Birthdays: William Wordsworth (1770), Gabriela Mistral (1889), Gerald Brenan (1894), James White (1928), Donald Barthelme (1931), Iris Johansen (1938)

Gabriela Mistral won the Nobel Prize in Literature, the first Latin American to do so.

Quote: “The thing about books is, there are quite a number you don’t have to read.”
― Donald Barthelme, “The King”

Agents and editors do not like “wimpy housewives” or “Mary Jane” (also called Mary Sue) -a character who is too perfect with no flaws. Unrealistic characters—stereotypes with no thoughts other than what the main character in the story puts into their heads and no backbone until the last chapter. Make sure yours aren’t like this. Give them flaws and a backbone (when needed).

Jumpstart: You’ve been given a key that opens one of three chests. Inside one chest is a million dollars, tax free. A second one holds a powerful poison that will kill you instantly. The third is empty. How do you choose which one to open? What happens?