Journaling + Fiction – September 7

“Life isn’t fair. It’s just fairer than death, that’s all.”William Goldman Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the unfairness you fear most. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist watches a loved one die.

Journaling + Fiction – September 6

“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”K’ung Fu-tzu Journal prompt: Reflect on your previous journal entries and spend at least 20 minutes writing about an experience when you treated someone as that person had treated you even though you knew better. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist gives as good as s/he gets.

Journaling + Fiction – September 5

“You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.”Publilius Syrus Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a moment when kindness prompted you to act in a way no form of coercion could Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails to achieve through force what a frenemy then achieves with kindness.

Journaling + Fiction – September 4

“Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.”George Eliot Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about something you did that’s since shaped you more than you shaped your action before taking it. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist proves s/he is something no one — including your protagonist — could have anticipated.

Journaling + Fiction – September 3

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”Aristotle Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the craziest thing you ever believed. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist accepts a thought s/he only should have entertained.

Journaling + Fiction – September 2

“Once you have experienced excellence you will never again be content with mediocrity.”Thomas S. Monson Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about how you responded in a moment you realized you were experiencing less than excellence. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is imperiled by someone else’s half-done job.

Journaling + Fiction – September 1

“Prudence is the footprint of wisdom.”Amos Bronson Alcott Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the biggest footprint you’ve ever seen a person leave. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist stumbles while rushing in where angels fear to tread.

Journaling + Fiction – August 31

“I am a citizen as well as an individual soul and one of the things citizenship teaches us, over the long stretch, is that there is no perfectibility in human affairs.”Zadie Smith Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a situation you had to resolve imperfectly because no better alternative existed. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails at an important task because...