Romance – November 20

One of the world’s foremost literary forgers, Thomas Chatterton, was born on this date in 1752. He successfully imitated ancient and 15th century authors before he reached his teen years. Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist first fails to pull off something s/he has been faking successfully since s/he was a child.

Romance – November 19

Stage and screen beauty Gene Tierney was born on this day in 1920. In the acclaimed Otto Preminger film Laura, she plays a woman so entrancing that the detective investigating her murder falls in love with her despite her negative viability status. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes that her/his romantic partner is in love with a distinctly unreal version of your...

Romance – November 18

Louis Daguerre, widely considered the inventor of what we now consider photography, was born on this date in 1789. Writing prompt: Describe your protagonist’s most valued photo (or image) in your antagonist’s voice, and your antagonist’s most valued photo in your protag’s voice.

Romance – November 17

“How can we be happy behind the backs of people who trust us?” -Ellen Olenska in the 1993 film version of The Age of Innocence, directed by Martin Scorsese, born this date in 1942. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist discovers s/he can be happy only behind the back of someone who trusts her/him.

Romance – November 16

W.C. Handy, the “father of the blues,” was born on this date in 1873. He described his relationship to his trumpet beginning this way: “Setting my mind on a musical instrument was like falling in love.” He concluded by describing the feeling. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist and antagonist describe what it’s like to fall in love.

Romance – November 15

“I feel there is something unexplored about woman that only a woman can explore.” -Georgia O’Keeffe, born this date in 1887. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist rejects the genuine interest of a friend because of gender differences.