, make sure you first answer the question: what are the rules of time travel in my story? Once you’ve asked this, there are common writing tips that can help you write these rules effectively into your story.

Rules of Time Travel

Before we worry about what your characters understand, let’s focus on you, the writer. Before writing a story with time travel, we want to make sure that you understand exactly the type of time travel you are writing (there are many different kinds!).

But what exactly is a rule of time travel? Well, since you’re the one writing the story, the rules are what you make them. However, there are common types of time travel that writers tend to fall into, whether they are trying or not.

The Different Types of Time Travel:

When discussing time travel, there are four categories to choose from:

Traveling back in time

Traveling forward in time

The gift of foresight

Of course, within each of these categories, there are many subcategories and creative possibilities. But looking only at the broad strokes, every time travel story has one of these.

In choosing which type of time travel to include, it’s important to consider what you want from your story. A story of time loops, like Groundhog Day , usually focuses on the character development of the person in the loop. Meanwhile foresight and traveling forward usually deal with morality. And traveling to the past is a great way to discuss free will. It’s all about what you want.

There are so many options with time travel. The important thing is to find the type of time travel that fits your story best, create rules for it, and stick to those rules . This leads us to the first tip in writing time travel:

Consistency

These rules are just for you. You don’t necessarily need to tell your readers about them. There’s no need for some sort of exposition explanation (although if you want to, feel free). But deciding what time travel can and can’t do in your story will stop plot holes from forming. Keeping your time travel consistent is important.

For example, let’s look at Supernatural . Supernatural is great at giving us examples of what not to do.

In season 4 of Supernatural , Dean Winchester is sent back in time to when his parents were his age. Dean attempts to kill a demon that will kill his mother in the future. At the end, he fails and ultimately causes the events that will happen (classic unchangeable past time travel rules). Castiel tells him that it is impossible to change the present by traveling to the past.

We then jump to season five. Anna, a runaway angel, goes back in time to kill Sam and Dean’s parents before they can have Sam. Castiel and the brothers become worried about this. But why? If we can’t alter the past, then what’s the problem? Even if Anna doesn’t realize her goals are futile, why would Castiel be concerned?

Backstory :

This leads us to our next point. After you decide your own time travel rules, you have to consider how much each character knows about these rules . If you have decided that a seer has unchangeable visions, and they know this, then that character should never try to change their fate.

The time travel rule of Twelve Monkeys is that you cannot change the past. However, the movie only has a plot because the main character doesn’t know this. He believes he can change the past until the very end when he realizes his goal is fruitless.

However, the Prisoner of Azkaban has the same rules of time travel and Dumbledore and Hermione both know they can’t change the past. There is still conflict in the book because that is not their goal.

If a character has a backstory where they studied time travel for years, and has traveled hundreds of times before, they shouldn’t be shocked by the rules of time travel. Withholding the information from your characters can create interesting conflict, but make sure each character understands a plausible amount.

Show, Don’t Tell:

Having your characters have a long conversation about time travel can be fun to write, but it’s important to remember that the best way to ensure your audience understands time travel is to show characters traveling through time .

As long as you stick to your rules, your time travel will eventually make sense to your audience. And, when it comes to time travel, you’d be surprised just how long your readers will be okay with being in the dark.

In Avengers: Endgame , Hulk/Bruce Banner goes on a long explanation about how time travel works in this universe. They bring up Hot Tub Time Machine and Back to the Future . But in the end, did anyone in the audience completely understand what that time travel was about from the Hulk’s rant? From what I can gather, no.

About the Author: Susan Matteucci is an author, editor, and reader currently finishing up her BFA in Creative Writing at Emerson College. She has two publish short stories and hopefully has many more on the way. She has a passion for Sci-Fi, particularly time travel, and fantasy. It is her belief that straying from the realistic is the best way to comment on society.

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10 Time Travel Science Fiction Ideas

• Posted on 22 Aug, 2018

Future Invisible Inhabitants

A scientist creates a time machine and travels into the future where he finds a world that looks far more advanced than ours (which it should… it’s the future). However, despite everything looking clean, organized and new, he can’t find anyone. But they are there. He just can’t see them because they’ve discovered how to remain invisible. And the reasons they feel the need to be invisible are terrifying.

Time Travel Cures

A man from the future uses a time machine to offer sick rich people a trip into the future where their illnesses can be cured. But his motivations are different than they appear. And while most of them are cured of their illnesses, they’ve brought something from the future back with them.

Forbidden Future Technology

A man from the future secretly sells future technology to wealthy individuals. But some of it is technology that we’re not quite ready for.

Missing Time Travelers

To save his children a mad scientist sends them into the future. Now 20 years later he’s ready to greet them in the place and time that he sent them. Except they don’t arrive.

Time Travel Plagiarism

A famous and wealthy author in the year 2120 has run out of ideas. He’s hit writer’s block hard. So he buys a two way ticket to travel thirty years into the future where he stays for a month taking notes on recent best sellers from that time in order to plagiarizer them.

Time Traveling Android God

The year is 2018 but vastly different than the world we know. This alternative present was started when a high level A.I. android traveled from the future to the year 1200 and presented himself as a God. Being an immortal android he successfully controls the world, leading to a vastly different world than the one we know. But some know of this legend, and the time travel he used to travel to the past has now been discovered in present time.

Outlawed Time Travel

The year is 2005 and time travel has been outlawed. This 2005 is much different than the one we’re familiar with. After the year 2090 life on earth changed in every year dating to the dawn of man and extending to the end of times. Time travel created an infinite and ever changing wave of new time dimensions, each with their own unique creations, issues, and outcomes. The future became the past, and old influences of the past changed futures. Now the man who made that time travel possible thinks he’s created a way to travel not only through time, but also through the infinite dimensions his initial creation has already created.

Time Travel Diplomat

In the year 2121 and Tom Waterfeld is a time travel diplomat. Using a specific set of time travel rules Tom travels through time and attempt to prevent disasters created by bad politics. And he must do so without further damaging the future he’s trying to improve.

Virtual Time Travel

The year is 2200 and while time travel is not yet possible, Carter Snapperson has discovered that it is possible to at least see the past and he’s created a virtual reality device to do just that. However after “traveling” back in time virtually to several key historical events, Carter realizes that much of the past is far different that what we have recorded in the history books.

The Time Travel Experience Executive

In the year 2145 Jonathan Cowell has a dream job. For a large fee Jonathan creates “experiences” in which the worlds wealthiest time travel tourists can hire him to opportunities for them to meet their idols of the past. It’s harder than it sounds. Some of these idols are hard people to get in front of. And one new tourist has given him a particularly challenging assignment.

Let us know what you think about our ideas! Comment below to give us your opinion, add onto an existing idea, or submit one of your own!

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Can I use Forbidden Technology? I’m really drawn into that one!

Sorry, I’m just replying. But you definitely can use it!

Virtual time travel is a good idea since it deals with the idea of a parallel or a different universe that ours or one that has been somewhat altered by journeys and changes through time. Time travel plagiarism is an interesting concept since I enjoy writing and have an affinity to famous works and short stories and what some of these may works will be in the future. My idea: A group of aliens has been on earth several weeks and they are trying to learn about the earth in the present year while it is the year 2170 on …  Read more »

I have a story line of an android detective following the trail of a crazed scientist bent on destroying the world. The scientist has created a time machine with which he sends an anti matter bomb thousands of years into the past. The detective is able to jump into the time stream and follow to where the bomb ends up. The detective is able to neutralize the bomb, but is now stuck in the past. Luckily the detectives android battery has enough power to essentially live to the time this all started. Now he faces the dilemma of should he …  Read more »

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50 Captivating Time Travel Tropes to Inspire Your Next Story

May 21, 2024 by Richard Leave a Comment

50 Captivating Time Travel Tropes to Inspire Your Next Story : Time travel has long been a captivating concept in storytelling, offering endless possibilities for exploration, adventure, and introspection. From the classic “Butterfly Effect” to the mind-bending “Temporal Paradox,” time travel tropes have the power to engage readers and challenge their perceptions of cause and effect. Whether you’re a seasoned science fiction writer or simply fascinated by the idea of traversing through time, understanding these tropes can help you craft compelling narratives that resonate with audiences.

In this article, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of 50 time travel tropes that have captured the imaginations of readers and viewers alike. These tropes range from the well-known to the obscure, each offering a unique perspective on the complexities and consequences of manipulating time. By familiarizing yourself with these tropes, you’ll be equipped with a valuable toolkit for creating rich, engaging time travel stories that stand out in a crowded market.

But why do time travel stories continue to captivate us? Perhaps it’s the allure of being able to change the past, right wrongs, or catch a glimpse of the future. Or maybe it’s the philosophical questions raised by the concept of time travel itself, forcing us to confront the nature of free will, destiny, and the interconnectedness of all things. Whatever the reason, time travel remains a beloved and enduring theme in literature, film, and television.

As you explore these 50 time travel tropes, consider how you can put your own unique spin on them. Can you subvert expectations by combining multiple tropes in unexpected ways? Can you use a familiar trope as a launching pad for a deeper exploration of character, theme, or setting? The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into our list of 50 captivating time travel tropes. Whether you’re a writer looking for inspiration or a fan eager to explore new dimensions of the time travel genre, this article has something for everyone. Get ready to embark on a journey through time and space, where the past, present, and future collide in endlessly fascinating ways.

Here are 50 time travel writing tropes:

• The Butterfly Effect: Small changes in the past lead to significant consequences in the future.
• Grandfather Paradox: A time traveler accidentally prevents their own existence by altering the past.
• Predestination Paradox: A time traveler’s actions in the past were always meant to happen, leading to a circular causality.
• Temporal Loop: Characters are stuck reliving the same events over and over again.
• Alternate Timelines: Different versions of reality exist based on different choices made in the past.
• Temporal Paradox: Contradictory events occur as a result of time travel, leading to logical inconsistencies.
• The Chosen One: A character is destined to travel through time to save the world or fulfill a prophecy.
• Temporal Displacement: A character is accidentally sent to a different time period.
• Temporal Agent: A character works for an organization that polices and regulates time travel.
• Time Machine Malfunction: A time machine breaks down, leaving characters stranded in a different time period.
• Changing the Past: Characters attempt to alter historical events to create a better future.
• Preserving the Timeline: Characters must ensure that historical events happen as they were meant to.
• Meeting Historical Figures: Characters encounter famous people from the past.
• Future Technology: Advanced gadgets and devices from the future are introduced to the past.
• Dystopian Future: Characters travel to a bleak, oppressive future society.
• Utopian Future: Characters travel to a seemingly perfect future world.
• Temporal Refugees: People from the future seek asylum in the past to escape a terrible fate.
• Time Travel Romance: Characters from different time periods fall in love.
• Anachronistic Items: Objects from the future are discovered in the past, or vice versa.
• Temporal Sickness: Time travel causes physical or mental illness in characters.
• Closed Loop: Events in the past and future are interconnected, forming a self-fulfilling cycle.
• Temporal Assassin: A character is sent back in time to eliminate a target.
• Time Travel as Punishment: Criminals are sentenced to live in a different time period as punishment.
• Temporal Tourists: People pay to visit different time periods for vacation or entertainment.
• Changing the Future: Characters attempt to alter events in the present to create a better future.
• Temporal Anomaly: Strange or inexplicable events occur as a result of time travel.
• Time Traveler’s Dilemma: Characters must choose between personal gain and the greater good when altering the past.
• Temporal Echo: Events or people from the past reverberate through time, affecting the present and future.
• Parallel Universes: Time travel leads to the discovery of alternate realities.
• Temporal Fugitive: A character is pursued through time by authorities or enemies.
• Time Travel as Addiction: Characters become addicted to the thrill or power of time travel.
• Temporal Sacrifice: A character must give up their life or happiness to set things right in the timeline.
• Ripple Effect: Changes in the past have unintended and far-reaching consequences.
• Temporal Beacon: An object or person acts as a anchor point for time travelers.
• Time Travel as Escape: Characters use time travel to flee from their problems or responsibilities.
• Temporal Paradox Resolution: Characters must find a way to resolve contradictions caused by time travel.
• The Novikov Self-Consistency Principle: The universe self-corrects to avoid paradoxes.
• Temporal Manipulation: Characters with the ability to manipulate time itself.
• Temporal Cold War: Different factions from the future wage a secret war across time.
• Time Travel as Redemption: Characters use time travel to atone for past mistakes.
• Temporal Contamination: Items or information from the future disrupt the natural flow of events.
• The Time Traveler’s Burden: Characters must carry the weight of knowing the future and being unable to change it.
• Temporal Jinx: Talking about future events causes them to change or not occur at all.
• Temporal Inversion: Time moves backward, causing characters to age in reverse.
• Temporal Isolation: A character is cut off from their own time and must adapt to a new era.
• Time Travel as Therapy: Characters confront their past traumas by revisiting them through time travel.
• Temporal Divergence: Different timelines branch off from a single point, creating multiple alternate realities.
• Temporal Confluence: Multiple timelines converge, forcing characters to navigate the consequences.
• The Time Traveler’s Diaries: Characters leave messages or clues for their past or future selves.
• Temporal Inevitability: Despite their best efforts, characters discover that some events are meant to happen.

Famous Time Travel Stories, Novels, and Movies:

Time travel has been a staple of science fiction and fantasy for generations, captivating audiences with its limitless possibilities and mind-bending concepts. From classic novels to blockbuster films, time travel stories have left an indelible mark on popular culture. Here are just a few examples of famous time travel tales that have stood the test of time:

• “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells (1895) – Often credited with popularizing the concept of time travel, this classic novel follows an inventor’s journey into the distant future.
• “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” by Mark Twain (1889) – A satirical tale of a modern man transported back to the time of King Arthur.
• “The End of Eternity” by Isaac Asimov (1955) – A complex novel exploring the consequences of altering history through time travel.
• “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut (1969) – A satirical, semi-autobiographical novel that uses time travel to explore the horrors of war.
• “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger (2003) – A romantic drama about a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel involuntarily.
• “Back to the Future” (1985) – This beloved classic follows Marty McFly as he accidentally travels back to the 1950s in a time-traveling DeLorean.
• “Terminator” (1984) – A cyborg assassin is sent back in time to kill the mother of a future resistance leader in this action-packed franchise.
• “Groundhog Day” (1993) – A man finds himself stuck in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over again.
• “Donnie Darko” (2001) – A mind-bending cult classic that explores themes of fate, free will, and the nature of time itself.
• “Interstellar” (2014) – A team of astronauts travel through a wormhole in search of a new home for humanity, grappling with the effects of time dilation along the way.

These are just a few examples of the many iconic time travel stories that have captured the imaginations of readers and viewers over the years. Each of these tales offers a unique perspective on the possibilities and pitfalls of manipulating time, and continues to inspire new generations of storytellers to explore this fascinating concept.

In conclusion, time travel tropes have become an integral part of storytelling, offering writers a rich tapestry of possibilities to explore. From the classic “Fish Out of Water” scenario to the mind-bending “Temporal Paradox,” these tropes provide a framework for crafting compelling narratives that challenge our perceptions of time, causality, and the human experience. By understanding and employing these tropes effectively, writers can create stories that not only entertain but also provoke deeper reflection on the nature of existence itself.

However, it’s important to remember that tropes are merely tools, not hard and fast rules. The most successful time travel stories are those that use these tropes as a starting point, but ultimately transcend them to create something truly original and memorable. Whether by subverting expectations, combining tropes in unexpected ways, or using them to explore deeper themes and character arcs, the best time travel tales are those that leave a lasting impact on the reader or viewer.

As we’ve seen from the famous examples mentioned earlier, time travel stories have the power to endure across generations, speaking to universal human desires and fears. From the romantic yearning of “The Time Traveler’s Wife” to the existential dread of “Donnie Darko,” these stories tap into something primal within us, forcing us to confront the fleeting nature of our existence and the consequences of our actions.

So, whether you’re a seasoned writer looking to explore new dimensions of your craft or a curious reader eager to experience the thrill of temporal displacement, the world of time travel tropes has something to offer. By immersing yourself in these tropes and the stories that have employed them so effectively, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the art of storytelling and the boundless possibilities of the human imagination.

In the end, time travel tropes are more than just literary devices; they are a reflection of our deepest desires and fears, our hopes and regrets. They remind us that, no matter how much we may wish to change the past or control the future, we are ultimately bound by the inexorable flow of time. And yet, through the magic of storytelling, we can transcend those bonds, if only for a moment, and catch a glimpse of what lies beyond the horizon of our understanding. So go forth, intrepid traveler, and explore the endless possibilities of time and space – the universe is waiting.

Introduction: Time travel has long been a captivating concept in storytelling, offering endless possibilities for exploration, adventure, and introspection. From the classic “Butterfly Effect” to the mind-bending “Temporal Paradox,” time travel tropes have the power to engage readers and challenge their perceptions of cause and effect. Whether you’re a seasoned science fiction writer or simply fascinated by the idea of traversing through time, understanding these tropes can help you craft compelling narratives that resonate with audiences.

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About Richard

Richard Everywriter (pen name) has worked for literary magazines and literary websites for the last 25 years. He holds degrees in Writing, Journalism, Technology and Education. Richard has headed many writing workshops and courses, and he has taught writing and literature for the last 20 years.  

In writing and publishing he has worked with independent, small, medium and large publishers for years connecting publishers to authors. He has also worked as a journalist and editor in both magazine, newspaper and trade publications as well as in the medical publishing industry.   Follow him on Twitter, and check out our Submissions page .

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How to Write a Time Travel Story Without Paradoxes

The concept of time travel has long been a popular theme in fiction and film. Traveling back in time to alter the course of history is an alluring idea that has enthralled not just fiction writers but scientists as well. Yet, if you've ever seen or read a time travel story, you're aware that time travel is a tricky concept to grasp. It might be challenging to stay faithful to your worldbuilding concepts while simultaneously incorporating suitable temporal paradoxes.

For this reason, we will explore different paradoxes and go through various tips to help you write a time travel story without the risk of paradoxes.

Where does the idea of time travel come from?

Traveling across time is a shared universal dream. But where did the fascination with time travel begin, and why does the concept appeal to so many people? The lure of time travel has deeper origins. Appearing in some of our oldest stories , it is woven into the very fabric of our language and imagines a world without constraints of time and space. Its roots may be traced back to ancient tales of time travel found in numerous civilizations throughout the world, giving the notion its distinct characteristics derived from different cultures.

We come across time travel stories in ancient cultures throughout the world , although we cannot claim to know where the concept originally came from and who pioneered it. However, we can observe that the genre rose to prominence in the nineteenth century. From this time period comes Charles Dickens' classic novella A Christmas Carol , in which Ebenezer Scrooge travels both ahead and backwards in time. Around the same period, H.G. Wells popularized time travel in literature with his timeless novel The Time Machine , which featured the concept of a "time machine," which featured a vehicle that could travel purposefully and selectively in time. Inspired by this emblematic icon, many beloved time-travel stories published after this have incorporated some form of the time machine. Such is the famous TARDIS in the long-running BBC classic series Doctor Who , a blue box that can transcend time and space. Doctor who interestingly explores time travel paradoxes, with time paradoxes taking a center stage for many of its episodes.

Time travel paradoxes

There are many logical contradictions when it comes to time travel. Here are some of the major paradoxes:

Bootstrap paradox

The Bootstrap Paradox is a theoretical paradox of time travel that arises when an object transported back in time becomes locked within an unending cause-effect loop. This occurs as the travel in time takes place as a response to a specific event.

Consistency paradox

Consistency Paradoxes , such as the Grandfather Paradox , or the Hitler paradox , a type of timeline mismatch that arises from the prospect of changing the past. These paradoxes change history in such a way that time travel into the past, which caused such action in the first place, is no longer possible. To simply illustrate the paradox, in the film The Time Machine , a protagonist builds a time machine to travel back in time in order to save his fiancé from death. Her rescue, on the other hand, would lead to a future in which the machine never existed since her death was the direct motivation for its creation. But then, how is it you can go back and save your fiancé if her death hasn't given you the push to create the time machine? It results in a paradox. The timeline is no longer self-consistent.

Butterfly effect

The Butterfly Effect is based on Chaos Theory , which states that seemingly minor changes may have massive cascade responses over extended periods of time and that even minor changes can fundamentally reshape history. The name "Butterfly Effect" originates from Ray Bradbury's short tale " A Sound of Thunder ," in which a character in prehistoric times walks on a butterfly, causing massive changes in the future.

How to avoid these paradoxes

The self-healing hypothesis.

Writers seeking to escape the paradoxes of time travel have devised a variety of inventive methods for presenting a more consistent picture of reality. The self-healing hypothesis is one of the most basic solutions to any time travel paradox, implying that no matter what is changed in the timeline, the principles of quantum physics will self-correct to prevent a contradiction from arising and sustain the existing flow .

Because events would adapt themselves, a paradox would not occur. So, changing the past will trigger another alternative chain reaction that will keep the present unaltered. This effectively states that the likelihood of a paradox arising in any given circumstance is zero. The self-healing hypothesis simply indicates that no matter what a traveler has done in the past, the end outcome is the same in terms of global conditions. This does not rule out the possibility of changing the past, but it does eliminate the prospect of minor changes having the power to generate massive ones. Most crucially, as an author, you are not obligated to describe the particular events that repair time. It is enough to affirm that they take place and ensure that your event sequences and their conclusion are consistent.

Time traveling monitor

Another way to avoid temporal paradox would be creating the time traveling monitor that would follow the timeline protection hypothesis , which posits that any attempt to create a paradox would fail to owe to a probability distortion. The monitor would adjust the probability in order to avert any damaging events occurring, which would also give you free rein to come up with creative scenarios. Nonetheless, to prevent an impossible event from taking place, the universe must favor an improbable event occurring.

Balancing the timeline

The paradoxes themselves are intertwined and they can as well occur simultaneously. No one knows if a real-life paradox would result in a large-scale timeline alteration, or if the closed-loop is kind of automatically self-correcting since everything works out equally in the end. Going back to the Consistency Paradox, yet another approach to avoid it is to acknowledge, regretfully, that you can't and shouldn't attempt to change the past. That is unless you can rule out any chance of a bad domino effect as a result of your activities. In this manner, you can attempt to alter the past while keeping the chronology intact. This means following up the time-change event with another change that balances out the activities and ensures that the outcome remains the same despite the intervention.

The notion of a time loop is one of the most prevalent strategies to get away with time travel in science fiction. You may travel through time here, but any changes you make are predetermined. For example, suppose you were pushed out of the way of a car one day. You return to your timeline from the future and realize that that person was in reality you.

Paradoxes are avoided with this method of time travel, but everything is predetermined. If you wish to prevent a tragic incident from occurring in your past, there's nothing you can do since even if you could, it would still happen in the time loop. Whatever you did, the key events would just re-calibrate around you. This could be the solution for the Grandfather Paradox — that would mean that the event propelling you back in time would happen regardless of your actions, providing your younger self with the incentive to go back and stop it. To put it another way, a time traveler could make adjustments, but the original conclusion would still occur — perhaps not exactly as it did in the initial timeline, but near enough.

Parallel universe

There is also another possibility: creating a parallel universe . The future or past you visit might become a parallel reality. Consider it as a huge fortress where you may construct or demolish as many castles as you like, but it has no bearing on your primal stronghold. When you travel back in time, the future is gone, it never happened, and the universe will evolve anew, even if you do nothing to influence it. It does not affect the future you experienced, but it does affect the future of the reset world. That can entail creating a scenario in which the protagonists travel to the past and discover themselves in a parallel world or multiverse, with no change to their original chronology.

Countless science fiction stories have examined the conundrum of what would happen if you could travel back in time and do something that would jeopardize the future. Please note that you are free to make your own rules for it. This is your work of fiction. The universe will be as you will design it in your story. If the paradoxes do not exist in your story, then you may make up your own rules around it. You can as well bypass the rules your worldbuilding has established if you have a valid cause for doing so and if this is what your writing demands.