Mystery – May 16

On this date in Daniel Defoe’s 1683, Robinson Crusoe heard a gunshot after having lived without human contact for a quarter-century. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is wrong about his/her belief that essential help is on the way.

Mystery – May 15

Former long-time Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley was born on this date in 1902. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a public leader orders your protagonist to keep a secret that will compromise your protag’s integrity.

Mystery – May 14

“Illegal is always faster.” -Eoin Colfer, born this date in 1965. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist relies on a bad guy to do a good thing.

Mystery – May 13

“Women want love to be a novel, men a short story.” -Daphne Du Maurier, born on this date in 1907. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist and a person of the opposite gender disagree about something unrelated to gender, but which your protag’s opposite interprets as being about gender.

Mystery – May 12

“Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. Determined ignorance is the hastiest kind of oblivion.” -Philip Gordon Wylie, born this date in 1902. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails to convince a willfully ignorant superior that a suspect is about to commit another crime.

Mystery – May 11

“I think it’s much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong.” -Richard Feynman, born this date in 1918. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist learns an answer on which s/he has relied for many years is wrong.

Mystery – May 10

British punk rocker Sid Vicious was born on this date in 1957. At the other end of his life, he left the following suicide note: WE HAD A DEATH PACT I HAVE TO KEEP MY HALF OF THE BARGAIN. PLEASE BURY ME PTO NEXT TO MY BABY. BURY ME IN MY LEATHER JACKET, JEANS AND MOTOR CYCLE BOOTS GOODBYE Writing prompt: Write the suicide note of a close friend of your protagonist that makes your protag think suicide was not the...

Mystery – May 9

John Brown was born on this date in 1800. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must punish someone for doing the right thing.