Journaling + Fiction – May 18

“Lack of fairness to an opponent is essentially a sign of weakness.”Emma Goldman Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you experienced when an opponent pressed an unfair advantage against you. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist loses to a weaker adversary because of an unfair circumstance.

Journaling + Fiction – May 17

“Silence is a true friend who never betrays.”K’ung Fu-tzu Journal prompt: Reflect on your previous journal entries and spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you learned in a moment you had to choose whether to share or keep a secret. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist inadvertently reveals an important secret.

Journaling + Fiction – May 16

“Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind.”Eric Hoffer Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the impact on your life of the most significant act of kindess ever extended to you. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist takes a risk to extend a kindness s/he would be better off not extending.

Journaling + Fiction – May 15

“I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year’s fashions.”Lillian Hellman Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you learned from your response to a situation in which your values conflicted with the fashion of the moment. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist forgoes an easy, lucrative opportunity because it would violate her/his conscience to seize...

Journaling + Fiction – May 14

“Chaos is merely order waiting to be deciphered.”José Saramago Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the next part of your life you want to organize. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist identifies a pattern that misleads rather than illuminates.

Journaling + Fiction – May 13

“If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”Oprah Winfrey Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you need less of. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes that getting what s/he didn’t have doesn’t solve the problem.

Journaling + Fiction – May 12

Affairs are easier of entrance than of exit; and it is but common prudence to see our way out before we venture in.Aesop Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about an experience when you got into a situation you didn’t know how to get out of. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails to extricate himself or herself from a socially awkward situation into which your...

Journaling + Fiction – May 11

“As soon as any man says of the affairs of the State ‘What does it matter to me?’ the State may be given up for lost.”Jean-Jacques Rousseau Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a matter of public interest you know you should care about but don’t. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s ignorance of a matter of public importance puts her/him in a...