Writing Prompt: Use a situation from real life.
Or: Make up something that could have happened with either a real person or a fictional character.
Prepare to write:
Get into the head of the character, real or fictional, that you want to write about. This could be a younger version of yourself.
See that character.
Notice their skin. Is it youthful? Smooth? Wrinkly? Sagging?
Notice their hair: Color, style, neat, messy
Look into their eyes, notice the main color, the subtle colors. Do their eyes look tired? Energetic? Hopeful? Hopeless?
How do they sound? Clear voice? Raspy? Slow talker? Fast talker?
What type of personality are they?
Usually happy?
Cheerful?
Grumpy?
Modest?
Full of themselves?
How does that person walk?
How do they move?
Become that person, that character. It could be a younger you.
Walk around as if you are the person you are going to write about.
Pantomime an action, or activity, the character might do.
Fully embody that person.
Walk around for about 3 minutes.
As you walk, imagine you are the character you have in mind.
Feel that character in your body.
After walking, write about what you just experienced.
Then, write a conversation or an interaction from real life or imagination, with the character you just inhabited.
Possible sentence starts:
You always . . .
I hate it when you . . .
I love when you . . .
Why didn’t you . . .
Remember when . . .
I thought . . . and then I learned . . .
In my mind, the trouble started when . . .
This exercise was inspired by author and writing teacher B. Lynn Goodwin.
