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Journaling + Fiction – May 9
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,in secret, between the shadow and the soul.Pablo Neruda Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a person or thing you love but other people cannot or would not understand. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must confront a person s/he loves but doesn’t much like about the behavior that creates the distinction.
read moreRomance – May 9
“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.” -J.M. Barrie, born this date in 1860. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes that someone in whom s/he has a romantic interest will never grow up.
read moreMystery – May 9
John Brown was born on this date in 1800. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must punish someone for doing the right thing.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – May 9
“Never ascribe to an opponent motives meaner than your own.”- Sir James Matthew Barrie, born this date in 1860. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes her/his antagonist’s motives are more noble than your protagonist’s.
read moreSecondary – May 9
On this date in 1961, speaking to the National Association of Broadcasters, newly appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Commission Newton Minow said television was “a vast wasteland.” Describe your opinion of Minow’s opinion.
read morePrimary – May 9
Peter Pan author JM Barrie was born on this date in 1860. He once wrote, “I’m not young enough to know everything.” Explain why you think JM Barrie was correct or confused.
read moreLiterary – May 8
“There was no difference between the behavior of a god and the operations of pure chance.” -Thomas Pynchon, one of the world’s most notoriously reclusive authors, born this date in 1937. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a random event forces your protagonist to consider whether making any plan at all is pointless.
read moreBig Questions – May 8
What would you do if you knew the person you most love had one year left to live? 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 moreJournaling + Fiction – May 8
“If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”Martin Luther King, Jr. Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you will do to move forward on something you have been too long static. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must crawl when s/he would prefer to fly.
read moreRomance – May 8
“The past is a palimpsest. Early memories are always obscured by accumulations of later knowledge.” -Pat Barker, born this date in 1943. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist gains knowledge that irretrievably upends one of her/his favorite memories.
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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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