Romance – September 28

“I gave my beauty and my youth to men. I am going to give my wisdom and experience to animals.” -Brigitte Bardot, born this date in 1934. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist gets what s/he wants only because of the way s/he looks.

Romance – September 27

“Some people are easier to love when you don’t have to be around them.” -Irvine Welsh, born this date in 1958. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist learns that someone who loves her/him thinks it’s easier to do when your protag isn’t around.

Romance – September 26

“I suspected that there were things he knew that I had been waiting all my life to learn.” -Jane Smiley, born this date in 1949. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes s/he doesn’t want to learn what a romantic partner wants to teach.

Romance – September 25

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones were born 25 years apart on this date. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist argues with her/his best friend about an age difference between romantic partners.

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

“He lives on within the souls of those who choose to listen to the music of the night.” – Gaston Leroux, whose first installment of the 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. 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.