Literary – December 5

“Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.” -Joan Didion, born this date in 1934. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s life as s/he knows it changes in such an instant.

Literary – December 4

Writing prompt: Write the scene of your protagonist’s most paralyzingly terrifying mistake during high school.

Literary – December 3

“A man’s most open actions have a secret side to them.” -Joseph Conrad, born this date in 1857. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist hides her/his motives in plain sight.

Literary – December 2

“Humor is what happens when we’re told the truth quicker and more directly than we’re used to.” -George Saunders, born this date in 1958. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist fails to see the humor in a situation that everyone else finds hilarious.

Literary – December 1

“If it turns out that there is a God, I don’t think that he’s evil. But the worst that you can say about him is that basically he’s an underachiever.” -Allen Stewart Konigsberg, better known as Woody Allen, born this date in 1935. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which circumstances cause your antagonist to struggle with her/his faith or lack thereof.

Literary – November 30

“People may or may not say what they mean … but they always say something designed to get what they want.” -David Mamet, born this date in 1947. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist, using only statements that are technically true but have more than one meaning, persuades someone to do something that is contrary to that someone’s best interests.

Literary – November 29

“Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.” -Clive Staples Lewis, born this date in 1898. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a well intentioned ally harms your protagonist by trying to do good.

Literary – November 28

“Opposition is true friendship.” -William Blake, born this date in 1757. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a friend fails to persuade your protagonist to make a different choice than the objectively bad choice your protagonist makes.