Literary – March 10

“I am never at my best in the early morning, especially a cold morning in the Yorkshire spring with a piercing March wind sweeping down from the fells, finding its way inside my clothing, nipping at my nose and ears.” -James Herriot, born this date in 1916. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which a disruption to your protagonist’s morning routine shows your protagonist’s “less than...

Literary – March 9

Vita Sackville-West, a prolific Victorian novelist and poet and Virginia Woolf’s inspiration for Orlando, was born on this date in 1892. She wrote in 1953, “I have come to the conclusion, after many years of sometimes sad experience, that you cannot come to any conclusion at all.” Writing prompt: Write a scene that decisively concludes on an ambiguous beat.

Literary – March 8

“I live my own life and nurse my own wounds.” -Jeffrey Eugenides, born this date in 1960. Writing prompt: Extemporize in the voice of your protagonist at least 500 words about a wound known only to your protagonist.

Literary – March 7

“After a while you learn that everything stops.” -Bret Easton Ellis, born this date in 1964. Writing prompt: Describe from the point of view of your protagonist’s closest friend something your protag should stop but cannot or will not.

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.