Day 365 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about what happens after your character reaches their goal.

Shannon: Know what sucks about reaching a goal? You spend all your time waiting to reach it, but once you get there it’s kind of sad. For a second you wish you could go back, and at the same time you really don’t want to, and you know you can’t. You’ve got to move on even though it’s hard. Even though you don’t know if the next thing will be better. You can only hope.

Erin: Once I finally had what I wanted I already had new goals in my head that were taking over. There was a part of that reality that was unhealthy. However that was how I would grow, was why I was who I was. Life without a harder to reach goal was hopeless. Because there was no hope for anything, just happiness with what already became average in the eye of the beholder. I would never be fully happy, which made me a little happy.

You’re character has finally made it, you have finally made it!

Day 364 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Let your character look back on what they were able to accomplish this year.

Shannon: This last year I got fired, I got kick out of the apartment, I got lost for a while, I was dumped…a few times, I was lonely, I made mistakes, I was bitter, I was boring, and I was rude. But I was also brave, I got a new job that I really like, I made new friends, I made amends, I started volunteering, I started going to therapy, I got my own place, and I’m still not perfect but it was a good year.

Erin: In a year so much can change. No matter how hard I tried the year had flipped my world upside down. My birth control failed, the father bailed and where did that leave me? In a deep and dark place. I dug myself out though and that may have been my biggest accomplishment of the year. When my daughter was born my life had a new meaning, the years to come had a new meaning.

365 days of things have happened.

Day 363 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a magical piece of clothing.

Shannon: They were giving away the gloves at the shelter. I just grabbed a pair to keep my hands warm while I walked to school. I didn’t know what the gloves were capable of until one day I decided not to take them off. I just wanted to test them out, because I had developed a theory over time and I was right. If I touched someone with my fabric-covered fingertips, I was suddenly on their radar. Something most people wouldn’t need magic for, but for me it take a miracle to people on my side. Now I guess all I needed was this pair of gloves and a plan for what I should do with my new power.

Erin: My power to make not only me but objects invisible was mostly used for my petty wants. Until the day I made them my legacy and livelihood. That was the day I transformed the bra as women knew them. Strapless, backless, and cutout dresses were no longer a nightmare. As long as users remembered to put on the finder bow on when they were not using them they wouldn’t have a closet full of lost and useless bras in the corner.

Let the clothing work some magic.

Day 362 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Send your character into their domain.

Shannon: The school’s art room was had to be one of the best places in the world. I had free rein over all the supplies and my only limitation was my imagination. There wasn’t on tool in the room that I hadn’t learn to master, but choosing was still hard. I was a little unconventional in that way. I liked to mix.

Erin: I didn’t realize school was for me until I had my first college lecture. In that room education started to make sense and how I fit into it started to make sense. There I could thrive. I was no longer feeling stuck and stagnant.

Take us there.

Day 361 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a character with two sides.

Shannon: “Why are you always so mean to him?”

“Because one of us has to be. You’re a push-over, I’m protecting you. Just appreciate it,” she explained as she continued to cling to the controls.

“From what?” I attempted to overpower her, but I couldn’t win.

“From heartbreak.” She finally looked at me for a second but soon turned back to the screen. “You forget too easily…I don’t.”

Erin: She was programmed with two emotional settings. Happy and angry. The only problem was she wasn’t programmed with any logic. Anything could trigger her. There was no telling what would.

What does each side of your character look like?

Day 360 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a romantic moment in the midst of chaos.

Shannon: After calling for help, we got out of the car and started walking along the ditch. It was snowing, but it wasn’t too cold. We got out just to settle down after the short panic of skidding off the road, but it quickly turned into a sweet moment as our muscles relaxed and we took in the quiet snowfall. His hand intertwined with mine and I knew everything was going to be ok.

Erin: When my world was literally crashing down around me he was my only source of calm. a simple look into his eyes and a touch of his hand slowed my heart to its normal pace. I felt like I was gonna survive.

I moment within a crazy moment.

Day 359 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: What did your character get for Christmas?

Shannon: She got a couple gift cards, cash, and homemade baked goods. Exactly what she wanted.

Erin: He was spoiled. But there was one gift that stood out above the dozens he had got from his loved ones. His grandmothers quilt he had admired for years was more than he would ever dare to ask for.

What are you getting your character for Christmas?

Day 358 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: How is your character spending Christmas Eve?

Shannon: She’s going to church with her family, cooking and eating a delicious meal, and finishing some last minute tree decorating.

Erin: Alone. Not lonely. By choice. Having people around constantly makes it hard for her to take care of herself. Someone has to and that is the day she can.

The day before the day.

Day 357 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: What is making your character’s eyes sparkle?

Shannon: “She looks different, doesn’t she?” Will questioned, unable to take his eyes off her.

I smiled watching him, “Yeah, well she’s got hope now. It’s nice to happy again, isn’t it?”

His smirk grew, “It is.”

Erin: For the first time in forever I could see progress in my journey to my dream and that was everything to me.

Let your character shine a little.

Day 356 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: What is the real window to the soul?

Shannon: I’ve always thought you can tell a lot about how a person is feeling by watching their hands. People can easily put on a poker face, but their hands can’t lie. Hands have to follow through. They get nervous. They get excited. They reach out to help. That’s why I don’t look at the eyes when I need to read a person. I look at the hands.

Erin: I find that the little tensions of muscles is far more telling than any other facial or body movements. Going from loose to stiff tells far more than a smile or squinting eyes.

How do we look inside?