Primary – May 2

Catherine the Great, empress of Russia, was born on this date in 1729. She said, “I praise loudly, I blame softly.” Explain what you think about her strategy.

Story Masters and Hammer Heads

A couple of years ago, I spent a valuable weekend at a writing workshop, Story Masters, with three terrific authors who are also outstanding teachers: James Scott Bell is a novelist and Writer’s Digest favorite. Donald Maass is a literary agent and author of several outstanding craft books. Christopher Vogler is a story consultant and Hollywood icon for his work interpreting, among other things, Joseph Campbell’s...

Literary – May 1

Joseph Heller, who famously asked “What does a sane man do in an insane society?”, was born on this date in 1923. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is trapped in an emotional Catch-22: regardless of her/his decision, your protag will devastate her/himself or someone s/he loves.

Journaling + Fiction – May 1

“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.”Jim Morrison Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about an experience that made you fear being free to make a choice. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must make a decision about that which s/he most fears.

Big Questions – May 1

What’s the difference between happy and normal? 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 – May 1

“Only one thing to it: a strong stomach. The guts to gladhand a man you’re going to stab in the back; pledge allegiance to principles you stomp on every day; righteously denounce some despot in the press and sell him arms under the table.” Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro premiered on this date in 1786. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist and a confidant conspire to expose...

Mystery – May 1

“What does a sane man do in an insane society?”- Joseph Heller, born this date in 1923. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist, regardless of her/his decision, will violate her/his sense of justice by failing to punish the wicked or allowing the innocent to suffer.

SciFi/Fantasy – May 1

“There is a tendency in 20th Century science to forget that there will be a 21st Century science, and indeed a 30th Century science, from which vantage points our knowledge of the universe may appear quite different than it does to us.”- J. Allen Hynek, born this date in 1910. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist encounters a being or event that is inexplicable in your...