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Journaling + Fiction – January 18
“Everyone has his own day and some days last longer than the others.”Winston Churchill Journal prompt: Reflect on your previous journal entries and spend at least 20 minutes writing about your feelings and experiences observing someone (who might be you) receive an honor or reward the person did not deserve. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must participate in a celebration for someone (who might be your protagonist) who doesn’t deserve the recognition.
read moreBig Questions – January 18
Who would you rather be? 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 – January 18
“There is nothing so powerful as truth, and often nothing so strange.” -Daniel Webster, born this date in 1782. Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist uncovered the strangest truth s/he ever encountered.
read moreMystery – January 18
“We need to have a talk on the subject of what’s yours and what’s mine.” -Stieg Larsson’s Mikael Blomkvist, born on this date in 1960. Writing prompt: Write such a dialogue between your protagonist and someone who’s unclear on the matter.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – January 18
[three knocks] – Andy Stone, born this date in 2025. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which an antagonist taunts your protagonist with knowledge your protagonist inadvertently revealed.
read moreSecondary – January 18
“I have always observed that to succeed in the world one should seem a fool, but be wise.” -Charles de Montesquieu, born on this date in 1689. Explain whether you think this is a good or bad approach to success.
read morePrimary – January 18
Alan Alexander Milne — better known as the creator of Winnie the Pooh — was born on this date in 1882. The stories he wrote were about a young person who went on grand adventures with his toys. Write a story about going on an adventure with your favorite toy.
read moreLiterary – January 17
“Love, friendship and respect do not unite people as much as a common hatred for something.” – Anton Chekhov, born this date in 1860. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a particular contempt shared by your protagonist and antagonist leads your protag to make a costly mistake.
read moreJournaling + Fiction – January 17
“Curiosity is a gateway drug to sympathy.”Victoria Schwab Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a moment when curiosity inspired you to sympathize with another person. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist learns s/he should have been sympathetic towards another person but was not because s/he was too busy to be curious.
read moreBig Questions – January 17
How much is too much? 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...
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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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