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Bum Glue
In her craft book Write Away: One Novelist’s Approach to Fiction and the Writing Life, Elizabeth George spends an entire chapter on the value of what she calls “bum glue.” She defines it as that which keeps one’s bottom firmly attached to the chair in which one sits while writing. Although bum glue goes by many different names, the vast majority of successful authors confirm – or, at least, confess – it’s the primary differentiator between writing and not writing. Bum glue needs to be applied daily. That’s why Prompt Inspiration sends a...
read moreLiterary – March 12
“People are strange, but more than that, they’re good. They’re good first, then strange.” -Dave Eggers, born this date in 1970. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which another character’s strangeness puts off your protagonist until your protag recognizes the other’s goodness.
read moreJournaling + Fiction – March 12
“Innovation is seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.”Albert Szent-György Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the last time a light bulb went off over your head. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist escapes a sticky wicket by using a routine item in an unintended way.
read moreBig Questions – March 12
What’s the biggest donation or contribution you’ve made but never told anyone about? 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...
read moreRomance – March 12
After opening in Paris in 1980 and London in 1985 (where it’s never closed), Les Misérables opened on Broadway on this date in 1987, where it ran for 16 years. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is confronted with a person who devastated your protag in the past but proves s/he deserves redemption.
read moreMystery – March 12
“Jimmy Lee Baylis was a wise man, and knew better than to talk back to the man who signed his paycheck.”- Carl Hiaasen, born this date in 1953. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist demonstrates her/his lack of wisdom.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – March 12
“Nothing’s unthinkable once somebody’s thought it.” Paul Macy was born on this date in Robert Silverberg’s 1972. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist experiences a memory that belongs to someone else.
read moreSecondary – March 12
Jack Kerouac was born on this date in 1922. He wrote, “Offer them what they secretly want and they of course immediately become panic-stricken.” Explain what you think he meant.
read morePrimary – March 12
Poet and author Naomi Shihab Nye was born on this date in 1952. She wrote in her poem Kindness that “Before you know what kindness really is/you must lose things….” Why do you think she believes that?
read moreLiterary – March 11
“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” -Douglas Adams, born this date in 1952. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a close friend of your protagonist reminds your protag of a repeated series of similar experiences from which your protag has failed to learn.
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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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