Pencil Day & Other Peculiar Holidays

Do you prefer to write mysteries or romances, thrillers or fantasies, science fiction or historical fiction? Whatever genre you prefer to write, I'm sure you can find a way to include one of the peculiar holidays that occur in March in your story. It will add a bit of something different to your story.

On Grass is Always Browner On the Other Side of the Fence Day will you realize that your life may not be so bad after all? Will you go out and buy a new set of quality pencils on Pencil Day? Will you get your life put in order on I Am in Control Day? How many walks will you take on Take a Walk in the Park Day?

Grass is Always Browner On the Other Side of the Fence Day - The phrase 'the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence' means that what someone else has is always better than what you have, it implies that you would be much happier if another set of circumstances. That usually isn't true. And if the grass is always browner on the other side of the fence? This is the day to celebrate what you have, to be content with your circumstances and look to see if there is any way you can improve them.

Create a character who is dissatisfied with everything in his or her life. Nothing makes him happy and he always wishes that he was someone else. One day he gets his wish; he wakes up and he is the person he has always wished to be. Is he happy now? Is he satisfied now? Or does he learn that everyone has things in his life that are not so good? Does he learn that the grass is always browner on the other side of the fence?

Pencil Day - March 30 is the birthday of the eraser-topped pencil. On this day in 1858, H. Lipman patented his pencil with an eraser attached to it. Those going to school should forever be grateful to this man for the many variations of his wonderful invention available today. Whether you use a Ticonderoga pencil or a mechanical pencil, can you imagine having to do schoolwork without an eraser atop this pencil? The attachment of an eraser to a pencil has forever made writing and drawing with a pencil so much more so much easier.

What would it have been like to do schoolwork with a pencil that didn't have an eraser? Write an historical fiction story about a student who was one of the first to use one of Mr. Lipman's creations.

I Am in Control Day - This day, March 30, is the day to take control of your life and get everything in order. I like to think that I am in control of what happens in my life. As a writer, I found that I am not completely in control of what happens in the fiction that I write. This was a bit distressing at first, but now that I have become used to my characters taking over, it is rather fun.

For an exercise today, write a story about a very obstinate little boy or girl who is determined that no one will tell him or her what to do or how to live his life. Then something occurs that the child has no control over, no power to stop. What happens? What does this child come to realize?

Take a Walk in the Park Day - This holiday encourages exercise. Walking is a low-impact form of exercise that just about anyone can do. It will calm one down and relieve stress. It gives you time to slow down and look at all that is going on around you. Whether you walk by yourself, with a loved one, or with a pet, take a walk today. Let this be the start of some regular exercise for you.

This holiday could be used as the center of a sweet, romantic story. A couple could discover their love for each other while on their daily walks. It could also be used as the center of a thriller or mystery. A body could be found in the park where they walk. It could be the first of many bodies. A killer who grabs any person who happens to be alone and away from others is on the loose.