Literary – September 22

“I am not cynical. I am just old. I know what is going to happen next.” -Fay Weldon, born this date in 1931. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist commits a grievous error because s/he confidently  and erroneously predicted what was going to happen next.

Journaling + Fiction – September 22

“Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”Benjamin Franklin Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a heated moment in which you were too tempted to say the wrong thing. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist cannot hold her/his tongue.

Big Questions – September 22

Who do you anticipate will be the most important person in your life in ten years? 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...

Romance – September 22

“It was good, and nothing good is truly lost. It stays part of a person, becomes part of their character. So part of you goes everywhere with me. And part of me is yours, forever.” -Rosamunde Pilcher, born this date in 1924. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must persuade a hostile former romantic partner that their relationship wasn’t entirely awful.

Mystery – September 22

On this date in 1975, US President Gerald Ford survived a second assassination attempt, this one by revolutionary Sara Jane Moore after Manson Family member Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme failed to load a cartridge into her semi-automatic Colt just 17 days before. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must complete a task for someone a lot of people want to kill although several previous...

SciFi/Fantasy – September 22

“See you in another life, brother.” Oceanic Airlines flight 815 left Sydney on this date in 2004. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which someone your protagonist thought lost appears.

Secondary – September 22

Francisco Vásquez de Coronado died on this date in 1554 without ever finding any of the seven cities of gold for which he searched. Argue whether it’s better to have tried but failed to achieve an ambitious goal or to have set and achieved an insignificant goal.

Primary – September 22

“Water is to me, I confess, a phenomenon which continually awakens new feelings of wonder as often as I view it.” -English scientist Michael Faraday, who was born on this date in 1791. Describe what you see when you look at water.