Mystery – January 21

“For a man of society, even for a civilian, a small Browning was as obligatory and as useless an accessory to his toilet as a tie or a cane.”- Leonid Sobolev in Major Repairs, describing the influence of John Moses Browning, born this date in 1855. Writing prompt: Write the scene that explains the origins of your protagonist’s preferred weapon, style of fighting, or decision to avoid any type of physical...

Mystery – January 20

“We’re all like detectives in life. There’s something at the end of the trail that we’re all looking for.”- David Lynch, born this date in 1946. Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist took her/his first step at the start of the trail s/he is on.

Mystery – January 19

“The justice I have received, I shall give back.”- Patricia Highsmith, born this date in 1921. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist gives back.

Mystery – January 18

“We need to have a talk on the subject of what’s yours and what’s mine.”- Stieg Larsson’s Mikael Blomkvist, born this date in 1960. Writing prompt: Write such a dialogue between your protagonist and someone who’s unclear on the matter.

Mystery – January 17

“I have spent the best years of my life giving people the lighter pleasures, helping them have a good time, and all I get is abuse, the existence of a hunted man.”- Al Capone, born this date in 1899. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your antagonist’s downfall occurs because of something relatively insignificant.

Mystery – January 16

“Artists are always good for conversation, so long as you want to talk about their art.”- Craig Johnson, born this date in 1961. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist tries to have a conversation with someone who wants to talk about anything else.

Mystery – January 15

“A riot is the language of the unheard.”- Martin Luther King, Jr., born this date in 1929. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a conversation turns violent because one person can’t understand what the other is saying.

Mystery – January 14

“The essence of fascism is to make laws forbidding everything and then enforce them selectively against your enemies.”- John Lescroart, born this date in 1948. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist manipulates the outcome of a conflict by selectively enforcing rules to favor one of the participants.