Our characters don’t just move around in the day time. And they don’t just curl up and go to sleep when the sun sets. They do things.

If they’re young enough, they might go to the park and hang out. They might go to parties, football games or visit friends.

As young adults, they might go to clubs and dance. Attend concerts and go to the theater. Dinners with friends and coworkers. Sit at home and cheer for favorite sports teams.

Once we have kids, activities center on gymnastics, swim lessons, school performances and religious functions. We go to playgrounds and parks. We hang out with couples with children, leaving behind single friends. We go to pot lucks at the swim club and monitor bingo as a fund raiser for the school.

And as we get even older, we settle down. Curl up with a good book at night. Watch TV. Go to movies on Senior Day. Lunch at the Senior Center.

We stay busy, well into the night. So when you write, make sure that your character has places to go and things to do.

Your task is to write a scene that takes place after school or after work. Surround your character with friends. Write engaging dialogue. Make things happen that are interesting to read. Be logical and realistic in your approach. When you are finished, reread and look for places to add detail that enriches the scene.

Have fun with this one.