Literary – March 10

“I am never at my best in the early morning, especially a cold morning in the Yorkshire spring with a piercing March wind sweeping down from the fells, finding its way inside my clothing, nipping at my nose and ears.” -James Herriot, born this date in 1916. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a disruption to your protagonist’s morning routine shows your protagonist’s “less than...

Journaling + Fiction – March 10

“It is absurd that a man should rule others, who cannot rule himself.”Latin proverb Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a situation during which you maintained self-control when it would have been easier to lose it. Fiction writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist first has too much to drink.

Big Questions – March 10

How has the world most changed in the past 100 years? 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...

Romance – March 10

“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.” -Zelda Fitzgerald, who died on this date in 1948. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist proves him/herself unworthy of another’s love.

Mystery – March 10

“There are few problems in this world that cannot be solved by a swift roundhouse kick to the face. In fact, there are none.”- Carlos Ray Norris, better known as Chuck, born this date in 1940. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must physically confront someone who is at least 50% bigger than your protagonist.

SciFi/Fantasy – March 10

“Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value: zero.”- Voltaire On this date in 1862, America’s Department of the Treasury issued paper money for the first time. The smallest denomination was $5 (today worth less than a dime);the largest, $1,000 (today worth about the cost of a large value meal at McDonald’s). Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers that...

Secondary – March 10

What record do you want to break, and why?

Killing clichés

One rule writers learn early is to kill clichés. To prove the point, I will define my terms with a tired trope of the copywriter: cli·ché  /klēˈSHā/ Noun: A phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. A very predictable or unoriginal thing or person. If anyone asks why writers should eliminate clichés from their work, the answer is usually brief, to the point, and wrong:...