Mystery – July 24

“A man with a credit card is in hock to his own image of himself.” –John D. MacDonald, born this date in 1916, in his first Travis McGee novel, The Deep Blue Good-Bye. Writing prompt: Write a scene from your protagonist’s life when money problems motivated your protag to do something...

Literary – July 24

After starting to write short stories to support his daughter while he spent three years in prison for embezzling from his bank employer, O. Henry was released on this date in 1901. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist receives a gift made irrelevant by your protag’s simultaneous gift to the gift...

Romance – July 24

“It is the loose ends with which men hang themselves.” –Zelda Fitzgerald, born this date in 1900. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s suspicions about her/his partner are confirmed when a loose end betrays him/her.

SciFi/Fantasy – July 24

On this date in 1911, American archeologist Hiram Bingham got his first look at the ancient Incan settlement of Machu Picchu. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is found in possession of another culture’s priceless artifacts by some spectacularly angry members of that...

Romance – July 23

Monica Lewinsky was born on this date in 1973. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which, during the process of causing some little bit of trouble, your protagonist creates a much greater deal of trouble for someone s/he cares about.

Mystery – July 23

“The law isn’t justice. It’s a very imperfect mechanism. If you press exactly the right buttons and are also lucky, justice may show up in the answer. A mechanism is all the law was ever intended to be.” –Raymond Chandler, born this date in 1888. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must decide whether to allow the machine of law to work or to break...