Romance – September 24

“The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well.” -Horace Walpole, whose The Castle of Otranto launched the romantic horror genre, born this date in 1717. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers her/his profound interest in the detritus of thousands of other things.

Romance – September 23

The first installment in Gaston Leroux’s serialized novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra was published on this date in 1909. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist unexpectedly meets someone who’s only been rumored to exist.

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.

Romance – September 21

“I wonder how many people don’t get the one they want, but end up with the one they’re supposed to be with.” -Fannie Flagg, born this date in 1941, in Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist trades the one in which s/he’s supposed to be with for the one s/he wants.

Romance – September 20

“Sex appeal is fifty percent what you’ve got and fifty percent what people think you’ve got.” -Sofia Villani Scicolone, better known as Sophia Loren, born this date in 1934. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s romantic partner discovers the 50% s/he thought your protag had doesn’t exist.

Romance – September 19

“History is the study of lies, anyway, because no witness ever recalls events with total accuracy, not even eyewitnesses.” -Nancy Pickard, born this date in 1945. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist recounts an important family story to someone who tells your protag the real story.