Journaling + Fiction – October 30

“Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.”James A. Michener Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about something you had to do three or four times to get right. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is imperiled by someone who makes only one try at something that needs at least two.

Journaling + Fiction – October 29

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”George Bernard Shaw Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about an issue on which you should be more unreasonable. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist makes progress by making a...

Journaling + Fiction – October 28

“When you do the common things in an uncommon way, you’ll command the attention of the world.”George Washington Carver Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about an unconventional approach you could take to improve one of your conventions. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist finds a unique solution to a common problem.

Journaling + Fiction – October 27

“If you are not already dead, forgive. Rancor is heavy, it is worldly; leave it on earth: Die light.”Jean-Paul Sartre Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about a mercy you should show yourself to die light. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist suffers from gaining the weight of rancor.

Journaling + Writing – October 26

“The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.”Tony Blair Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about the most difficult yes you ever had to give. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must say no to a request s/he desperately wants to say yes to.

Journaling + Fiction – October 25

“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”K’ung Fu-tzu Journal prompt: Reflect on your previous journal entries and spend at least 20 minutes writing about mutual respect. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is treated by someone else exactly the way your protagonist treated that person.

Journaling + Fiction – October 24

“It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.”Fyodor Dostoyevsky Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about what more it takes. Fiction writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist does something dumb for a smart reason.

Journaling + Fiction – October 23

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”Eleanor Roosevelt Journal prompt: Spend at least 20 minutes writing about whether courage is a trait people are born with or a skill that can be learned. Fiction writing prompt: Write the scene in which your protagonist first looked fear in the...