Tag: writing about emotions

The Phone Call

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            We’ve all been surprised when someone that we haven’t seen in a while calls. At first there’s a bit of shock. You shake your head in wonder, asking yourself if this is an imposter or the real person?

            Once the identity has been verified, you might be annoyed, thrilled or scared, depending on how the relationship ended.

            Stories of former friends finding each other and discovering they’re still in love, warm the heart.

            Your task is to write a story in which someone from the past calls your character. Establish, in your mind, what the relationship was like. For example, if they weren’t best friends, the reaction might be quite different than if they were. Or if there’d been tension between them, then does that tension still exist?

            Have fun with this one.

Fictionalized Story

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            Taking something familiar and turning it into a fiction story can make for some interesting writing. Imagine placing Aunt Myrna in a bit of historical fiction or in a cozy mystery. She might be uptight or laidback. She might have a brilliant co-partner or a funny sidekick.

            If Myrna lived in the country, have her visit the city where she’ll discover something disgusting or heinous. If she’d never stepped foot outside of her place of birth, sending her on a journey might make for a fun story.

            Make your character believable with wants and goals. There must be setbacks along the way, perhaps unusual sightings, or a runaway bull.

            Give her a someone with whom to share the adventure.

            Write some scary parts, some funny parts, some description, some dialogue.

            Have fun with this one.

Scene Prompt

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            Begin your story like this:

            Paula stepped closer to the tiny store, driven by a once-familiar smell.

            You can change the name, the tense and the setting, but the heart of the story has to be the smell.

            First, decide the cause of the odor. Pizza? Baking bread? Flowers? Rotting food? A dirty body? The smell can be pleasant or not, but must remain the focus.

            To make things interesting, have more than one character so that the discovery of the smell can be discussed, as well as whether or not to pursue its source. Tension through dialogue would add interest.

            The characters will share their reactions to the smell. What for one might be tantalizing, for the other might just be nothing special.

            Have fun with this one.

Lean into the Possibilities

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            Did anyone ever doubt that you could become whatever you’d dreamt of accomplishing? How did that make you feel? Did it stop you, delay your achievement, or did it inspire you to prove them wrong?

            One thing we seldom hear is that we all need to lean into our possibilities, not shy away from them. Let’s say you want to be a doctor, but can’t keep up with the grueling pace of coursework. You still want to help people, so you change paths and become a nurse.

            You’ve leaned into the possibilities, by finding a course that works for you.

            Your task is to write a story in which your protagonist has a desire to be or do something huge, something that will define who he/she is.  Add negative or discouraging voices. Give your protagonist hurdles that have to be overcome. Setbacks add tension. But most of all, we want to see her choosing possibilities that work for her.

            Have fun with this one.

Something to Fear

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            Everyone is afraid of something. It might be failure or of being left out. It could be heights, spiders, or driving on freeways. Some are terrified of crowds, especially after the pandemic.

            Using fear as a trope can lead to interesting stories, especially when the antagonist is quite terrifying to behold in terms of appearance as well as behavior.

            Your task is to write a story in which fear is the predominate emotion. Begin by creating a list of possible things to fear, thinking outside the box: nothing triggering, such as a fear of clowns. Then imagine the setting in which the story takes place. It could be the principal’s office, a cabin in the woods, a crowded shopping mall.

            Consider first person POV so that readers will experience everything through your character’s emotions. Next, think about changing perspective, writing in the voice of the person who causes the fear. How does this alter the story? Or, perhaps write in the eyes of a bystander who witnessed the event.

            Have fun with this one.

Group Dynamics

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            Call to mind a time when you participated in a group. It could be playing a sport, something that involves more than one player. Or it could be a meeting, either professional or for pleasure.

            Shortly after the group was formed, the dynamics began to play out. The leader might now really be the leader. Instead, it’s the know-it-all at the opposite end of the table who quickly spouts her opinions as gospel, overriding the actual leader.

            There are the meek, who sit with heads down, slopping shoulders, trying to blend in with the chair, hoping not to get noticed. When called upon, they offer brief, concise statements.

            And then there are those who really, really want to be recognized, but who sit with smiles and wide-open eyes, waiting for the leader to see that they have something to offer.

            Your task is to write a story in which a group meeting is held. Because dialogue will be crucial in establishing dynamics, include lots! Description is crucial as well so that readers can see how participants are acting.

            Have fun with this one.

Pizza Time

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            Lots of kids like pizza. Some want only cheese on theirs, while others want as much meat as possible. Some like pineapple while others want only black olives.

            No matter the differences, saying “Let’s order pizza,” generally is greeted by Hurrahs and cheers.

            Nowadays there are many options in terms of preparation. Do you want thick crust, pan pizza or gluten free? Sauce or no sauce? Or maybe a pesto sauce. How about cheese buried inside the outer edge of the crust or extra cheese on top? Chicken or pepperoni?

            When did you first eat pizza? How old were you and where was it? Did your parent make the pizza or did you go to a restaurant? Did you get an individual pizza or one for the family to share?

            Were there fights over what kind of pizza to order or who got the last piece?

            Your task is to write a story in which pizza plays an important role. It can be a sweet remembrance or a story fraught with tension and loud arguing.

            Your protagonist can be a child or an adult. She can like or hate pizza. She can throw temper tantrums if she doesn’t get her way or feel heard.

            Have fun with this one.

The Grab Bag

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            Many times events such as carnivals and fund-raising events sell tickets for an opportunity to stick your hand in a bag and pull out a prize. Imagine what emotions your character will experience contemplating putting their hand inside a closed-off bag or box.

            He might be a bit scared, wondering if he’ll touch something slimy or gooey. Or he might be in for the fun, no worries, no concerns.

            Perhaps he’s got a few friends watching. Imagine what they’d say, how he’d react. Is he the kind who accepts friendly ribbing or would he get angry?

            When his fingers touch whatever is there, what reactions does he have? Does he make a face or laugh? Retract his hand without taking anything?

            Your task is to write the story of the grab bag.

            Establish scene and circumstances through a few descriptions of setting. Identify major characters though one of two details at most. Let there be dialogue.

            Have fun with this one.

Startling Sounds

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            Picture yourself sitting before the television, engrossed in your favorite show. A loud boom shakes your house, rattling the windows and causing your heart to seem to skip a beat. You consider investigating, but when no sirens sound, no knock comes to your door, you shrug it off.

            Now imagine that the sound, that boom, caused things to fall off shelves, your floor to rock and roll, and sets off car alarms up and down your street. What do you do now?

            Your task is to write a story in which a sound or sounds plays a major role. First identify the source of the sound, then the effects of the cause dependent upon how close your protagonist it to the source.

            Take into consideration the reactions of your character. Some people startle easily and once shaken, take a long time to recover. Others are curious, might investigate, then do some online research to see if any reports have come in. Still others will do nothing, not wanting to get involved.

            Choose a reaction that will interest readers the most. Tension is critical, so include dialogue as a mode to illustrate what and why your character acts.

            Have fun with this one.

Opening Line Prompt

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Choose one of the following sentences to begin your story. You can change the name of the character, the setting, and the tense, but you must keep all else the same.

  1. Pete stepped toward the bow of the ship.
  2. A gray blob appeared on the horizon.
  3. Rain began to fall just as Sarah…”

Be sure to add at least one additional character, hopefully one that brings tension and discord. Add details to the setting, for example, what kind of ship is it, where is that blob and what was she doing before it began to rain.

Add sensory details to enrich the scene.

Bring in conflict caused by words or action.

Have fun with this one.