Literary – July 21

“All things truly wicked start from innocence.” -Ernest Hemingway, born this date in 1899. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s naivete draws her/him into a devastating plot against someone your protag would never want to hurt.

Literary – July 20

“True quests aren’t measured in time or distance anyway, so much as in hope.” -Jess Walter, born this date in 1965. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist mistakes her/his expenditure of time or distance with an investment that will pay off.

Literary – July 19

The Rosetta Stone was discovered on this date in 1799. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must cooperate with someone who speaks no common language to locate a specific book in an unfamiliar location.

Literary – July 18

“Make the horizon your goal; it will always be ahead of you.” -William Makepeace Thackeray, born this date in 1811. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes that achieving her/his ultimate goal proves it wasn’t her/his ultimate goal.

Literary – July 17

David Hasselhoff was born on this date in 1952. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must ask a favor of someone famous for all the wrong reasons.

Literary – July 16

“All morons hate it when you call them a moron.” -Holden Caulfield, narrator of The Catcher in the Rye, published this date in 1951. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a young, insolent person justifiably calls out your protagonist for making a stupid mistake.

Literary – July 15

“If you work at comedy too laboriously, you can kill what’s funny in the joke.” -Richard Russo, born this date in 1949. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails to make everyone else get the joke.

Literary – July 14

“Everything is worth precisely as much as a belch, the difference being that a belch is more satisfying.” -Ingmar Bergman, born this date in 1918. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails to persuade a curmudgeon that something important to your protag should be important to the curmudgeon.