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Guest Prompt: Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin says: Write a short piece inspired by one of William Blake’s Proverbs of Hell from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. There are 72, but here are a few of my favorites…

Gretchen Rubin

Screen Shot 2015-04-28 at 7.32.04 PMGretchen Rubin is the New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project, Happier at Home and, most recently, Better Than Before (a book about happiness and habits that has huge implications for writers. You should check it out!)

When I asked her if she’d like to provide a writing prompt this self-confessed quotation collector, of course, went to one of her favorite authors for inspiration. Here’s what she sent.

Write a short piece inspired by one of William Blake’s Proverbs of Hell from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. There are 72, but here are a few of my favorites:

The cut worm forgives the plow.

Dip him in the river who loves water.

A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.

If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise.

The fox condemns the trap, not himself.

Exuberance is Beauty.

Expect poison from the standing water.

You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough.

To create a little flower is the labour of ages.

The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.

If others had not been foolish, we should be so.

Where man is not nature is barren.

Truth can never be told so as to be understood, and not be believ’d.

Enough! or Too much!

oo0Ooo

Don’t forget to leave a comment below or post in The Victory Dance group to let everyone know when you’re finished for the day. And then come back tomorrow!

5 thoughts on “Guest Prompt: Gretchen Rubin”

  1. Had a long flight today. Luckily Zi had my journal with me. I combined today’s prompt with a quote by Blake. One story down and more to follow

  2. It’s more like a scene than a full story, but I did get something out of “The fox condemns the trap, not himself.”

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