Literary – January 16

“As photographs give people an imaginary possession of a past that is unreal, they also help people to take possession of space in which they are insecure.” -Susan Sontag, born this date in 1933. Writing prompt: Write the scene during which the photograph most important to your protagonist was taken.

Journaling + Fiction – January 16

“Integrity is the essence of everything successful.”R. Buckminster Fuller Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about your experience or observation of an important project’s failure due to integrity problems. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which a lack of integrity endangers your protagonist.

Big Questions – January 16

Who most deserves forgiveness at this moment? 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 answering the question in...

Romance – January 16

“The only interesting answers are those which destroy the questions.” – Susan Sontag, born this date in 1933. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a person’s answer to your protagonist’s question reveals that your protagonist curiosity was dangerously misplaced.

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.

SciFi/Fantasy – January 16

“What scares me is what scares you. We’re all afraid of the same things. That’s why horror is such a powerful genre.” -John Carpenter, born this date in 1948. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist encounters something s/he doesn’t know to be scared of.

Secondary – January 16

The Constitutional amendment prohibiting the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction” went into effect on this date in 1919. Explain your reasons for thinking prohibition works or doesn’t work when it comes to preventing people from doing...

Primary – January 16

Dian Fossey was born on this date in 1932. If you could help humans relate better to one animal, what animal would you choose and what would you tell other people about it?