Birthdays: Isaac Babel (1894), Wole Soyinka (1934), Marcia Brown (1918), Carolyn Mackler (1973), David Storey (1933), Jane Hamilton (1957), John Clare (1793), Monique Wittig (1935)

Tip: When making changes to a manuscript, keep a copy of the original in case you need to go back. And always back up everything.

Thought for the day: “Write. Write what you love. Write what makes you excited — journal, stories, memoir, anything. Be honest. Don’t be shy about putting in whatever you want. You can always edit later. And then, once you’ve gotten some significant writing done, throw out, revise, start over.” – Carolyn Mackler

Jumpstart: What are you afraid of? What makes you cringe and pull the covers up over your head? What will you not read or watch because of the way it makes you feel? Write these feelings down and use them for your character.