Monthly Archives: March 2017

Writing Prompt: Day 70

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70.jpgDay 70 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a character inspired by a day of the week: Saturday.

Shannon: Saturday is quite refreshing. He’s a person you can just relax with, because he doesn’t have any expectations. He’s a free bird who just wants to spend his time going with the flow. He’s the type of organizer who sets the destinations, but not the rules. Time spend with him is never wasted on anything but your own desires.

Erin: He was a free spirit. I never knew what a day like him was going to lead to. We could be talking a spontaneous road trip, we could be recouping in bed for half the day, we could be going to a party, or we could be doing something that I’m not knowledgeable about yet. He didn’t know either, because he was free from everything including hard-fast plans.

Second to last day of our week writing, Saturday!

Writing Prompt: Day 69

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69.jpgDay 69 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a character inspired by a day of the week: Friday.

Shannon: Friday is the best. She’s the most encouraging person I’ve ever met. She makes you feel like anything is possible, and you have all the time in the world to make your dreams come true. No one has a bad thing to say about Friday and she has nothing bad to say about anyone else. She does everything in her power to make sure everyone is having a good time, and we all appreciate her for looking out for us.

Erin: She was the best of times, even though she was going at 100 miles per hour at all times she’d find time to slow down just enough to have a laugh. That’s why I loved her. She reminded me that every once and a while even in the middle of a complete mess it was okay to slow down. We deserved to slow down. We deserved to live the life we wanted, not as an afterthought, but as a priority.

Friday! Work weeks stop, but we don’t stop writing.

Writing Prompt: Day 68

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68.jpgDay 68 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a character inspired by a day of the week: Thursday.

Erin: There were times when he felt important. He felt important because everyone lit up when he walked into a room. The only problem was he was walking in a room and that meant his brother would be walking in shortly after. When they smiled at the sight of him walking into a party they were really smiling at the notion of the boy who was sure to be hiding somewhere close.

Shannon: Thursday is a bit of tease. He shows a lot of promise of a wild adventure, but never follows through. He’s actually pretty calm and laid back, if he could be honest with himself. I think he wants more excitement, but for some reason he can’t seem to create it for himself. He needs a spark to ignite him, otherwise he will just stay still.

Halfway through our character week.

Writing Prompt: Day 67

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67.jpgDay 67 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a character inspired by a day of the week: Wednesday.

Shannon: Wednesday can be a drag. She’s a pretty slow moving gal and and always manages to get in the way, but as soon as you get past her you know you’re in the clear. She can be a bit of a downer at times if you let her suck you into her black hole of depression, but she can usually see the light after a good talk. Then she becomes a beacon of hope, and she can be quite energizing.

Erin: She was finally coming into her own. She had passed through the stage of self-loathing. The loathing of all of the people around her storm had also rolled through. She’d eliminated most of the activities that were draining her of life. She could tell within ten more years she would be even more into her own than she knew possible and that knowledge made her happy.

Hump day of the work week, not really the writing week, but let’s do this anyway.

Writing Prompt: Day 66

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66.jpgDay 66 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a character inspired by a day of the week: Tuesday.

Erin: He was my demise. He was work. I tried to put in the effort, but there was only so much one human being could be for another person. I couldn’t be all of the things he was demanding. I would burn out if I continued to give myself to him. There was no end in sight, but I was determined to find one.

Shannon: Tuesday is a pusher. He’s a very efficient guy, because he knows where he’s headed. He’s got a goal and he’s going to reach it because he has the time. He’s not worried about deadlines. He’s getting a head start, and you have to give him some credit for all he’s able to accomplish when nothing else is distracting him.

The only problem with Tuesday is how he can go a bit unnoticed. His presence causes a bit of indifference in those around him. He’s not a bother, but he’s also not a necessity.

Day two of the week, day two of writing about the days of the week!

Writing Prompt: Day 65

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65.jpgDay 65 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write a character inspired by a day of the week: Monday.

Shannon:  Monday may very well be the most annoying person I’ve ever met, and will most likely ever meet. It’s her lack of fun and need to plan everything out combined that make her nearly unbearable.  She never lets anyone sleep in and absolutely refuses to tolerate any slouchy behavior.

She’s a total buzkill who is always the reason everyone has to leave the party early. I hate how she can never seem to let go and have a little fun. I’ll admit she does have the potential to have a good time, I just wish I could see that side of her more often.

Erin: She was a new beginning. She had promise and hope. My past was behind me and she was ahead of me. The problem was the people behind me were easier and more comfortable than her. She was a challenge. A challenge with promise and a challenge that could change my life. Possibly for the better. The problem was the better only came with the change. Like any sensible human I was afraid of change and I was afraid of her.

It’s day one of a week of characters based off of days of the week. Let’s develop some characters!

Writing Prompt: Day 64

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64.jpgDay 64 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a dance.

Erin: She danced as medicine. If she was sad she’d blare some jams, and create choreography. When her boyfriend and her were fighting, they would sway and dance to music in the living room until they were cheered up. Anger could be defused by screaming along to a song. Nerves could be calmed, with an upbeat pump up song. Medicine could cure all ailments.

Shannon: “Lindsay told me the truth,” Paul grabbed my arm to turn me toward him.

“What are you doing on this side of the stage? You’re suppose to start on the other side, and what are you talking about?”

“She said you accepted the offer. Did you?” His eyes demanded an answer.

Of course Lindsay would tell him right before we had to go on the stage. She’d made it evident she wanted him since the first day he joined the studio, so when he end up dating me she did everything in her power to try to sabotage the relationship. She also wasn’t thrilled when I got the lead in this number. I guess she was saving her attack for the perfect explosion. I wondered how she even found out. “Yes I did,” I finally admitted.

“So why did you lie to me,” he questioned, angrier than I’d ever seen him before.

“Because it doesn’t have to end. I don’t want it to end,” my voice wavered.

“If that were true you wouldn’t have taken the offer over me. It’s over,” he backed away, shaking his head with a look of disgust.

“So that it?” I felt my own anger arise at how easy it was for him to call it off.

“Isabelle get out there. You’re going to miss your cue,” a stagehand pushed me to the edge of the curtain. The show must go on, my dance teacher’s voice replayed in my head and I attempted to clear my thoughts as I stepped forward. I only hoped Paul would at least try to do the same for what could be our last dance.

I did my routine to get myself into position to wait for Paul. The pause for him to join felt longer than usual, and I started to believe he was going to leave me stranded out there alone. Suddenly I felt myself being lifted up, and I could breathe easily again. His hands were rougher as he squeezed my sides, and he didn’t set me down as gracefully as he did in rehearsal.

I managed to keep my facial emotions under control, but this was turning into a continuation of our verbal fight. We were following the choreography, but the emotions and the feelings behind each move conveyed so much more than any of our performances before. It was a goodbye dance, one that could acknowledge the passion and the formation of a tender bond, while also demonstrating the pain.

I felt the emotions of this dance more deeply than I’d ever felt a dance before. It was empowering to know what it felt like to loose myself in a moment. At the end a tear fell from my eye as we both took a bow, because that moment was over and I doubted it could ever exist again.

Make your character dance, dance, dance, dance.

Writing Prompt: Day 63

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63.jpgDay 63 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a character with bad intentions.

Shannon: I make a living off of sabotaging others, and that’s not an exaggeration. I get paid a lot of money to mess with strangers by causing a few “random” acts of chaos. My employer gives me an assignment much the same as an undercover agent, or so I can assume. They give me a name and where to find the victim, and then a job description of what they’re trying to accomplish. I’ve gotten anything from a simple time-stalling distraction to creating a “fake” bad day for another person. Only it’s all too real for them, and there is no blame pointed back at the people who use my services.

So how did I get into this industry? Well, I found a recruiting card with a website and a password in my jacket pocket once. These people are everywhere, and they’re good at keeping their existence a secret. We go through a little training, but we’re naturally good at this. They scouted us for the job because we demonstrated strong observation tendencies. The policy is based off the fact that strong observers can never be customers, so why not keep them on the company’s good side.

My task for the day was to ruin a woman’s morning at her favorite coffee shop by making everything go wrong. I started with my usual tactics to secretly mess up her order by adding a sour, overpowering ingredient. She took a sip as soon as she got it, and puckered. “This is terrible,” she set it back down. “Make another,” she demanded. “This time don’t use expired ingredients,” she accused the barista in front of the line of customer. I could already tell she deserved everything she had coming for her.

Erin: “What do you think of this one,” Jessica stepped out in the most gorgeous ball gown I had ever seen.

“It’s a little over the top,” Lexus gestured her finger down the back of her throat as she made a gaging noise.

“What are you talking about. It’s her wedding day. It is the perfect amount of over the top,” I defended my sister.

“No offence Jane but you’ve never had the best taste,” Lexus transitioned her idiocy to me.

“It is a ball gown Lex. Ballgowns for weddings are timeless and this is a Vera Wang from this year’s collection. Are you trying to tell me that it is even possible to have bad taste when you are buying a Vera Wang wedding gown?”

“Come on Jessica, are you really the type of bride who wants to be this stereotypical,” Lexus gave up on me and moved on to my normally more impressionable sister.

“What do you mean,” she pulled at the top layer of skirt fabric.

“You are not the type to be a princess bride,” she rolled her eyes. “Don’t you think Gavin would love you in a nice sheath dress?”

“Gavin would love her in any dress,” I corrected. “She is the most beautiful woman in the world to him and even if she wore a garbage bag she would be the only girl he’d bat an eyelash at. Now shut up and at least let her give her opinion before you shut it down.”

“Jessica,” Lex’s mouth hardened into a horizontal line.

“I don’t know,” her hands stroked over the bodice as she looked in the mirror. I knew the sparkle in my sister’s eyes when she pulled back the curtain to show us. The reason there was a somber hesitation was due to her so-called best friend.

“How about you go put on Lex’s choice. We will come back to this one,” I offered. My sister was always the one who needed to see all the options before settling on one. That’s why it was so vital for Gavin to have cared about her and understood her enough to stick through their break. He was smart. Even with her quirks he was a very lucky man.

“That sounds like a great idea,” Lexus continued to stroke her own ego.

When Jessica slipped back into the curtain dressing room I grabbed onto the collar of Lex’s sundress. She looked terrified as I yanked her up and dragged her to the first nook in the wall, out of earshot. “You know as well as I do that Jessica does not have the body shape for a sheath dress. You also know as well as I do that a sheath dress is so far to the left of her style. You want to explain that to me?”

“She’s drowning in that ball gown,” she looked to the ground as she smoothed out the collar I had crumpled up in my sister rage.

“My sister is 5’ 11” she is carrying that dress just fine thank you,” I raised an eyebrow as I planted my hands on my hips.

“You think just because you’re her family you are so much smarter than me. Don’t forget who has been by her side for the past four years of her life,” Lex sassed.

“Don’t you get the distance between us confused with the distance of our bond. I was there for her for the past four years just as you were. I know about the time she was fired, I know about that time she nearly failed physics, oh and I know about how she was dating your fiancé before you ever met him.” Lexus went white. “I’m not only a good listener, I’m perceptive. Jessica told me about your wedding dress shopping experience. You are two beautiful, but different brides. Neither of you is going to take away from the other by both wearing ball gowns.”

“I just,” I could tell she didn’t know what she would say either.

“You’re just going to go back there and keep your mouth shut until you see a smile or a frown come to the face of my precious sister. She loves it, you love it. She hates it, you hate it. This is her day. You are here for support and assurance, not to be the fashion police.” She just nodded.

“Jane look,” Jessica was in tears laughing as we strolled back to the platform.

As she spun in circles I started giggling as well. Not long after Lexus joined in. “Okay maybe that’s not your dress,” Lex chuckled as Jessica shook in a manner that had her body giggling all over. She still looked beautiful, because someone as silly and happy as Jessica could not help but be beautiful. I agreed though, because I knew that was Jessica’s opinion as well.

The goals of character’s should be different. Write about one who may have goals most would consider off base.

Writing Prompt: Day 62

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62.jpgDay 62 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Use the words: glow, wild, and invasion.

Erin: There was a red glow in the distance. “What’s that,” Elie asked tugging on my shirt.

“I don’t know,” I whispered walking slightly closer. The glowing started to pulsate.

“Who’s that,” Elie pointed to the creature making it out of the light and casting a large lopsided shadow.

“I don’t know and I don’t really want to find out,” I hoister her into my arms and started running further and further into the wild.

“Mommy what’s happening,” she started crying and her arms wrapped tight around my neck.

“Nothing we’re going to be okay,” I lied fully aware that we were in the middle of our prophesied invasion.

Shannon: “Did you witness the invasion,” I questioned the guy lying on in the cot next to mine. He was turned on his side, so I could only see his back, but I hoped he was still awake. I needed someone to talk to, and it would have to be a stranger. In this huge room, I didn’t see one person that I recognized. I prayed I wasn’t the only survivor in my family, and that we just found refuge in different locations. I had to keep telling myself that I’d find them again, otherwise I wouldn’t have the strength to go on.

“I was there,” the voice revealed after a pause. He turned his body to face me. I couldn’t see him perfectly in the darkness, but there was a faded red glow reflecting off his face from a dim light nearby. I could tell he was around my age, as were most of the faces I saw nearby my bed as I walked in. Maybe they were organizing all the misfits by age. “Were you there,” he questioned.

“No, but no one will tell me what happened. Can you tell me,” I begged for a better understanding.

“It’s not something you want to know,” he tried to stop me there.

“I believe you but I’m so confused. I don’t know how bad it is. I don’t even know what the enemy looks like. Please, there has to be something you can tell me,” I tried not to appear too desperate, but I was failing.

He rolled his shoulders, looking like he was struggling with the memory. “They are like no creatures I’ve ever seen before. I don’t know how to describe them. They are not more human or more animal. They speak another language, and they are all eight feet tall and very strong. I got a look into one of their eyes and they were wild in the way they didn’t seem to be searching for anything in particular. They just wanted to kill. You don’t have to worry about them blending in. You’ll know when you see one,” his description gave me what I asking for, but didn’t put me at ease.

“Do they have weapons,” I whispered.

“They are the weapon,” he clarified.

Multiply these words into many words.

Writing Prompt: Day 61

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61.jpgDay 61 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a ghost encounter.

Shannon: I didn’t want to say anything when we got to the tourist lookout point, because I didn’t want to distract my friends from the beautiful view over my rude impulse thoughts. Still, I harbored an uneasy feeling about the guy standing close to the edge of the cliff.

The color of his skin was almost pure white and his veins were prominently showing through his arms. Not only that, but his eyes were ringed with black circles and his mouth revealed some darkness between his lips. The creepiest thing was the way he was he was staring at the people instead of the scenery behind him. Yet everyone was ignoring him, like it was completely normal.

Maybe they could all see he was sick, and I was the messed up one for judging him so harshly. I believed it for a while until I saw him screaming at a little boy. “Get away from the edge,” he shouted into the child’s face and the boy fell back and immediately broke into tears.

“That was harsh,” I finally spoke up to my friends.

They both turned, and quickly looked back at me. Still no terrified reactions. “Did something happen to the kid,” Diana question.

“Yeah, didn’t you hear that man scream at him,” I furrowed my brow. How could they miss it?

“His dad,” Mae questioned.

I shook my head, annoyed. “The guy by the edge,” I pointed and he caught a glimpse of me. Now he was focusing in my direction and I quickly looked away.

“I don’t see anyone but the family,” Diana explained as she looked back again.

I took another look. He was limping toward me now. “The guy walking in our direction, you don’t see him,” my whole body started to burn up as my heart started to race.

“Are you ok,” Mae asked, tugging at my arm.

“I don’t think so,” I shook my head. “We should get away from here,” I stated.

“Stay,” he shouted again, and I would run if I wasn’t paralyzed in fear. If he didn’t exist, where could I truly hide? “I need your help,” his yell turned into a low growl.

Erin: “You know I don’t believe in this mumbo jumbo,” Luke grumbled as he and Rodger stepped into the haunted mansion.

“Well this will just be a fun stroll through a mansion then,” Rodger offered.

“An uneventful stroll,” Luke corrected.

“Do this for me,” Rodger demanded gesturing that for him to move along with his hands.

“Whatever,” they walked in and were greeted by an upbeat employee. He was talking in a deep quite tone, but there was a slight upward tug of his lips. He explained the supposed murdered family that had lived in the home they were about to tour. Then he walked everyone through the floors warning them to avoid touching certain things.

“Now that you have been introduced to our residents, we allow our guests to go mingle with our hosts. Please be respectful of those who live here and we recommend the buddy system,” their guide started chuckling slightly as he strolled away.

“Can we please go now,” Luke grumbled.

“No,” Rodger nearly yelled.

“This place is the biggest hoax possible. Instead of just saying the family is quite today they could at least take time to put effort into tricking us,” Luke complained as he continued to follow Rodger through the halls.

“Would you stop bellyaching so much,” Rodger screamed at the top of his lungs and a statue fell out of the nook in the wall.

“What the hell man,” he took a swing at Rodger but Luke’s arm didn’t make contact it just continued through the air and through his best friend.

“Did you just try to hit my son young man,” Luke immediately fell to the ground as a woman exited the wall from where the statue used to sit.

“This is why I don’t bring friends home mom,” Rodger rolled his eyes. “You know how hard it is to find people who see me. Stop scaring all of them the second they realize who we are.”

“If you’re going to have an attitude feel free to bring it right up to your room,” she placed her hands on her hip. “I will let your friend know he has to come back another time when he wakes up,” she yelled as Rodger forced another statue to fall. The screams of the other humans were beginning to ring through their home.

Writers are the masters of creating people who are not “real,” prove your ability with this prompt.