Literary – September 9

“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” -Leo Tolstoy, born this date in 1828, in his opening line to Anna Karenina. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist competes with a romantic interest to prove whose family was more uniquely unhappy.

Literary – September 8

“Did it ever occur to you, Charlie, that tolerance can reach a point where it is no longer tolerance?” -Grace Metalious, born this date in 1924. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your antagonist gets away with an atrocious misdeed by demanding tolerance from those your antagonist offended.

Literary – September 7

“My experience of ships is that on them one makes an interesting discovery about the world. One finds one can do without it completely.” -Malcolm Bradbury, born this date in 1932. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s isolation enables a remarkable insight.

Literary – September 6

“Action indeed is the sole medium of expression for ethics.” -Jane Addams, born this date in 1860. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist does not act when one friend commits a wrong against another.

Literary – September 5

On this date in 1957, Jack Kerouac woke up famous after the New York Times gave On the Road a rave review. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist chooses not to set the record straight when being acclaimed for achieving something s/he didn’t do in the way that made the achievement so remarkable.

Literary – September 4

“One is not superior merely because one sees the world as odious.” -François-René de Chateaubriand, born this date in 1768. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is trapped at a social event with people s/he considers well below her/him in terms of class.

Literary – September 3

“Could fulfillment ever be felt as deeply as loss?” -Kiran Desai, born this date in 1971. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist decides to forgo a chance to be fulfilled because s/he fears the pain of failure more.

Literary – September 2

The Iceman Cometh  by Eugene O’Neill opened on Broadway on this date in 1946. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist uncovers the secret, tragic reason for a relative or close friend’s recent conversion on a topic of importance.