Romance – May 27

Dashiell Hammett, born this date in 1894, turned his real-life relationship with Lillian Hellman into The Thin Man book, movies, and radio serial about Nick and Nora Charles. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protaganist imagines that s/he and and her/his partner engage in the wittiest and most sophisticated banter your protag can imagine … and then confronts the reality of the...

Romance – May 26

Writing prompt: Write a scene that concludes with your protagonist telling someone, “You’re drunk — I’m not talking to you.”

Romance – May 25

“On their way to freedom, some people find riches, some people find death.” –Jamaica Kincaid, born this date in 1949. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist refuses to make her/his way to freedom because s/he fears the risk of death more than s/he desires the reward of riches.

Romance – May 24

“People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent.” –Bob Dylan, born this date in 1941. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist struggles, and ultimately fails, to avoid the convenient in favor of your protag’s belief.

Romance – May 23

“It seems that it is madder never to abandon one’s self than often to be infatuated; better to be wounded, a captive and a slave, than always to walk in armor.” –Margaret Fuller, born this date in 1810. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist misses an opportunity because s/he refuses to walk...

Romance – May 22

Mary Cassatt was born on this date in 1844. Writing prompt: Describe from your protagonist’s point of view what’s happening in Cassatt’s painting The Long...