Literary – December 18

On this date in 1946, Eddie Rickenbacker scattered Damon Runyon’s ashes over Broadway from a plane. Runyon once declared, “You can become a winner only if you are willing to walk over the edge.” Writing prompt: Write a scene from your protagonist’s childhood or teen years in which s/he walks over the edge.

Literary – December 15

Lena Horne recorded her signature song “Stormy Weather” on this date in 1941, describing the misery of feeling as if it keeps raining all the time. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCG3kJtQBKo[/youtube] Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist feels that way.

Literary – December 13

Writing prompt: From your protagonist’s point of view, describe the place s/he most wants to visit and why that location is so important.

Literary – December 4

Consider what your antagonist complains about — and yet has no power to control or resolve — most loudly and consistently. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a loved one accidentally triggers a rant on that topic by your antagonist.

Literary – December 2

Georges-Pierre Seurat was born on this date in 1859. Writing prompt: Describe in the voice of your protagonist what Seurat saw when he painted “La Maria, Honfleur.”

Literary – November 24

“You can always tell a real friend; when you’ve made a fool of yourself, he doesn’t feel you’ve done a permanent job.” -Laurence Sterne, born this date in 1713. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s best friend describes, to a mutual friend in your protag’s absence, an event in which your protag made a fool of him- or herself.

Literary – November 22

“The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice.” -George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), born this date in 1819. Writing prompt: Write the scene when your protagonist made the worst choice of her/his teen years.

Literary – November 17

Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is stunned to find a particular item for sale at a neighborhood garage sale.