Literary – June 18

“The loss of the battle of Waterloo was the salvation of France.” -Thomas Jefferson. On this date in 1815, English, Prussian, and other European forces defeated the Emperor Napoleon. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes that what seemed like a devastating setback actually saved your protag from a worse fate.

Literary – June 9

Writing prompt: Describe what your protagonist would do if s/he could create two perfect copies of her/himself.

Literary – June 8

“The truth is more important than the facts.” -Frank Lloyd Wright, born this date in 1867. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist loses an important friendship because s/he mistakes facts for the truth.

Literary – June 5

“Anybody who says they are a good liar obviously is not.” -Chuck Klosterman, born this date in 1972. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which everything your protagonist says convinces the people s/he is talking with that your protag is a liar.

Literary – June 1

Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist considers the merits of trading places with the person s/he most envies for one month.

Literary – May 21

Writing prompt: Describe your protagonist’s plans for the services, observations, or celebrations after s/he dies.

Literary – May 13

Writing prompt: Describe what your protagonist perceives in this painting by the French cubist Georges Braque, born on this date in 1882.

Literary – May 4

Hudson River School artist Frederic Church was born on this date in 1826. Writing prompt: Describe from the point of view of your protagonist what s/he sees in Church’s painting “Twilight in the Tropics.”