Literary – November 11

“Be careful what you pretend to be because you are what you pretend to be.” -Kurt Vonnegut, born this date in 1922. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers that “fake it ’til you make it” fails as a strategy.

Literary – November 10

“You can’t crush ideas by suppressing them. You can only crush them by ignoring them.” -Vachel Lindsay, born this date in 1879. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s most important idea is ignored.

Literary – November 9

“The joy that isn’t shared dies young.” -Anne Sexton, born this date in 1928. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist experiences profound joy that s/he cannot share with anyone.

Literary – November 8

“All children have to be deceived if they are to grow up without trauma.” -Kazuo Ishiguro, born this date in 1954. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers s/he has lived in ignorance since s/he was deceived about a traumatic childhood event.

Literary – November 7

“The need to be right is the sign of a vulgar mind.” -Albert Camus, born this date in 1913. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s best friend refuses to allow your protag to be right.

Literary – November 6

“Dead, we are revealed in our true dimensions, and they are surprisingly modest.” -Michael Cunningham, born this date in 1952. Writing prompt: Write a scene set at a funeral in which your protagonist learns an unexpected and unfortunate truth about the person in the casket.

Literary – November 5

“The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled. Each evening we see the sun set. We know that the earth is turning away from it. Yet the knowledge, the explanation, never quite fits the sight.” -John Berger, born this date in 1926. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist sees something that contradicts an important fact your protagonist knows to be true.

Literary – November 4

“I’m ruined beyond repair, is what I fear…. And if so, in time we’d both be wretched and bitter.” -Charles Frazier, born this date in 1950. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist rejects someone’s love because s/he expects to hurt that person.