Take Your Character to Work Day, Request For Artists, and Why Did the Men Boycott the Carriage House? Tuesday, WE Interactive Creative Writing Project Week 4

I’m sorry if I scared anyone by using the dreaded ‘w’ word in the title. Actually, we have choices this week. If you want to take your character to work, that’s fine, and you can do so in exercise #1. If you would rather choose another place or another exercise, that’s cool, too. I think there is something here for everyone.

Choose any (or all) of the following three exercises, which are designed to help you see and hear your character, somewhere in your real world:

1) Write a couple of paragraphs about your last trip to the coffee shop, pharmacy, Laundromat, library, restaurant, church, mall, park, or anyplace that you go often. Then, rewrite the scene, putting your character in your place. Notice the difference in your character’s language, actions, personality, observations, etc.

2) Write the last disagreement, argument, or major fight you had (depending on what you are willing to share publicly – make one up if you don’t want to share your personal life, just make it true to your personality). Rewrite it, putting your character in your place. Notice the difference in your character’s language, actions, personality, observations, etc

3) Write a scene from your childhood. Rewrite it with your character (at the same age) in your place. Again, notice the difference in your character’s language, actions, personality, observations, etc

Kudos to Lynn, for doing a great job with the bonus challenge last week. I’ll repeat that challenge this week, and our exercise next week will be to choose one from all that are submitted. The challenge was to write an action scene that we can plug our characters into on their next field trip.

Chair Matching Game:

List the seats you remember from the carriage house stories. Who chose or described each one? Why do you think the characters chose the seats they did? If you had to choose a seat for each character, what would it be and why? Finally, describe your character’s seat and tell us why he/she chose it so we can see how well we know your character.

ARTISTS: You are invited to join the fun (and add to ours) by posting your impressions of the chairs or the carriage house found in these stories, to the photo section of the Wee We group.

Ongoing project/game:

I own the group 100 Interesting Things About Me, which I originally created because I thought the lists would provide topics we could use later for 100 interesting articles or stories. I created a list for Poncho, one of my favorite characters, and found it helpful as well as fun. I encourage you to start lists for your characters and add to them as you get to know the characters better. Maybe we can come up with a prize for the first one to reach 100.

Answers to last week’s matching game:

It’s never too late to create a character and join the fun.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

List of Characters

Tags: funtue4, character development, creative writing exercises

Post to groups: Gather Writing Essential, WeeWE, and your character group.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Pat M. (Adam's creator) is still with us but a little distracted with a little one these days. He became a father on March 12. Congratulations to Pat and Mommy, and welcome to the world Mireya!

I'm sad to say that we have lost Emme and her character Cole. I will miss them here and hope Emme continues to write Cole's story.