Journaling + Fiction – July 11

“Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back.”Plato Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the first time another heart whispered back to yours. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which the heart your protagonist hears whispering back proves in some way unreachable.

Journaling + Fiction – July 10

“A quiet conscience makes one strong!”Anne Frank Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a strength of conscience others do not notice in you because it’s so quiet. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist refuses to go along to get along without explaining why.

Journaling + Fiction – July 9

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building on the new.”Socrates Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about where you should be focusing your energy instead of where you are focusing it. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist squanders all his/her energy on an old fight and has nothing left for the new one.

Journaling + Fiction – July 8

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”Epicurus Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about something you enjoy today that you’d never dreamed possible. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s desire for something s/he doesn’t have spoils your protagonist’s...

Journaling + Fiction – July 7

“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”Paul Boese Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about how your future improved after you received forgiveness. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist receives an unexpected gift from a person s/he forgave a long time ago.

Journaling + Fiction – July 6

“The universe had an odd sense of fairness; it took away things one did not want to give up, and then gave things one did not ask for.”Laila Lalami Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you plan to do with something you received but did not ask for. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is compelled to trade something s/he loves for something s/he...

Journaling + Fiction – July 5

“Every joke is a tiny revolution.”George Orwell Journal prompt: Reflect on your previous journal entries and spend at least 20 minutes writing about an amusing observation that effectively summarizes your perspective on life. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist gets in trouble for making a joke.

Journaling + Fiction – July 4

“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out.”Abraham Lincoln Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the greatest kindness you could extend someone in your life right now. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which a service your protagonist is counting on washes out.