Literary – January 29

“Climbing K2 or floating the Grand Canyon in an inner tube; there are some things one would rather have done than do.” -Edward Abbey, born this date in 1927. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must do something s/he will be proud to tell people about, even though s/he actually does not want to do it.

Literary – January 28

David Lodge, who wrote “it is impossible to be excessive in flattery of one’s peers,” was born on this date in 1935. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist proves Lodge wrong.

Literary – January 27

Musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on this date in 1756. He believed his ideas flowed best and most abundantly while undertaking boring routines. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which the process of following a daily routine causes your protagonist to unravel a knotty problem.

Literary – January 26

“There is not a physicist in the world who can perceive when a parlor magician palms off playing-cards.” -Charles Hoy Fort, who on this date in 1931 attended the first meeting of the Fortean Society. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s expertise in one area makes it impossible for her/him to see s/he is being fooled in another.

Literary – January 25

“On the outskirts of every agony sits some observant fellow who points.” -Virginia Woolf, born this date in 1882. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which one of your protagonist’s acquaintances describes in detail his/her observations about something your protag would rather not have been noticed.

Literary – January 24

Edith Wharton, who famously compared a woman’s interior life to great house full of rooms, was born on this date in 1862. She warned against a “common symptom of immaturity, the dread of doing what has been done before.” Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist decides to do something s/he fears will fail simply because it’s the opposite of what’s caused her/his failures...

Literary – January 23

Marie-Henri Beyle, better known among his scores of pen names as Stendahl, was born on this date in 1783. The first practitioner of realism in fiction, he was also a voracious plagiarist. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s most loyal friend discovers your protag cheating.

Literary – January 22

On this date in 1973, the US Supreme Court invalidated state laws prohibiting abortion in its Roe v. Wade decision. The Supreme Court overturned that decision in its 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s counsel is sought by a pregnant friend desperately seeking support for a decision that runs contrary to your protag’s...