The Power of Theme!

Taken from Google Images

 

 

Today, you have your choice between two prompts, but you must use one of the following themes to use in your story:

Obsession, Hope, Despair, or Race

The first prompt is called "Spoiled Rotten" and asks you to list six disgusting things you've found in your refrigerator (or have heard others describe in theirs).  Your task is to use all 6 in your story, and begin with "Whenever he mentions Paris..."  This is going to be tough - you are going to have to get creative!  Remember that you can use the items to describe smells, sights, feelings, or use them as metaphors!

The second prompt is called "Knot Now" and asks you to simply begin your story with "She adjusted his bow tie..."  Remember though: you MUST use one of the themes listed above!

 

Taken from Google Images

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Taken from Google Images

So, this week we are talking about theme: universal ideas that anyone (well, aside from sociopaths) can understand.  Since it is the day of the year dedicated to LOVE, you are going to base your prompt around this theme.  There are many forms of love - not just romantic love.  Also, love isn't always sunshine and gum drops and rainbows.  Love can be hard; love can be tough.  Make sure that as you write this prompt, you consider the following:

1. Creating Scene/Setting

2. Believable Characters that DO something!

3. Effective Dialogue

4. Maintaining Theme

There is a catch for this prompt, however!  Using Day 44's prompt from The Write-Brain Workbook, you must make up a sentence that begins your story with words containing the following letters: T, S, L, M, A, B.  An example the book gives: "Tracy Stone loved marbles and baubles" or "The sprite leprechaun missed a beat".  See what crazy sentence you can create for the first line of your short story dedicated to that four letter word we just LOVE!

Campfire Stories!

Taken from Google Images

Create a few characters that are sitting around a campfire, and feel free to use characters you've already created.  Maybe one of the gossipers from yesterday's prompt meets up with the character you created last week based off of the photo.  What would that interaction be like? 

What is it that draws people to the outdoors?  (maybe one of your characters doesn't even want to be there; maybe this isn't even a camping trip...).  Maybe your characters are on the run.  Maybe they are trying to have a romantic getaway.  Maybe they are stranded.  What kind of things do people talk about while camping or stuck outside?  What can they discover about one another while alone in the woods?  Create some realistic dialogue for your characters!

Remember to keep your focus on:

1. Scene/Setting

2. Believable Characters

3. Realistic Dialogue

When you post your blogs over the weekend, be sure to show me that you understand the importance of these three aspects of short-story writing and have taken measures to use each element effectively in your writing!

Gossip Time.

Taken from Google Images

Time for some high school drama - gossip!  High school can be brutal, especially when people talk behind your back or spread nasty rumors; it can get ugly.  Create a scene with two or three characters who are discussing - you guessed it - you.  What would they say when they talked behind your back?  Would the rumors get more ridiculous as their conversation went on?  Make sure you give vivid descriptions to illustrate your scene (where are they?  What are they doing?), the gossipers, and their dialogue! (If you don't want them to be discussing you per se, you may make up another character)!

What's there to Say Post Break-Up?

Create a character who has just broken his/her girl/boyfriend's heart.  He/she calls and wants to get together to talk some things out.  You have three tasks for this journal prompt:

1. Create a scene - give your readers a back story, use description to illustrate setting, and remember to think small - we are not covering large time frames in these prompts!

2. Create believable characters.  Who is she?  Who is he?  Who are they as a couple?  What has happened between them?  How long have they been together?  Does one feel differently than the other?  Illustrate this.

3. Write realistic dialogue. What do your characters have to say to one another after the broken heart?  Does the meeting end cordially or is there a full-blown fight?

Make sure that you use dialogue to illustrate who your characters are.  As Anne Lamott suggests - spend some time with each of them to figure out who they are - what they like, what they dislike.  And it's okay to be unsure of your direction when you first start writing; put the two of them in a room together and see what happens. 

The only way to become better writers is to write crummy first drafts!





Taken from Google Images



Road Trip!

Taken from Google Images

Now that you've mastered creating at least one character (flaws, motives, and all!), I want you to create one or two more.  For this last character writing prompt, I want you to imagine that your character is going on a road trip with one or two other people. 

Who are these people?  What do they look like?  What do they smell like?  Who drives?  Who sits in the back?  Why are they all in a vehicle together?  Where are they going?  What do they want?  What do they see along the way (create a scene! remember your details!), and how might they interact with one another?  Do their personality types mesh or are there socially awkward moments?  Rather than trying to take on the perspective of an omniscient narrator (one who knows all, sees all), I want your narrator to be subjective - only able to enter the mind of one of your characters.  Show us the other passengers through his/her eyes! 

And remember - always SHOW your reader!  Avoid TELLING them! (ie - "Jean was nervous" can be transformed into "Jean picked at the loose plastic around the passenger's side window.  Her eyes darted across the hideous maroon interior at her travel mates; she took a deep breath.  She was finally leaving her hometown and feared the idea of the vast unknown that existed at the end of the journey" ).

People who travel together learn a lot about one another.  They get to know their quirks, their habits, and their flaws.  What do your characters discover about each other on their road trip?



Characters...with Motive.

Have your character take action!  Like Mighty Mouse!
Taken from Google Images



Hopefully you all have created a three-dimensional character - one that is full of faults and flaws, but likable to your reader.  The next step in creating a three-dimensional character is giving them a motive.  What does your character want, and how is he/she going to get it?  Motive is important - if your character doesn't do anything, your readers will probably want to put down what you've written, never to look at it again.

Your task for today's writing exercise is to take the character that you created yesterday and give them a motive - something they want - something for them to strive for; and of course, put them into motion as to how they might get it.  Your character may want  the tiniest thing like getting crispy french fries from the McDonald's drive-thru, and when they don't get these fresh, golden grease sticks, it sends them into a fury!  They start a riot, shouting "NO MORE SOGGY FRIES!" from their vehicle.  On the other hand, your character may strive for something big - world peace, for instance.  World peace is a rather daunting thing to strive for, but perhaps your character is passionate about it and wants to take real steps to attain it.  Give your character a motive - and then run away with it.

To elaborate on the examples I gave you yesterday, perhaps the character who had been embezzling money from his company feels remorse and admits to stealing - or maybe he doesn't and needs to plan a getaway because someone in the office is on to him.  Perhaps the woman living in fear in rural Montana decides to do something about her ex that haunts her - what decision does she make in getting rid of him?  Perhaps the character who got an education he didn't want decides to go back to college for a degree he is actually interested in; what is his relationship with his parents like after he makes this decision?  Perhaps that "sweet little old man" who has been cheating on his wife for the entirety of their marriage comes clean - what do you suppose her reaction is? Maybe she knew about it the whole time!  Maybe she divorces him at 85!  Perhaps the teenager suffering from a mental illness can't take hiding her true self any longer and decides to speak out about it in her school - and suddenly she is shunned by her peers.  How does she deal?  These are your characters!  You've given them faults - now give them a motive - make them do something!

If you didn't feel a connection between you and your character yesterday, you may create a new one, but I would like you to at least try to use what you've already created - what you've already familiarized yourself with - in order to elaborate on your character.  You've noted their faults, now it is time to show us what they want and what they are made of!