Literary – March 26

“I don’t want to repeat my innocence. I want the pleasure of losing it again.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald in This Side of Paradise, first published this date in 1920 Writing prompt: Write a scene in which the object of your protagonist’s romantic desire rejects your protagonist for being nothing like that which your protagonist most aspires to be.

Literary – March 25

“Faith is what someone knows to be true, whether they believe it or not.” -Flannery O’Connor, born on this date in 1925. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s faith remains unshaken despite learning that the truth proves her/his faith misplaced.

Literary – March 24

“It’s much easier to consume the visual image than to read something.” -Lawrence Ferlinghetti, born this date in 1919. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which an image causes your protagonist to offend someone s/he cares about.

Literary – March 23

Joan Crawford was born on this date in 1905. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist confronts a dear friend whose perspective on your protag’s mother is diametrically opposed to your protag’s.

Literary – March 22

“Our pleasures ultimately belong to us, not to the pleasure’s source.” -Billy Collins, born this date in 1941. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a gift your protagonist gives obviously brings more pleasure to your protagonist than the gift’s recipient.

Literary – March 21

“Words can sting like anything, but silence breaks the heart.” -Phyllis McGinley, born this date in 1905. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist learns that the opposite of love is not hate but indifference.

Literary – March 20

“It’s the choosing that’s important, isn’t it?” -Lois Lowry, born this date in 1937. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which the act of making a choice is more important to your protagonist than the choice or its outcome.

Literary – March 19

“Memories of the past are not memories of facts but memories of your imaginings of the facts.” -Philip Roth, born this date in 1933. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s memories cause her/him to utterly misinterpret something that’s completely clear to everyone else.