Romance – May 1

“Only one thing to it: a strong stomach. The guts to gladhand a man you’re going to stab in the back; pledge allegiance to principles you stomp on every day; righteously denounce some despot in the press and sell him arms under the table.” Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro premiered on this date in 1786. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist and a confidant conspire to expose...

Romance – April 30

“It could be that our faithlessness is a cowering cowardice born of our very smallness, a massive failure of imagination…. If we were to judge nature by common sense or likelihood, we wouldn’t believe the world existed.” -Annie Dillard, born this date in 1945. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist refuses to believe what is obvious because it makes no sense to...

Romance – April 29

Writing prompt: Outline the story that precedes this famous closing line: “Tell me how free I am.”

Romance – April 28

“I was his oldest friend, and I did something Truman could not forgive: I wrote a novel that sold. He nursed his envy for more than 20 years.” -Harper Lee, born this date in 1926. Writing prompt: Write a scene that demonstrates your protagonist’s deep emotional connection to a gay character of the opposite gender.

Romance – April 27

Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist and a sibling or close friend debate which two famous people they would prefer to have for parents.

Romance – April 26

“Nobody goes through life without a scar.” -Carol Burnett, born this date in 1933. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist must convey serious and tragic news to a person who turns everything into a joke.

Romance – April 25

Ella Fitzgerald was born on this date in 1917. Among her countless hits is her version of Misty: Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist experiences the emotions of this...

Romance – April 24

“Let your mercenary tendencies be combined with honesty, and they cannot take you astray.” -Anthony Trollope, born this date in 1815. Writing prompt: Write a scene in which your protagonist’s greed for someone or something earns criticism from an observer.