Birthdays: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859), Peter Matthiessen (1927), Lobel Arnold (1933), Max Brooks (1972), Tansy Rayner Roberts (1978)

Tip: While Americans mostly spell “theater” with an “er” ending, there are some places in the US that use the British spelling: theatre. If you’re using the name of an actual place, be sure to check how they spell it.

Thought for the day: “Just do it. Writing, like anything, takes practice and discipline, and I’ve found that discipline comes from a lifetime of repetition. I started writing when I was 12 and it’s made the action as normal as any other activity.” – Max Brooks

Jumpstarts: I will never forget his (or her) smile as I… (remember, smiles can be happy, sinister, tentative, etc.)

Extra jumpstart: On this day in history, heading out from Elm Grove, Missouri, the first major wagon train going to the Pacific Northwest stars out on the Oregon Trail with 1000 pioneers. The group included 120 wagons, about 1,000 people and 5000 oxen and cattle. Their trek began on May 22 and lasted five months. Imagine you (or your character) are with them…