Secondary – October 16

“Obsessed by a fairy tale, we spend our lives searching for a magic door and a lost kingdom of peace.” -Eugene O’Neill, born on this date in 1888. Describe the lesson of life you think you are most likely to learn is not true after you graduate.

Primary – October 16

Noah Webster, for whom the famous dictionary is named, was born on this date in 1758. Explain why you think it’s more important to be grammatically correct or to be understood when you’re writing something.

Literary – October 15

“It is a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people do not want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them.” -PG Wodehouse, born this date in 1881. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s apology goes disastrously wrong.

Journaling + Fiction – October 15

“The tombstone will be my diploma.”Eartha Kitt Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the most important lesson a human must learn before his or her life ends. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist celebrates the life of an important ally who died too soon.

Big Questions – October 15

What made your favorite teacher so great? 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...

Romance – October 15

“Love is all the dirty little tricks you taught me that you probably got out of some book.” -Ernest Hemingway in To Have and Have Not, published this date in 1937. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s genuine gesture of affection is rejected as a manipulative trick.

Mystery – October 15

Melanie Daniels: On Mondays and Wednesdays I work for the Travelers Aid at the airport. Mitch Brenner: Helping travelers? Melanie Daniels: No, misdirecting them. Salvatore Lombino — better known as Evan Hunter, Curt Cannon, Hunt Collins, Ezra Hannon, Richard Marsten, and the prolific Ed McBain — born this date in 1926, wrote these lines in the script for Hitchcock’s The Birds. Writing prompt:...

SciFi/Fantasy – October 15

“Time is a catastrophe, perpetual and irreversible.”- Italo Calvino, born this date in 1923. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which the simple passage of time causes your protagonist to suffer terrific anguish.