Birthdays: Allen Ginsberg (1926), Larry McMurtry (1936), Anita Lobel (1934), Marion Zimmer Bradley (1930), Sydney Smith (1771)

Tip: Decide what genre you want to write in and then learn about that genre. Each one—romance, science fiction, mystery, thriller, etc.—has its own rules and conventions.

Thought for the day: “Follow your inner moonlight; don’t hide the madness.” – Allen Ginsberg

“You expect far too much of a first sentence. Think of it as analogous to a good country breakfast: what we want is something simple, but nourishing to the imagination.” – Larry McMurtry

Jumpstart: Write an article where you’re interviewing a character from a story for the news and give it a different spin. For instance, interview the Big Bad Wolf. Why does everyone call him that? He’s just trying to make a living, bring home the bacon for his family.