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Romance – January 22
“Why do they call me misanthrope? Because They hate me, not I them.” – George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron — better known as the Romantic poet Lord Byron, born this date in 1788. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist meets someone s/he has been told is one type, but who turns out to be completely the opposite type.
read moreMystery – January 22
Grand master of LA crime writing (fiction and non) Joseph Wambaugh was born on this date in 1937. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must explore the home of a client/victim who holds diametrically opposed attitudes about class but exhibits absolutely similar tastes.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – January 22
“Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.” -Robert E. Howard, born this date in 1906. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is treated discourteously by a person your protag believes to be much weaker.
read moreSecondary – January 22
“A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.” -Francis Bacon, born on this date in 1561. Explain your understanding of this idea.
read morePrimary – January 22
“Truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion.” -Francis Bacon, born on this date in 1561. Explain why you think Bacon preferred to be wrong rather than to be confused.
read moreLiterary – January 21
“We like to invent ‘what if’ scenarios — what if x had never happened, what if y had happened instead? — because we like to believe that individual decisions make a difference: that, if not for x, or if only there had been y, history might have plunged forever down a completely different path.” -Louis Menand, born this date in 1952. Writing prompt: Write your protagonist’s fondest “what if” scenario.
read moreJournaling + Fiction – January 21
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”T.S. Eliot Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a time you pushed the envelope with positive results. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist goes too far.
read moreBig Questions – January 21
How do you feel about a romantic partner earning significantly less money than you? 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...
read moreRomance – January 21
“If we all were judged according to the consequences of all our words and deeds, beyond the intention, we should all be condemned.”-T.S. Eliot in his play that premiered in New York City on this date in 1950. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a stranger’s generous intervention prevents an ugly break-up between your protagonist and her/his romantic partner.
read moreMystery – January 21
Firearms designer John Browning was born on this date in 1855. Writing prompt: Write the scene that explains the origins of your protagonist’s preferred weapon, style of fighting, or decision to avoid any type of physical confrontation.
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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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