Romance – December 30

“The silliest woman can manage a clever man; but it needs a very clever woman to manage a fool.” – Rudyard Kipling, born this date in 1865. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist tries to get what s/he wants by playing dumb, and fails.

Mystery – December 30

Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin married Percy Bysshe Shelley on this date in 1816, 2.5 years after eloping. She once said, “The same energy of character which renders a man a daring villain would have rendered him useful in society, had that society been well organized.” Writing prompt: Write a scene that reveals what your story’s villain would have done if his/her productive energies had been better...

SciFi/Fantasy – December 30

“Blame is just a lazy person’s way of making sense of chaos.”- Douglas Coupland, born this date in 1961. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist deflects blame for a mistake s/he made onto a blameless innocent.

Literary – December 29

Thomas Becket was murdered on this date in 1170. In the 1964 film about his life, the Becket character suggests someone may teach him “humility — a virtue I’ve never really mastered.” Writing prompt: Consider a virtue your protagonist has not mastered and write a scene in which s/he learns its value.

Journaling + Fiction – December 29

“Whatever you are, be a good one.”Abraham Lincoln Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you are. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes s/he isn’t as good as s/he thinks s/he is being what s/he is.

Big Questions – December 29

What chore do you most look forward to? 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 the...

Romance – December 29

“It is the bliss of childhood that we are being warped most when we know it the least.” -William Gaddis, born this date in 1922. Writing prompt: Write the scene from your protagonist’s childhood that will most strongly affect her/his first experience of sexual intercourse.

Mystery – December 29

“Justice? — You get justice in the next world. In this one you have the law.” -William Gaddis, born this date in 1922. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which the law eliminates your protagonist’s opportunity to do justice.