Everyone has a boiling point. We can remain calm as the pressure heats up, but eventually something pushed us over the edge and we explode.

You can feel it coming. It’s almost as if you can see the color red and your head pounds. You begin to lose the ability to reason and logic disappears.

No amount of cajoling brings you down. Reassuring pats on the arm are meaningless. Sometimes all you can do is walk far, far away and let time heal.

What about your character? How does he act under stress? Does he lash out verbally? Send nasty emails? Punch a wall? Or even the person who is causing the pain?

Does she sulk and hide in her bedroom? Take a walk around the block? Call a friend or trusted family member?

You have to decide and then write it down. Add this to the list of personality traits that you have built for that character.

Your task is to write a scene in which your character experiences undo stress. First create the setting and people it with at least one adversary. Next come up with the trigger, that issue that sends her reeling. Let him explode or lash out. What happens next? That’s what you have to decide.

Have fun with this one.

Good luck!