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Primary – April 3
On this date in 1860, the Pony Express postal service started when riders left St. Joseph, Mo., and Sacramento, Calif., at the same time on 2,000-mile trips. The first trip west took 9 days and 23 hours, and trip east took 11 days and 12 hours. Today, when you can talk with people on the other side of the planet in real time, describe your favorite method of communication and why you prefer it.
read moreInteresting Times and Heavy Lifting
A college friend who is an avid reader and married to another college friend and avid writer sent this story to me with this note: “Interesting times ahead.” Big Six publishers decline to renew contract with Amazon over unfavorable terms He, several friends, and I engaged in some commentary on the article. Here’s an edited/condensed version of my thoughts: Isn’t that an old Chinese curse – interesting times? Regardless, you’re right. The publishers are at war with their biggest retail channel, which is increasingly competing with...
read moreLiterary – April 2
“If you shut up truth, and bury it underground, it will but grow.” -Émile Zola, born this date in 1840. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a lie your protagonist told, or a truth your protag buried, long ago is exposed with far greater consequences than if your protag had dealt with the issue at the time.
read moreBig Questions – April 2
What’s the most useful object in your home? 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 want to know more about. Photo from Unsplash, the internet’s source of freely usable...
read moreJournaling + Fiction – April 2
“Learn as if you were to live forever.”Mahatma Gandhi Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a topic you want to learn more about before you die. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist tries to teach a valuable lesson to someone who doesn’t care to learn it.
read moreRomance – April 2
“The sweetest pleasures are those which are hardest to be won.” -Giacomo Casanova, born this date in 1725. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist realizes that a romantic partner’s unacceptable behavior will not change.
read moreMystery – April 2
Émile Zola was born on this date in 1840. He published a front-page defense of the wrongly convicted Alfred Dreyfus, J’Accuse…!, and was himself convicted for doing so. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist risks his/her livelihood to defend a person your protag is convinced is innocent.
read moreSciFi/Fantasy – April 2
“I’m getting too old for this sort of thing.” – “Obi-Wan ‘Ben’ Kenobi,” born this date in 1914 and dead in the year 2000, miserable he would be remembered for Star Wars instead of his many other roles. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist does something entirely out of character for which s/he will be remembered more than anything else.
read moreSecondary – April 2
“If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud.” -Émile Zola, born this date in 1840. Explain what living out loud means to you.
read morePrimary – April 2
Hans Christian Andersen was born on this date in 1805. His birthday is commemorated as International Children’s Book Day. Explain why your favorite story is so important to you.
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David B. Schlosser is an author of award-winning fiction and non-fiction, and an editor of award-winning fiction and non-fiction.
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