Journaling + Fiction – November 10

“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”Marcus Aurelius Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about an experience when external circumstances disrupted your best-laid plans. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which an unforeseeable event completely ruins your protagonist’s plan to overcome a significant...

Journaling + Fiction – November 9

“You cannot be fair to others without first being fair to yourself.”Vera Nazarian Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about an experience when you treated someone with more fairness than you would have treated yourself. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist presses an unfair advantage against an ally.

Journaling + Fiction – November 8

“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”Brene Brown Journal prompt: Reflect on your previous journal entries and spend at least 20 minutes writing about something you’ve grown to take for granted during the past year. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist loses something s/he did not...

Journaling + Fiction – November 7

“Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together.”Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about whether society is growing more closely bound together. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist feels trapped by another’s kindness.

Journaling + Fiction – November 6

“No man knows the value of innocence and integrity but he who has lost them.”William Godwin Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the fallout from a moment you acted with less integrity than you should have. Fiction writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist loses her/his innocence.

Journaling + Fiction – November 5

“It’s not a silly question if you can’t answer it.”Jostein Gaarder Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the hardest question you’ve ever had to answer. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails to get a straight answer from someone who should have it.

Journaling + Fiction – November 4

“It is so easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements compared with what we owe to the help of others.”Dietrich Bonhoeffer Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the person to whom you owe the most for your greatest success. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist tries but fails to do something nice for an ally who helped your protagonist complete an...

Journaling + Fiction – November 3

“I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.”Diogenes Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about what you feel you’re most ignorant about right now. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your antagonist shows your protagonist the facts of your protagonist’s ignorance.