OK, this prompt is not as spooky as the title might lead you to believe.
Since we’ve started talking about ‘character’, let’s stay there for a while.
It can be hard to come up with a fascinating character for each new story. Yes, you can certainly use recurring characters, but what about when you get bored and need a change? You’ve raided your memories, you’ve looked at pictures for inspiration, but what to do on a day when you’re truly stuck?
The Prompt
Write A Story Based On An Obituary
Say what?!
Seriously, obituaries are like little potted character studies. Read them carefully and you’ll find stories there you never would have thought of: the little old lady in the nursing home who was actually a counter-espionage agent during WWII; the mother of four who loved to race go-karts; the business leader who quietly spent his retirement raising prize-winning orchids.
Characters, every one!
And if you feel strange ripping off someone else’s life story, try to see it as a celebration of their life instead. Change the names, change the details, but the story you write that was inspired by the obituary will remain a tribute to the unique human being you read about.
Where To Find Obituaries
- Obituaries.com
- Your local newspaper’s website
Tips
- Reading about the great and good can be interesting, but paging down to the unsung, everyday people can be where you find the most unexpected and fruitful material.
- Seize on that one detail about a person that makes them seem real to you.
- What made them do the things they did?
- What stories lie behind their passions?
- What moment led them to that one fascinating detail in their obituary. Wind back the clock and show us the moment when it all started.
- Try not to read more than five profiles before choosing one to write about. You could easily lose your whole day looking for the perfect character (or simply reading about people’s lives). Pick the first person who has a detail that makes you go “huh!”
While you are reading my story for the day, you should also take a gander at the guest post. My husband has decided to join me on this journey and, having no blog of his own, asked to post on mine. I hope that you enjoy.
http://www.hunterthehorrible.blogspot.com
This prompt was appropriate, as an elder member of the community that my non-fiction manuscript is about recently passed. But the stories of death that I know are too personal to share. So I thought I would try writing a character sketch of death itself. I called it “Passings”. Here’s the link: http://guptacarlsonshortstories.blogspot.com/2013/05/passings.html
Love the prompt! It did feel a bit strange at first, rifling through people obituaries in search of a good story. In the end, I found a fascinating one and enjoyed the challenge. 4 for 4! Woot! Looking forward to the next prompt. 🙂
Thanks for another grear prompt! I”d love to see you read and comment at http://www.hunterthehorrible.blogspot.com
Here’s today’s prompt (and yesterdays). So far, so good. Four stories in four days. http://tidbitsbyshannon.blogspot.com/
I have only just joined tonight. Should I try to catch up on four days of missed prompts to complete the challenge first or shall I start from tomorrow then just fit the lost four in where I can?
It’s a story a day. Just write one a day and forget about the past (or you can keep going into June if you like!)
Great prompt. Well done obits are like little stories in themselves. In any case just finished. And on we go. Sarah C.
Great prompt! I just finished my first draft and am going to look it over and edit it in a little while when I can have a fresh look at my piece.
keep on writing…..
That was an interesting prompt. But I had a lot of fun with it. I guess I hope Sharon Kessey is not turning in her grave, for being used like that. My story.
Thank you for giving us inspiration.
Mine is written and will be posted on my blog in a bit. I scheduled it as I wanted to sleep in this morning for a change…not. Anyway, will try to stop in later. Feel free to check and comment on my piece at http://starvingactivist.wordpress.com later today.
I LOVE this prompt!!!!