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Mystery – January 7
On this date in 1964, The Pink Panther premiered and introduced the world to Inspector Jacques Clouseau. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a total fool infuriates your protagonist until the fool causes your protag to discover an essential fact.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – January 7
Galileo discovered the four major moons of Jupiter (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) on this date in 1610. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must accomplish a herculean task using only technology everyone else in the world you’ve created considers hopelessly outdated and obsolete.
read moreSecondary – January 7
Describe your vision of integrity and the best example of it you’ve ever seen.
read morePrimary – January 7
Jacques Montgolfier, who with his brother invented the hot air balloon, was born on this date in 1745. Describe what it would be like to ride in a hot air balloon using all your senses except sight.
read moreLiterary – January 6
On this date in 1878, Carl Sandburg was born. He believed “the secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.” Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s desire makes her/him miserable.
read moreJournaling + Fiction – January 6
“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”Abraham Lincoln Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a time you were shown mercy that you might not have deserved. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist receives justice from a person your protagonist had a chance to show mercy but did not.
read moreBig Questions – January 6
What’s the best practical joke you’ve ever pulled? 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 6
“What most people think of as history is its end product, myth.” – EL Doctorow, born this date in 1931. Writing prompt: Describe an event in your protagonist’s life as it actually occurred, and then as your protagonist has mythologized it.
read moreMystery – January 6
On this date in 1854, Thomas (or, perhaps, William) Sherlock Scott Holmes was born on the farmstead of Mycroft, near Sigerside, in the north Riding of Yorkshire. To Holmes, one woman was so significant in his experiences that he described her always as “the woman.” Writing prompt: Describe your protagonist’s “the” woman or man from the point of view of your protag’s best friend.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – January 6
“You must enjoy being beat. Let me remodel your face one more time.” -Cammy White, born this date in 1974. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist advises a dangerous Type-A personality to chill out.
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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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