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Literary – April 15
“She is written in a foreign tongue.” -Henry James, born this date in 1843. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers that s/he and a new acquaintance are from two nations separated by a common language.
read moreJournaling + Fiction – April 15
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”G.K. Chesterton Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about your life’s most woundrous event. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist expects — but does not receive — gratitude for an exceptionally good deed.
read moreBig Questions – April 15
What would you do with an unexpected gift of US$10,000? 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 – April 15
Leonardo da Vinci was born on this date in 1452. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist and some friends speculate on the origin of Mona Lisa’s smile.
read moreMystery – April 15
“It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition.”- Henry James, born this date in 1843. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s treasured family tradition is disrupted.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – April 15
“The map is not the territory.”- Alfred Korzybski On this date in 1924, Rand McNally released its first road atlas of the United States. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist finds him/herself in mortal jeopardy because a map isn’t accurate.
read moreSecondary – April 15
“It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.” -Leonardo da Vinci, born on this date in 1452. Prove he was wrong or right using examples from your own life.
read morePrimary – April 15
On this date in 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball when he took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Write what you imagine Jackie Robinson wrote in his diary that night.
read moreMany Beginnings
Many writers start from a brilliant opening line – an inspiration to craft an entire story from a dazzling line of prose. Other writers use the opening line as a placeholder, knowing they will revise or replace it when they finish telling the story. Although I prefer the second approach, there is no wrong or right way to write an opening line – truly, deciding must be the best and worst of times for a storyteller. Different approaches by different authors have rewarded us with some of the most compelling, memorable sentences in...
read moreLiterary – April 14
On this date in 1828, Noah Webster published the first dictionary of American English. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which inaccurate spelling causes your protagonist to suffer a dangerous crisis.
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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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