WRITE ABOUT A NON-HUMAN CHARACTER
Can you write a non-human character without making it react like a human? How would a table/tree/robot/alien think? How would it speak? How would it react compared to the reactions of someone born and raised in the West in the 21st Century?
Can you write a truly non-human character?
Go!
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A supportive group of committed writers, who meet virtually, support each other’s efforts, and inspire each other.
Registration for 2024 open now-June 8, 2024
A 6-part journey through the short story.
Starts July 28, 2023
I wrote something about a tree. I tried to be a tree and not a writer writing about a tree.
It was interesting. thanks for the prompt.
https://storyaday.org/theflashlight/2012/05/13/60/
That sounds fascinating. Glad it helped!
Well, I wrote a story appropriate for this prompt yesterday. So, today, I wrote one more appropriate for yesterday’s story.
THE VISITOR
“Great Grandma is coming. We have to clean up all our stuff all over the house,” said Anna.
“All over the house? Why?” asked her little sister, Jane.
“Mama says she doesn’t see very well and she might trip on something.”
“Man, that’s a bummer! What about my doll house stuff? I just got it set up the way I want it. You know there is not enough room in our bedroom for it.”
“Mama says, ‘everything.’”
“OK….Have we ever met her?”
“I don’t think so. She lives a long way away with Aunt Sue.”
The girls worked very hard to pick up things from the den, and the front porch, and the kitchen. Their mom gave them permission to use the back porch storage shed for some of the big things.
“I guess we’ll just have to color and read while she is here. There is no space to play anything fun. Bummer.”
“I know. How long is she going to stay?”
“I don’t know. Let’s ask Mom.”
“She will be here for two weeks,” said Mom. “I think you will like her. She is my grandmother. I always loved being with her.”
“What will we do?” asked Anna. “We had to put all our stuff in the storage shed.
“I think you’ll enjoy just visiting with her. She tells wonderful stories. And, you can always go outside and play. It is warm, now. You’ll see. She is a dear,” said Mom.
“Yeah, right,” muttered Anna.
The day came for Great Grandma to arrive. The whole family went to the airport to pick her up. A small stooped white haired lady walked off the plane with help from the stewardess. An airport worker pushed her to the waiting lounge in a wheel chair. Mom and Dad hugged her, but the girls hung back. When they were introduced, they smiled and welcomed her.
The next morning, everyone gathered for breakfast in the kitchen.
“Tell me, girls, what do you like to do” said Great Grandma.
Anna spoke first, “We have a doll house and lots of dolls and stuffed animals. We like to make up stories and act them out .”
Jane added, “We swing and play in the sandbox outside, and ride our pedal cars. Sometimes we have races down the driveway, but Anna always wins.”
Great Grandma smiled. “You sound like very busy children. That’s good. I had a wonderful doll house when I was a little girl.” She told them a story about her doll house.
“Wow, that’s cool,” said Anna.
“What happened to your doll house?” asked Jane.
Great Grandma explained that there was a poor family near them who had very few toys. When she got old enough to do other things, she gave her doll house to the poor girls.
”Didn’t that make you sad?” asked Jane.
“Not really. I was happy to see them enjoy it. I’ve always enjoyed sharing. I had an adventure in a snow storm that next winter. I was glad I had been nice to those girls. Their daddy helped me make it through the storm.” Great Grandma told the story in detail.
The girls showed Great Grandma their toys and drawings and read to her from their story books. She, in turn, told them stories about her life as a child and stories about their mother as a little girl. Much too soon, it was time for her to fly back to her home. The girls were sad to see her leave. They promised to send her more stories and pictures, and she promised to send them cards and to use her tape recorder to send them some more of her stories and memories.
“I guess it was not so bad having Great Grandma come to visit,” said Anna.
“No, it was fun. Can you imagine getting lost in a snow storm?” asked Jane.
“She is a great story teller. I hope she can come again.”
“Yeah. I won’t even mind cleaning up the house.”
Sorry about missing yesterday’s prompt, I was so busy writing an intro to a character using her own surprise to keep her away from the scene for so long, she might have gotten bored with waiting and went home. Has anyone seen her?
Today’s prompt was mucgh better for me. I wrote a diary of an animal as he watched his environment deteriorate due to the industrial revolution, building boom, and the the population explosion. Almost like dances with wolves using a turtle. Why a turtle you say? (Thanks for asking) Because no other animal could live long enough to tell the tale.
Glad this worked for you. Inspired use of the turtle!
Awesome idea! I’m going to play around with a robot POV – only none of that sentient stuff, strictly programming. I plan to use him more as a narrator than a character though. 😉
sounds great!