Birthdays: Wilheim Carl Grimm (1786), George More (1852), Etel Adnan (1925), Kent Haruf (1943), Lesley Pearse (1945), Jane Hirshfield (1953), Gillian Flynn (1971), Rainbow Rowell (1973)

Quote: “Read all the time and keep writing. There are a million talented writers out there who are unpublished only because they stop writing when it gets hard. Don’t do that— keep writing.” – Gillian Flynn

Tip: Be consistent. If your character has green eyes in chapter one, make sure they’re not blue in chapter ten (or give a very good and plausible reason for the change). Also note hair color, car, home, names.

Jumpstart: Imagine you’re an elf. What kind are you? Are you the tall willowy kind as in Lord of the Rings? Or small and pixie-like? Do you have magical powers? What are they? Are you kind? Or nasty? Where do you live?