Tag: prompt about a dilemma

Awards Ceremony

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            Who doesn’t love an awards ceremony? Think of the drinks, the food, the comradery. The banners hanging from the ceiling, the cheerful atmosphere, the tension due to anticipation.

            The fancy clothes, the milling about, interacting with a variety of people, some known, some soon to become new friends.

            Your task is to write a story in which your character is invited to go to an awards ceremony as the guest of someone who may or may not get an award, thanks to the support of your character.

            Set the scene, filling it with anticipation, excitement, glory. Assuming that the characters are friends, what happens once they walk through the doors? Do they stay together? Does the potential recipient abandon his friend? When the awards are announced, what happens if he wins? Or doesn’t win?

            Have fun with this one.

Conflict at Home

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            Your character shares an apartment with at least two other people. Those two went off somewhere: a shopping trip, a vacation, a return home.

When they walk through the doors of the apartment, it’s obvious that something’s happened and they are no longer speaking to each other.

How does this affect your protagonist? What is the argument about and can it be fixed?

What does your character do? Run away for a few hours? Look for a new place to live? Try to make peace?

Your task is to write such a story. Make sure to emphasize the emotional turmoil swirling about the apartment and how it affects the different characters.

Have fun with this one.

Public Speaking

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            Some are quite comfortable speaking before a crowd. They love the attention, love being at the podium sharing their writing, reading a speech, offering a toast. Their faces light up, their eyes grow huge and when they begin to speak, the room quietens as they know something wonderful is going to be shared.

            Many of us hate public speaking, tremble at the thought of standing before others to say or read anything. Our voices shake, we break out in a deep sweat, and there are moments in which we think we’re going to be ill.

            Your task is to write a story in which your protagonist has to give a speech. First, determine the setting and the purpose of the speech. Then decide how your character is going to react when asked to speak.

            Both scenarios work to make interesting stories.

            Have fun with this one.

Weather Mistakes

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            Meteorologists today seem to be much better at forecasting future weather. With all the updated computer applications, they can look at weather patterns a week in advance. Such accuracy is quite helpful when planning outings, picnics, vacations and so forth.

            But…predictions sometimes fall apart. The lows and highs switch places. Instead of sun, it pours. Or instead of fine layer of snow, you get 2 feet in one day.

            Imagine what would happen if a town, using predictions, schedules a St. Patrick’s parade for Saturday, when the sun is expected to shine, instead of Sunday, the actual date. Floats and marching bands line up. Fancy cars decked in ribbons are ready to go. Kids in cute outfits are prepared to march.

            And then dark clouds roll over.

            Your task is to write a story in which the actual weather is diametrically opposite of what was predicted. Through everything at the wall until an interesting idea strikes!

            Have fun with this one.

Stolen Artifact

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            Recall a recent museum visit and all the artifacts you saw there. Which were the most valuable? The most appealing? The ones you wish you owned?

            Go online and search for images that represent things you might have seen. Print up one or two.

            Imagine those artifacts disappearing, without a trace.

            Your task is to write the story, beginning with your protagonist/antagonist strolling through the museum, taking careful looks at various items.

            Take time to describe each, the character’s reaction to them, and let readers get into her internal thoughts. (This is tricky, but you can do it!)

            Write what she does as closing time looms ever closer. Does she saunter out, to return another day? Does she hide somewhere so as to steal the items once the building is cleared?

            How does she steal them, especially if they are under or behind glass?

            Have fun with this one.

Pet Ownership

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Pet stores flourish because they often offer sad-looking dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and various amphibians enclosed in tiny spaces. Is this done so that potential buyers will feel sympathy and so buy one as a rescue?

Are the displays set up so that the most desirable choice is at eye-level?

What about pet rescue societies? When they bring pets up for adoption, do they showcase the fluffiest, the cutest, the one with the most outgoing personality?

Or, do we choose our pets as a spur-of-the-moment decision, enticed by the large brown eyes and drooping ears?

Or do we select based or prior experience? What if a child was scratched by a cat? Well, that person is most likely to never choose a cat as a pet.

There’s also some degree of owner-neediness. Cats are notoriously independent, while dogs seek the approval of the leader.

Some pets are unappealing. A tarantula is not cuddly. Neither is a snake or lizard. Guinea pigs squeal loudly and might not be litter-box trained.

Your task is to write a story in which a pet plays a major role. Your character might have a preference, or might be open to just about anything alive.

Have fun with this one.

Cheapskate Travelers

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Imagine that your character goes out to eat with friends.  He orders a number of drinks, a serving of appetizers, an entree and, finally, a desert. The food is delicious and so he eats every single thing…all by himself.

The other members in the group are more conservative. One has coffee, another a soda, the third just water. None of them order an appetizer. One chooses a small salad as an entrée, another the special of the day, and the third has an American Burger. One orders ice cream for dessert, but the rest have nothing.

It’s obvious that each person in the group owes a different amount on money.

Normally, when the four eat out, the understanding is that they pay for what they order. But this time, the glutton, announces that they should split the bill evenly.

They all agree that the service has been excellent and that the waiter deserves a large tip.

Problems ensue when the bill is delivered. The glutton’s share of the bill would be close to one-third, if not a little bit more. But he still insists they split if equally.

What happens?

Your task is to write the story that shows how everyone reacts. Emotions are key here. Most likely there’s an argument, but does it stay low-key or become heated?

Have fun with this one.

Marking Time

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We often keep track of time through events in our lives. There are things that came before, the event, and what happens next. Sometimes the event is so significant that it changes lives.

For example, consider a young boy who broke his arm when he fell out of a tree. He was only eight at the time, but will always remember the incident as a changing point in his life, before the fall and after the fall.

Imagine being hospitalized for such a severe asthma attack that you thought you were going to die. While you were in the hospital, you prayed just to be able to draw a breath. When the tightness finally relaxed, you knew that you were going to live. There is before the asthma attack and after the attack.

Sometimes these events cause significant change in our lives. For example, before a serious illness cleaning house might not have been a priority. But when the doctor tells you that dust is a trigger, you hire a housekeeper.

Your characters keep track of time in the same way. There is before the robbery and then the capture, trial and jail. There is before the monsters come and then the destruction and the deaths of hundreds of people. There is before the military coup and then the restrictions put into place after the general took charge.

Your task is to write a story in which something happens that changes your character’s life. It must be large enough to impact life afterwards. Choose something that’s large enough to have an impact, but unless you’re writing an epic novel, keep it small.

Have fun with this one.

Facing A Personal Dilemma

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            In life, when someone has to make a difficult decision, it’s portrayed as a multifaceted dilemma. One option might have less risk in terms of possible negative outcomes, but it might not be what the person wants to do.

            On the other hand, a second choice might seem preferable, but without proper foresight, unforeseen harmful consequences might result. Things might be so dangerous, that the person’s might life might be in jeopardy.

            Your task is to write a story in which your protagonist must make a choice between at least two very different options. Make sure that both pose potential threats. To increase tension, give the character limited time in which to make the decision.

Readers must second-guess the character’s eventual decision, questioning that person’s ability to make the right choices.

Give the character limited time in which to choose, so that there’s no time to research or deliberate. Then make the story happen, with elements of threat causing dangerous roadblocks along the way.

            Have fun with this one.