Tag: Doing Stupid Things

Staying up Late

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

When I was in high school I obsessed over grades. I stayed up all night, many nights, reviewing material for tests and quizzes. Although I was exhausted the next day, I believed that the effort paid off.

In college I continued the behavior. Was I always mentally sharp? Probably not, but I was so anxious about not doing well and fearful of losing my scholarship, that I continued.

Think of a time that you stayed up. What was the reason? The outcome? Did you accomplish what you hoped to? Did you do it just once or many times?

Now think of the story you can tell.

Your task is to write a story in which your character stays up all night doing something. Remember that a story needs conflict and tension, so how are you going to include those? Could there be a near-accident? Lecture from a parent? Too sleep-deprived to walk across campus?

Make the details compelling enough so that your readers will want to read to the end.

Have fun with this one.

The Stupidest Thing

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Things happen.

Zippers get caught. Drinks get spilled. The dog steals the turkey. Kids fall and break bones.

The potential for disaster surrounds us. Every step is an accident waiting to happen. Whenever we slice open an envelope or handle a piece of paper, a cut is possible. We can fall whether going up or down stairs. Step in doo-doo in our own backyard or when walking down the street.

It happens to all of us, often when doing the stupidest things.

Your characters must have the opportunity to have accidents in order to be more human.

One thing we tend to forget as writers is that comic episodes relieve tension and allow for a temporary remove from danger. As long as the comedic event doesn’t completely derail the story, readers find them refreshing.

This is your task: Think of a character whose story you are working on. Make a list of accidents that could logically happen. Try to get at least ten things on your list.

Walk away for a bit to allow these ideas to bounce around in your mind. When one of them speaks to you, then jot down, in bullet form, how you see the event playing out. Think of setting, trigger, timing, and outcome.

Also think about how it will work in your story. Will it happen in the beginning, middle or end? If in the beginning, then it sets the tone for the entire piece. Is that what you want for your story? If so, then great. If not, then bury the scene further into the action.

There is a similar problem if the event ends the story. While an upbeat ending might be what you’ve been looking for, if it doesn’t fit the tone of the rest of the story, then your readers will be dissatisfied.

Your task is to either write an original story or to rework a familiar one. Add in an event that relaxes the tension just a bit. Don’t make it too long. Just enough to change the pace.

Have fun with this one.