Literary – December 2

“Humor is what happens when we’re told the truth quicker and more directly than we’re used to.” -George Saunders, born this date in 1958. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails to see the humor in a situation that everyone else finds hilarious.

Journaling + Fiction – December 2

“If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more.”Roy T. Bennett Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about something you don’t have that you think you need. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist learns to be careful what you wish for.

Big Questions – December 2

What’s the best characteristic of the person you respect least? Journaling prompt: Spend 15-20 minutes writing your answer in the spirit of exploring yourself and the world around you. If you can answer with a simple “yes” or “no,” explain the sources or implications of your response. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene that forces a character in your story to answer the question, or spend 15-20 minutes...

Romance – December 2

“Hope is a horrible thing, you know. I don’t know who decided to package hope as a virtue because it’s not. It’s a plague.” -Ann Patchett, born this date in 1963. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a character realizes what s/he thought was a strategy was really nothing more than hope.

Mystery – December 2

“There are always surprises. Life may be inveterately grim and the surprises disproportionately unpleasant, but it would be hardly worth living if there were no exceptions, no sunny days, no acts of random kindness.” -T. Coraghessan Boyle, born this date in 1948. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your antagonist gets an unpleasant surprise that eventually will turn out to be a tremendously valuable...

SciFi/Fantasy – December 2

Compton: The Italian navigator has landed in the New World.Conant: How were the natives?Compton: Everyone landed safe and happy. The Atomic Age began on this date in 1942 when Enrico Fermi and his colleagues demonstrated the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction in a crude pile of black bricks and wooden timbers under the stands at the University of Chicago football stadium. Writing prompt: Write a scene in...

Secondary – December 2

If you could make a 30-second statement to every person in the world simultaneously, what would you say?

Primary – December 2

On this date in 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte declared himself emperor of France. Explain why you think political leaders should be able to declare themselves leaders, or should let someone else do it.