Mystery – September 17

“Both our opinions are rooted in our experience. Both of them are true, it’s just that we’ve had different experiences.”- Robert B. Parker, born this date in 1932. Writing prompt: Describe the same inciting incident in the voices of your protagonist and your antagonist.

Mystery – September 16

“I worry. I mean, little things bother me. I’m a worrier. I mean, little insignificant details — I lose my appetite.”- Lt. Frank Colombo as portrayed by Peter Falk, born this date in 1927. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist annoys someone into a confession.

Mystery – September 15

“Evil is not something superhuman, it’s something less than human.”- Agatha Christie, born this date in 1890. Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist first encountered pure evil.

Mystery – September 14

“I’ve worked all my life to shed myself of any character.”- Sam Neill, born this date in 1947. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must shed his/her identity to play the role of someone distinctly the opposite in many ways.

Mystery – September 13

“Sucking at something is the first step to becoming sorta good at something.” Several pioneering crime programs premiered on American television on this date: Banacek in 1972 The Rockford Files and Police Woman in 1974 Law and Order in 1990 Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist found her/his first inspiration to a career.

Mystery – September 12

“Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice.”- H.L. Mencken, born this date in 1880. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist gets exactly what’s coming to her/him.

Mystery – September 11

“When rich wives get dead, I usually go after the husband. The only problem is, you saw a thief.”- Detective McLean in a film written and directed by Brian De Palma, born this date in 1940. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist achieves a crucial task and discovers it did not, as your protagonist expected, contribute to achieving his/her goal — and instead contributed to...

Mystery – September 10

“Prison culture doesn’t always work in the best interests of the system.”- Peter Lovesey, born this date in 1936. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must negotiate with a bad person because the only negotiator the bad person will trust is your protagonist.