A writing prompt all about character needs, to make your storytelling compelling
Characters need to need something. They need to want something. Otherwise, it’s just a series of things happening to a character…and readers won’t care.
In this episode I share a writing prompt and lesson from my year-long email series, StoryAWeek, which you can start today,all about creating a story in which a character needs something.
I also talk about creating suspense in creative and marketing writing, and about why it’s so important to build a writing practice.
Parties are great for stories because they are great opportunities for characters to come into conflict with each other, their own desires and expectations of society.
They can also be huge fun.
This can be a great opportunity to write a story that could double as the seed for a chapter in a novel-in-progress, if you have one of those on the go.
Bring all your characters together around one dinner table or in one back yard an let them loose on each other.
• What simmering resentments will someone air?
• Who will not confront the person they should confront?
• Whose secret will accidentally be shared by a loose-lipped older sister?
Then, make a note to show up at our StoryADay May 15th Anniversary celebration tonight!
Create a story that is a mashup of everything you’ve learned about your writing tastes, this month. Your character has a run-in with their nemesis.
Things To Consider
What have you learned over this month about the voices, tones, genres, characters, and length that come most easily to you?
What kinds of characters did you like to write about (fish out of water? Someone in a particular profession? Someone at a particular kind of crossroads?).
Pick your favorite type of character today. Don’t worry that you’ve written about them before.
This is about strengthening your skills.
What kind of tone did you most enjoy writing it? Satire? Heartfelt and romantic? Upbeat? Dark? Dreamy? Clipped and spare? None of these are the ‘right’ choice in any objective sense.
There is no ‘best’ tone to write a story in, only the tone that fills you with glee.
What genre did you find yourself coming back to over and over again? Mystery? Speculative? Historical? Romance? Literary? A blend of genres? (Literary Horror? Paranormal Romance? Romance Fantasy?)
Let yourself run wild in that genre today.
What length of story came most naturally to you? 100 words? 1200? 2000?
Aim for that today and spend a few minutes thinking about how much space that gives you for setting the scene, describing characters, introducing plot complications and side characters, description, and all the other details.
It should become clear to you why the common writing advice is ‘get your characters into trouble as quickly as possible’.
Spend a little time thinking before you write, so you don’t have to do it on the page.
(Or, you know, if you’re like me and you think best on the page, write it all out, then cherry pick the ‘real’ start of your story)
Leave a comment and let us know how it went!
Want more help brainstorming this today? Missed a few prompts this month?
Get the Challenge Handbook, with helper videos, audio and text PLUS daily warm ups and brainstorming exercises designed to jumpstart your writing, daily.
Write with us during May or go at your own pace.
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Here’s your next Game Piece. save the image and share on social media with #storyaday
