“I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.” -Sam Houston, born on this date in 1793. Explain your understanding of why a reputation for honesty was so important to a person of Houston’s time and whether you think such reasoning remains valid today.
Dr. Seuss wrote, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” To celebrate his birth date in 1904, write where you think you’re going and how you’ll get there.
“It is the still, small voice that the soul heeds, not the deafening blasts of doom.” -Dean of American letters William Dean Howells, born this date in 1837. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist mistakenly heeds a deafening blast while ignoring a still, small voice.
“He who has great power should use it lightly.”Lucius Annaeus Seneca Journal prompt: Reflect on your previous journal entries and spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you learned from an experience when a lighter touch would have been more successful than the heavier hand you applied. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails to achieve a major goal because of her/his...
What’s next? 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 voice of a character you...
Posted by
dbschlosser on Mar 1st, 2026 in
Romance |
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“Some people can stay longer in an hour than others can in a week.” -William Dean Howells, born this date in 1837. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a house guest your protagonist was looking forward to hosting for a week wears out his/her welcome in the first hour.
Posted by
dbschlosser on Mar 1st, 2026 in
Mystery |
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“Should, however, my death serve for the purpose of abolishing capital punishment—such a punishment being arrived at only by circumstantial evidence—I feel that my death has not been in vain.”- Bruno Hauptmann, executed in 1936 for the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh’s son on this date in 1932. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must deal with a parent whose child...
“More weight!”- Giles Corey On this date in 1692, the Salem witch trials commenced, resulting in the eventual execution of 19 people. Writing prompt: Write a scene invoking an historic injustice in the world you’ve created that reverberates, centuries later, during a crisis for your protagonist.
