Got one (or two) of your characters stuck? Don't know what to do with him/her? Is he/she getting too boring or predictable? Want to know more about his/her personality? Or maybe you have a story forming in the back of your mind but you don't know what to do with it just yet; you have a character but he/she isn't clear at this time. Here's a quick, but fun, fix -- set your character up for a surprise and find out how he/she reacts. A. First, choose a number from 1 to 5 -- quick! Done? See what you chose: 1. a pearl anklet 2. a bottle of expensive perfume 3. a silk shirt 4. a plain gold ring/band 5. a high-end cellphone B. Next, choose another number from 1 to 5. Now see what you picked: 1. moldy bread 2. a used toothpick 3. a bottle of dead cockroaches 4. cotton buds drenched in blood 5. a dirty sock C. Next, pick another number from 1 to 5. Here's what you picked: 1. a knapsack 2. a laptop bag 3. a plastic bag 4. a gift-wrapped box 5. a gym bag
Opening a Chapter of Inspiration Served with a Heavy Dose of Reality