“Truth, at the wrong time, can be dangerous.” -Michael Ondaatje, born this date in 1943. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers at the worst possible moment an important truth about her/his childhood.
“Love is what you’ve been through with somebody.”James Thurber Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the most intense circumstances you’ve been through with a person you loved at the time. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes that a relationship based on a shared intense experience won’t work.
What’s a sure-fire motivator for you? Journaling prompt: Spend 15-20 minutes writing your answer in the spirit of exploring yourself and the world around you. If you can answer with a simple “yes” or “no,” explain the sources or implications of your response. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene that forces a character in your story to answer the question, or spend 15-20 minutes answering the question in the...
Posted by
dbschlosser on Sep 12th, 2026 in
Romance |
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“Love is the delusion that one woman differs from another.” – HL Mencken, born this date in 1880. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes her/his romantic partner considers your protagonist just another in a long line of “what did you expect was going to happen?” partners.
Posted by
dbschlosser on Sep 12th, 2026 in
Mystery |
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“Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice.”- H.L. Mencken, born this date in 1880. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist gets exactly what’s coming to her/him.
“I am hopeless with gadgets. I can’t even get a ticket to work in one of those confounded machines on the London Underground. And I can hardly put on a kettle, let alone set a video.”- Desmond Llewelyn, born this date in 1914. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is lectured for misusing a tool by the person who gave your protagonist that tool.
“Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepare to see them misunderstood.” -HL Mencken, born on this date in 1880. Explain an idea you find fascinating that everyone else doesn’t get.
“A home is not a mere transient shelter: its essence lies in the personalities of the people who live in it.” -HL Mencken, born on this date in 1880. What makes your house a home?