Secondary – January 3

JRR Tolkien, who wrote The Lord of the Rings trilogy, was born on this date in 1892. Explain what you think he meant when he wrote, “Deep roots are not reached by frost.”

Primary – January 3

JRR Tolkien, who wrote The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, was born on this date in 1892. Explain what you think he meant when he said, “Courage is found in unlikely places.”

Rube Tube

Author William Gibson has an essay on his web site in which he contemplates becoming “exactly the sort of introverted, hyper-bookish boy you’ll find in the biographies of most American science fiction writers … dreaming of one day becoming a writer myself.” It’s all interesting, even if you’re not familiar with his work, and he concludes with this compelling insight: “I...

Literary – January 2

Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must confront the thing or issue that most terrifies you.

Journaling + Fiction – January 2

“An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.”Oscar Wilde Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the bravest idea you’ve never told anyone about. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must express a dangerous idea to an audience that doesn’t welcome it.

Big Questions – January 2

What was the first step on the path that brought you to where you are right now? 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...

Romance – January 2

Johann Theile’s opera Adam und Eva opened Die Hamburgische Staatsoper on this date in 1678. Writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist first encounters the embodiment of all things your protagonist could possibly desire in a romantic partner.

Mystery – January 2

“I was just cleaning up the place a bit.”- Peter Sutcliffe, arrested by British police this date in 1981 after they identified him as the Yorkshire Ripper. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist catches a bad guy for a minor crime unrelated to his/her more dastardly deeds.