Literary – March 6

“What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it.” -Gabriel García Márquez, born this date in 1927. Writing prompt: From the point of view your protagonist, write the scene of a formative conflict in your protag’s early life at the time of the dispute. Then rewrite the scene at your protag’s current age.

Literary – March 5

“You don’t have anything if you don’t have the stories.” -Leslie Marmon Silko, born this date in 1948. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a relative tells your protagonist a story your protag does not want to hear.

Literary – March 4

“I was not much used to women except for mothers. Everything I did, they did different.” -Daniel Woodrell, born this date in 1953. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s bewilderment at the behavior of someone of a different gender sparks a conflict.

Literary – March 3

“It’s all about replicating a kind of stodgy form that already exists.” -Ira Glass, born on this date in 1959. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist is shocked to discover that s/he doesn’t need to duplicate what’s gone before.

Literary – March 2

“The surest cure for vanity is loneliness.” -Tom Wolfe, born on this date in 1931. Writing prompt: Write your protagonist’s diary or journal entry describing the moment at which s/he felt most alone.

Literary – March 1

“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.

Literary – February 28

“Good days, they come around the oddest corners.” -Colum McCann, born this date in 1965. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which rounding an unfaimilar corner launches the best day your protagonist can recall.

Literary – February 27

“In this world a man must either be anvil or hammer.” -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, born this date in 1807. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist transitions from one to the other.