Literary – March 9

Vita Sackville-West, a prolific Victorian novelist and poet and Virginia Woolf’s inspiration for Orlando, was born on this date in 1892. She wrote in 1953, “I have come to the conclusion, after many years of sometimes sad experience, that you cannot come to any conclusion at all.” Writing prompt: Write a scene that decisively concludes on an ambiguous beat.

Journaling + Fiction – March 9

“Ants are good citizens: they place group interests first.”Clarence Day Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you learned when you watched an important project fail because members of the group responsible couldn’t place individual interests second. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must choose between achieving an important individual goal and...

Big Questions – March 9

What would you do with your time if you knew would have 48 hours completely alone? 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...

Romance – March 9

Barbie appeared for the first time on this date in 1959 at the American International Toy Fair. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist describes Barbie to a young female relative.

Mystery – March 9

“Guys like you can’t escape the city. Hell, you a got a blood contract with this place. You’re married to the old girl.”- Mickey Spillane, born this date in 1918. Writing prompt: Describe from your protagonist’s point of view a place to which s/he has such a connection.

SciFi/Fantasy – March 9

“Dr. Franklin and others mention some paralytic cases, in which electricity seemed rather to make the patient worse than better.” On this date in Fred Saberhagen’s 1783, Frankenstein’s creature met Benjamin Franklin in Paris. Writing prompt: Write a diary entry by the most terrifying monster in the world you’ve created.

Secondary – March 9

If you had to choose between having only one soulmate and no other close friends, or lots of acquaintances but no soulmate, how would you go about making your decision?

Primary – March 9

What have you lost that you would most like to find, and why is it so important?