[Here’s another scenario ripe with opportunities for character development, comedy, tragedy…in other words emotion — that thing that all readers are looking for! – JD]
The Prompt
Your protagonist opens the door and finds an unexpected guest–a friend from high school who hasn’t been heard from in many years.
This friend has fallen on hard times and wants to stay with your protagonist a few days. As your protagonist and friend sit in the kitchen, the friend reminisces about the old days…and stirs up trouble by recalling some unhappy teen moments, too.
How does your protagonist react and what are those good and bad times in the past?
Elizabeth writes the Southern Quilting mysteries for Penguin/NAL, the Memphis Barbeque mysteries for Penguin/Berkley, and the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink and independently. She blogs at ElizabethSpannCraig.com/blog, which was named by Writer’s Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2010-2013.
I started it on time… and finished a day late… darn that need for sleep!
I liked this prompt. It ended up opening a back-story for my characters and more material for future shorts, yay!
http://carriegreen.tumblr.com/post/85097199853/a-story-a-day-in-may-6-5-6-14
Expected ones too, at times…. (waves nervously at now-irate family members) 😀
oh where did I put my comment then? Odd very odd. http://ceciliaaclark.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/i-cant-believe-its-only-wednesday.html
sorry I doubled up. Less haste more speed Cecilia.
Sorry, your first comment goes into moderation and I have to approve it. NOW your comments should pop up right away.
unexpected guests can often be problematic.
http://ceciliaaclark.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/i-cant-believe-its-only-wednesday.html
Cecilia–In real life and fiction, too! 🙂
A little tired tonight. I wrote about 1,000 words in about 20 minutes before I felt myself drifting off. I don’t think I produced anything coherent enough, though I did find a few new threads to pursue in the Poetics of Sustainability project I’ve been pursuing. More tomorrow.
Well done. I love the optimistic assessment 🙂
Himanee–Hope you were able to catch up on some sleep last night.
I reeeally liked this one! I got to revisit an older story.
Glad you liked it. I found it really fruitful too.
I sort of combined the two prompts, and got the story done in under an hour. So much fun.
Oh you were way faster than me then (I’ll try the one hour prompt another day)
Glad you enjoyed the prompt, Sarah!