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Literary – December 21
F. Scott Fitzgerald died on this date in 1940 at age 44, leaving unfinished The Love of the Last Tycoon. The protagonist of the novel was based on Irving Thalberg, who once said, “Credit you give yourself is not worth having.” Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist figures out someone else is taking credit for his/her essential and important contribution to a group effort.
read moreJournaling + Fiction – December 21
“I think it’s easier than ever to hear only what you want to hear. That doesn’t make a good citizen.”Eli Pariser Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about how you’ll expand your sources of knowledge and information to encounter ideas you don’t want to hear. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which reality pierces your protagonist’s filter bubble.
read moreBig Questions – December 21
Would you prefer to outlive or die before your life partner? 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 voice of a character you want to know more about. Photo from Unsplash, the internet’s source of freely usable...
read moreRomance – December 21
“Angel, ha! She’s a female! And all females is poison! They’re full of wicked wiles!” – Grumpy, in Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which premiered on this date in 1937. Writing prompt: Write a scene revealing your protagonist’s deepest, most secret opinion about the stereotypical damsel in distress.
read moreMystery – December 21
On this date in 1911, two men stole a satchel of cash being delivered to a Paris bank and made off in a stolen limousine, marking what is believed to be the first use of a getaway car. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is surprised to find out s/he’s in the middle of an unexpected getaway.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – December 21
”We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the earth.”- William A. Anders, lunar module pilot of Apollo 8, launched this date in 1968. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist learns the true value of the most amazing voyage ever undertaken in the world you’ve created.
read moreSecondary – December 21
On this date in 1991, the Soviet Union formally ceased to exist. It was dissolved into Russia and fourteen other countries. Winston Churchill famously described the USSR as “a puzzle inside a riddle wrapped in an enigma.” What do you see in the world or your life that is such a challenging curiosity, and what would you like to know about it?
read morePrimary – December 21
In 1620, the Pilgrims arrived at present-day Plymouth, Mass., following a 63-day voyage from England aboard the Mayflower. Their leader, William Bradford, reported that the settlers soon valued corn more than silver or money. Why do you think corn was so important?
read moreLiterary – December 20
Novelist and essayist Elizabeth Benedict, born in 1954 and author of The Joy of Writing Sex: A Guide for Fiction Writers, says “every fiction writer knows that material is about energy, emotion and obsession.” Writing prompt: Write a scene that reveals your protagonist’s obsession to a person s/he would prefer remain ignorant of the issue.
read moreJournaling + Fiction – December 20
“Good resolutions are like babies crying in church. They should be carried out immediately.”Charles M. Sheldon Journal prompt: Reflect on your previous journal entries and spend at least 20 minutes writing about the habit you’ll replace with a better one in the new year. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes that s/he has procrastinated too long.
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David B. Schlosser is an author of award-winning fiction and non-fiction, and an editor of award-winning fiction and non-fiction.
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