Birthdays: A.E. Housman (1859), Robert Frost (1874), Joseph Campbell (1904), Tennessee Williams (1911), Erica Jong (1942), Betty McDonald (1908), Elizabeth Jane Howard (1923)

Tip: Begin a writing jar into which you toss your loose change. When it’s full, treat yourself to a writing-related indulgence—a fancy pen, pretty journal, new book, massage, etc.

Thought for the day: “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” – Robert Frost

Jumpstart: Write a short piece using as many clichés, metaphors, and similes as you can