Blog
Mystery – December 29
“Justice? — You get justice in the next world. In this one you have the law.” -William Gaddis, born this date in 1922. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which the law eliminates your protagonist’s opportunity to do justice.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – December 29
“I went to Poe’s funeral yesterday. There was a minister, four mourners, and a grave digger. The grave digger called me a damned nigger and chased me off.”- Mason Algiers Reynolds, who on this date in Rudy Rucker’s 1836 entered the Hollow Earth aboard the Wasp. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist undertakes an adventure with his/her favorite historical character in the world you’ve created.
read moreLiterary – December 28
“This life we endure — how strange, yet how jolly.” -Chris Ware, born this date in 1967. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist finds humor in a tragedy.
read moreJournaling + Fiction – December 28
“A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.”Max Lucado Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the most counterintuitive leadership technique you’ve encountered. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is forced to lead from an unexpected position.
read moreBig Questions – December 28
What do you expect from a friend that you don’t expect from a romantic partner? 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 – December 28
Well—when I write my book, and tell the taleOf my adventures—all these little starsThat shake out of my cloak—I must save thoseTo use for asterisks! Cyrano de Bergerac in his eponymous play by Edmond Rostand, which premiered at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin on this date in 1897. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must give advice to a friend about how best to attract the romantic interest of someone your protag secretly hopes to woo.
read moreMystery – December 28
Habitual and glamorous criminal Jacques “The Man of a Thousand Faces” Mesrine was born on this date in 1936. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must tangle with an outlaw more popular than the law.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – December 28
“I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers.”- Stan Lee, born this date in 1922. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist describes the impact on him/herself of the person in the world you’ve created who is most recognized as a fantastic hero.
read more10,000 Hours
In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers: The Story of Success, he details the concept of the 10,000-hour rule. That’s a reasonably well-accepted theory that to become thoroughly proficient at something, a person needs to practice for about 10,000 hours. Gladwell’s most famous examples include the Beatles and Bill Gates. Prodigies — the exceptions who prove the rule — are popularly known. However, they account for a very small percentage of the people we consider “successful” at anything — music, sports, business, math,...
read moreLiterary – December 27
“What are you hiding? No one ever asks that.” – Sarah Vowell, born this date in 1969. Writing prompt: Write the response to that question from your antagonist, and then from your protagonist.
read more
David B. Schlosser is an author of award-winning fiction and non-fiction, and an editor of award-winning fiction and non-fiction.
Read More...