Scene Starter #9

Some scene starters are situations. Others are settings. This prompt is brought to you by one of my favorite paintings: Edward Hopper's Nighthawks. In it, four people inhabit the only lit space in a dark, desolate street. It's inspired many a spoof, stage play, short story, but its question remains poignant.

This is the only place open this late. Who's here and why? 

You can take this any direction you want. You can write a story about the three men and woman in the original painting, which can be found at the Art Institute of Chicago, or you could very well adapt it as some very creative folks have. A quick Google search turns up versions set in space (including one with Darth Vader next to the red haired woman), cartoonish figures, among many others. You can think of any establishment (it doesn't have to be a diner) open in the wee hours in any setting- a city, like the original, a fantasy realm, a small village in the desert, a suburb in Europe. It's as open-ended as the painting itself, the characters always nameless. It's practically an invitation, so get writing.

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be reproduced without the permission of the author. 

World Builder #8

In America, we sustain the myth of the determined, independent individual who pulls themselves up from nothing to become the best, the most powerful, et cetera. This is important to our cultural narrative, to the values imposed on the next generation. Whether that generation embraces or rejects the narrative and its idols is an important factor, too, all of which should be considered with the following prompt:

What types of people are raised up as your society's heroes? What traits do their contemporaries try to take from them? Are these heroes real or fictional, and how much pull do they have? 

If your society values might and bravery, Hercules or Thor would be the type of hero that suits their purposes. Kindness and selflessness would be reflected in a Mother Teresa type character. Cunning heroes like the Coyote of Native American folklore would serve a society in which inventiveness is praised. In asking yourself these questions, consider how old these values are, how deeply they're held, and why they came about in the first place. Consider change: the American values in our old folk heroes and the icons we've made the founding fathers to be sprang up from a society which valued self-determination over the cronyism and good genetic luck that made the kings and lords of their former European rulers. Consider whether the values are lived as well as espoused- some would argue that there is still cronyism and still a luck-of-the-draw factor at play for many Americans today. (Whether you agree or disagree is up to you. This is about writing.) If these traits are practiced and preached, how solidly are they taught and enforced?

These things say a lot about the society you're writing and the characters living within. If brawn is valued over brain, how do your intelligent characters feel about these heroes? Do they also idolize them for different reasons, the same reasons, or do they hate them? If Albert Einstein has inspired an entire civilization, what do the intellectual feel about that? Remember that it's okay to have complex feelings on these subjects- in fact, your characters likely should. Sort through their stories, and maybe even write a myth or legend or two to sprinkle details throughout your own.

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be republished without the permission of the author. 

Character Builders #37 & 38

Plot Hole's last post focused on characters reacting to challenges and trauma. Let's turn our attention to the opposite situation: how your character reacts to achievements and good news.

Your character finally gets the big promotion at work. What's her idea of an appropriate celebration? What's the first thing that runs through her mind? How does she handle delivering the news within the office sphere? Outside it? 

How does your character receive good news? Does he or she celebrate wholeheartedly, or is it always tempered by skepticism? Do they acknowledge their own successes? How? 

This is just as important as how they deal with setbacks, rejections, and crises. Eventually, in many stories, characters get what they have been working for, and it's crucial to understand how they'll react. Does your character bask in the knowledge that he's slain the dragon, or does he focus on how many were eaten before he got there? Does she do a touchdown celebration throughout her office when she finds she gets the promotion without concern for the others who had hoped for it? Or does she keep the news to a few trusted friends?

In the long run, if you plan on having your characters' goals realized, you'll need to write how they deal with the realization that they've done it. In written fiction, it's difficult to write a character who just stands there while they receive a medal. The reader will want to know what's moving through their head, and it only benefits you to think about that before your audience has the opportunity to wonder.

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be republished without the permission of the author. 

Character Builders #35 &36

People are fond of saying that "people sometimes shine brightest when things are darkest". A good deal of fiction deals with people in ugly situations: from war (A Farewell to Arms), unwanted pregnancy (A Farewell to Arms), death of a loved one (A Farewell to Arms). Sensing a pattern with Hemingway. At any rate, these prompts examine your character's response to adversity. 

While your character stands in line at the bank, a man pulls out a gun. What is your character's first response? What runs through their mind, and what action do they take? 

Does your character prefer to talk through bad situations or keep their reactions to themselves? What activities do they engage in, if any, in the aftermath of bad news or a traumatic event? 

You may consider the first prompt a scene starter if that floats your boat. Remember to think carefully. Perhaps you have a heroic character, but sometimes heroism is more in reflex than it is thought out. Maybe his first thought is "I don't want to die". Maybe his thought is "I don't want anyone in this room to die". Maybe all he thinks is "gun." Perhaps he considers the bank robber's motives, wonders if he has kids. The possibilities go on. A piece of advice given to me by my husband- a wise man in his own right, if you listen to him when not talking to cats, babies, or other animals- is to make a list of your first reactions, cross out the first four or five, and start working with some of the items you make up when you start scraping the bottom of the barrel. 

The second question deals with the aftermath, but is just as important. It's all well and good to know how your character tackles a gunman to the ground even though he's telling himself it's better to leave it to the police. It's just as impmortant to know if he has the jitters afterwards. If he's unused to stressful situations, he likely will. Does he want to discuss it with his wife? Does he want to be left alone to build his scale model replica R2-D2 in the garage? Is this indicative of how he deals with other stresses in his life? 

Obviously, there are tons of bad things that can happen in realistic fiction, and when you start adding more fanciful settings to the mix, that number skyrockets. Think outside the box when throwing obstacles at your characters as well as in conceiving of how they deal with them. 

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be republished without the permission of the author. 

Scene Starter #8

Not that many of my warm-state native friends can relate, but I love winter because of jackets. I like the way they look, I like the act of putting on another layer, and I always remember the one time I pulled out my snow coat and found a twenty dollar bill in it- a gift from my previously more affluent self. That crumpled up Andrew Jackson face made my week and inspired this scene starter: 

A piece of paper folded into a jacket pocket is forgotten until the jacket is passed on. What does it say? 

There are a few things to think about here. First of all, whose jacket was it originally? How did it come to the new owner- a Goodwill purchase, a bequeathing, a hand-me-down, a loaner? What is the actual message? How does your character take its meaning? And where will it take your story? 

BRB, stuffing some petty cash into a jacket pocket for December Cate to find. 

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be republished without the permission of the author. 

World Builder #7

Ever notice how little details about the facts of life seem missing when reading a fantasy world? Like no one needs to bathe, eat (unless it's a feast), use the bathroom? Everyone dies perfect, pretty deaths (unless it's a horror novel), and birth is usually pretty clean (unless it's convenient to the story). I'm not advocating replaying in vivid detail your character's visit to the water closet, but mentioning it every now and again when relevant wouldn't hurt. In the same vein, deciding on cuisine and referencing it can add another layer of relatability.

What do your people eat? What forms the backbone of their staples? What grows well? What's exotic? How big are the differences in what the poor and the rich eat? 

Take into account the climate of your area as well as the geographic features. A seaside kingdom would likely deal in a lot of fish. But what makes their fish different? How do they prepare it? Are they a kingdom of spicy food lovers? What preservation techniques, if any, are available? What's your world's equivalent of caviar. Remember to think outside the familiar, and bon apetit.

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be republished without the permission of the author. 

Character Builders #33 &34

Most successful stories find the boundaries of their characters and push at them. Identify where your character draws their lines and them put them in situations which defy them. For example: 

Would your character ever steal something? "Borrow" with the intent to return? Download something illegally? Take only from the rich? 

If the answer to any of these is no, of course it's your duty as author and serial character tormentor to place them into a scenario in which these happen for whatever reason. If the answer is yes, how much is too much? Do you have the sort of character who'd gladly empty the coffers of a local lord but stop at robbing an orphanage? Do you have an internet pirate who steals everything from movies to music, but won't steal video games? Ask yourself why. Maybe he has a beloved relative who's a game designer, or maybe he thinks it's easier to get caught. Find out why he steals. Convenience? Is he broke? Is he terrified of the government tracking devices he suspects are included with all Blu Rays? 

What's your character's most steadfast conviction? In what do they believe so thoroughly that neither logic nor irrational doubt will sway them? 

And again, it's your job to utterly trash or validate that. Let's say our downloader is faced with the piece of evidence that proves the government involvement with the makers of DVDs. Does anyone believe him? How does he feel knowing now that he is correct? Let's say that our pious do-gooder who'd never even accidentally steal a BIC pen is confronted with the horrifying truth- the parent who brought them up that way is an embezzeler. How do they react? 

How's that Day Job Challenge going? To be honest, mine has flagged- continued dental torture (I mean procedures) left me feeling as though there are a dozen and one valid excuses for me not to sit down for ten measly minutes and write whatever pops into my mind. For shame, Cate, for shame. Getting back up on that horse just as soon as I sign off here. For those of you still on the wagon, props and congratulations are in order. Let's keep moving together, shall we? Start by shaking some characters to their foundations.

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be reproduced without the permission of the author. 

Cate Lives! And Also World Builder #6, Scene Starter #7, and Character Builders #31 &32

Life after dentistry does exist. Two root canals and a wisdom tooth extraction later, here I am, puffy, tired, and a little bit drugged. Apologies for the delay, but here come the prompts!

World Builder!

What are the varying degrees to which your people show affection? What's socially appropriate for family, friends, romantic partners? 

Scene Starter! Assume this is the first sentence of your scene:

"I think you'd better leave," she said, voice quiet. 

Character Builders!

How does your character feel about religion and/or spirituality? Has that evolved, or has it remained the same?

How open is your main character with their emotions? 

BONUS CHALLENGE! Try to relate all of these prompts! 

Only partially kidding about that last one. Major kudos if you can do it. 

Tuesday's post will be much fuller, I think. In the meantime, I'm going to apply an ice pack shaped like a duck to my face and try to imagine that my jaw isn't throbbing. Till next time, Internet. 

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be republished without the permission of the author. 

Character Builders #29 & 30

Nothing to fear but fear itself, perhaps, but fear is a strong motivator. Even the most heroic characters must have fears, and you as the author must know what they are.

How fearful is your character? For what or whom are they brave? Of what are they so afraid that no amount of courage will motivate them? 

And:

How does your character cope in the face of fear? How has that changed over their years? How has it stayed the same? 

Understanding this, your responsibility as author is now to throw that fear at them. You've already done the legwork.

This special edition of the blog comes to you courtesy of the emergency oral surgery I need to have tomorrow (guess what my irrational fear is!). I hope very much that I'll be up and about on Thursday to bring you all the fun and scintillating questions and prompts that Plot Hole was meant for. If not, expect an extra large helping on Saturday. Wish me luck, internet.


All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be republished without the permission of the author. 

Scene Starter/Character Builder Hybrid #2

In any workshop, you hear facilitators demand about "stakes". They want to know what's important to your character, and why it should be important to us. Sometimes, though, determining that can be a little difficult. Here's a jumping off point. 

Think of something that happens in your story and reverse the outcome. If your character got what he or she wanted, take it away. If he or she was denied, surprise them. 

This can be entirely revealing. If your character wants to run his own bakery, works for it harder than anything in his life, and then it catches fire, what does he do? How does he react? Does he hang up his puffy hat for good and become an angry busker, or does he rebuild and come back stronger than before? Your character may dream of going to a good school, but not have the finances. She may count it as a lost cause. How does it feel then when she's offered a full ride to an Ivy League? What if she's already structured her life around the concept of not going?  

This exercise is particularly interesting in the later portion of a draft. If you're anything like me, you plan exactly where this book/story/screenplay is headed. Throwing a monkey wrench into that often produces interesting results and can shake me out of that most dreaded writer's block. Even if you don't end up keeping the revision to the game plan, you will likely still use the information you gain about your character, and you've taken a lovely little foray into the land of what-if. 

All prompts on this blog are free for personal and instructional use, but may not be republished without the permission of the author.