Tag: fictionalized worlds

Developing a New Character

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

            It’s easy to reuse characters that we know and love. We’ve already established who they are, what they like and don’t like and the things they do. We’ve created friends, jobs, homes. And enemies as well as tension points.

            Your task is to create an entirely new character.

Do some online photo research by putting in age, skin color and gender. From that range of photos, choose one that seems the most likely to star in your next story.

Expand your search to include things they might wear, from top to bottom.

Add a quirk to their appearance. It might be a sprinkling of freckles or an entire constellation of them. Perhaps there’s a mustache turned up at the ends or maybe a hint of beard. Short hair, long, or none at all. Blonde, bleached blonde, tinted with blue or shaven completely off.

Choose height. Do you want your character to tower over others in an intimidating way or to be short and diminutive? Heavy or wiry? Muscular or flabby? Short neck or long? Wide square shoulders or droopy ones?

Next come up with about three likes and three dislikes. For example, hates bacon but loves rap music. Loves boots but hates the smell of coffee.

The more unusual the character, the more interesting the story will be.

Have fun with this one.

Masquerade

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

            People seem to love dressing up in costume and going to parties. If the mask is good enough, even the best of friends can’t identify the wearer. This allows freedoms to say and do things that perhaps the participant would never do.

            Some masquerades are quite elaborate. They take place at huge houses or McMansions. There are spiraling staircases, gilded trimmings, caterers about and even an orchestra playing dance tunes. Decorum is maintained according to caste expectations.

            During Halloween there are also parties, but they might feature salads made up to look like human insides, games designed to gross out participants, and freaky music echoing off the walls.

            Your task is to write a scene in which a masquerade plays a major role. Make things interesting by having something unexpected and untoward happen. Think murder or grand theft. Perhaps an unwanted sexual encounter. Stumbling drunks and flirtatious behavior.

            The setting is crucial. Readers want to be drawn in by opulence or the fright-factor. Descriptions of what participants are wearing is also important. When the story gets going, dialogue will make things come alive.

            Have fun with this one.

Crime and Punishment

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

            Back in the Middle Ages there were beheadings and amputations for what today would be considered minor crimes. People would be whipped so badly that little skin remained on their backs. Others would be locked into stocks and left to die.

Torture and imprisonment was sued to exact confessions. People were beaten burned alive, covered with boiling water, or worse, tar, and fingers cut off. Branding was also used to identify criminals.

Outlaw bands roamed about, robbing villagers and city-dwellers alike. The harsher the crimes they committed, the worse the punishment. What’s more important is that the punishments were public affairs, much like going on a picnic or seeing a play.

Your task is to establish the role that crime and punishment takes in your world. You can borrow from earlier times or create your own system, but whichever you choose, it needs to make sense in terms of the society you have built. Medieval torture might not fit in a contemporary society, but maybe it does!

Write a story in which a crime is committed and punishment is doled out. Readers will want to be there from the beginning, to walk with the criminal throughout it all. Or if you write from the perspective of the officials who hunt down, catch and then punish, make sure that the details are intriguing enough to entice readers.

Have fun with this one.

Rebellion

On By Terry ConnellyIn prompt, Writing promptLeave a comment

            Imagine a scenario where the citizens are upset with the ruling power. They’ve been tortured, imprisoned, forced to work in unsafe conditions and have little to eat. There is no hope for improvement as long as the current leaders are in power.

            Attempts to negotiate have repeatedly failed. Rumor has it that an assassination is in the works, so armed military patrols the streets. It’s a dire situation.

            Many stories have been written using this scenario as a base for sowing discord. Given a chance to write the story, how would yours differ?

            Your task is to develop a scene in which rebellion is looming. Is it coming within the ranks of the aristocracy or from the peasants? Is it in a single city or throughout the empire? Who is leading the rebellion?  Disenfranchised royals? Defecting soldiers?

            What is the desired result and who would step up and be in charge assuming the rebellion is successful? What changes would be enacted, and would those be acceptable to all?

            How many would die and what weapons would be used? Does magic come into play?

            There are many things to consider to make this story stand out.

            Have fun with this one.