Neuroplasticity
We have well-worn neural pathways that help us get through routine activities without having to think about the details of each one.
For example: Driving to a destination and arriving without having remembered every detail on the route.
When that neural pathway gets interrupted, there is an opportunity for:
Neuroplasticity: The brain’s ability to form new connections and neural pathways.
That change of habit can enrich perspectives:
The way we look at our world, the way we meet challenges, and problem solve.
Prompt #1
Set the scene.
Choose a fairytale character, a fictional character you create, or someone from your life (this could be you):
Finish the sentences:
A character wants ___________________________
To get it, character needs to ____________________
But (obstacles) ______________________________
What if: Neural pathway gets interrupted. An opportunity for neuroplasticity? _________
Prompt #2
Choose one path to follow
Path One: Fractured Fairytales: Start with a well-known fairytale and mix it up.
Give the character another obstacle, or add on to existing obstacle.
Embellish the details, be as unrealistic and as crazy as you want.
Path Two: The main character is the person you just wrote about or someone from your life, (could be you).
Path Three: Main character is a fictional character created by you.
Whatever path you choose, use these questions to develop character and situation:
What does the character want?
What are the obstacles?
If you choose to write about person from the first prompt, use “add-ons” to flesh out the story.
Add-ons: For every sentence you wrote in Prompt #1, add three more sentences.
For example:
Original sentence; Little Red Riding Hood wants to deliver tasty morsels to Grandmother.
Add-ons: She carries the muffins in a basket. She made the muffins that morning. She’s worried about Grandma’s health.
Prompt #3
What does the character need to do to get what they want?
How does character solve problem? Able to form new connections and new neural pathways?
This could be a brainstorming session where any and all solutions are possibilities.
You can be creative in how character solves problems. Anything goes!
Or, you can be realistic, overcome obstacles in a reasonable way.
More on character development
Character development – discovering characters
What does your character want? What gets in the way?
