Literary – December 18

“Sometimes you can do things for others that you can’t do for yourself.” -A.M. Homes, born this date in 1961. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist achieves for an ungrateful friend the very thing your protagonist knows s/he must do for her/himself but cannot.

Literary – December 17

“The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right.” -William Safire, born this date in 1929. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist chooses to do something wrong that breaks no laws or rules.

Literary – December 16

“Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief.” – Jane Austen, born this date in 1775. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist confuses belief with reality because of a mistaken confidence in her/his abilities.

Literary – December 15

“In our deepest moments we say the most inadequate things.” -Edna O’Brien, born this date in 1930. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s well-intentioned words have exactly the opposite effect on a loved one in crisis.

Literary – December 14

“I have always loved to use fear, to take it and comprehend it and make it work and consolidate a situation where I was afraid and take it whole and work from there.” -Shirley Jackson, born this date in 1916. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your characters discuss the origin and implications of the primary dread in your story without ever naming it.

Literary – December 13

Bernadette wrote a letter to Paul on this date. Writing prompt: Write a note from your protagonist to his/her best friend in which your protag disguises the real story with witty banter that reveals the underlying emotion.

Literary – December 12

“You can calculate the worth of a man by the number of his enemies.” -Gustave Flaubert, born this date in 1821. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s best friend describes your protagonist’s enemies to someone who does not know your protagonist.

Literary – December 11

“Violence can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by violence.” -Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, born this date in 1918. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s lie forces him or her to decide whether to confess the lie or commit violence to maintain it.