Category Archives: 365 days of writing

Writing Prompt: Day 217

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217.jpgDay 217 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about something that is not as perfect as it seems.

Shannon: “I wish I had your life,” my friend revealed.

“What? No you don’t,” I quickly brushed her off.

“Are you kidding? Who wouldn’t want your life? You basically won the lottery of lives. You have the perfect husband, house, job…should I go on, because I can,” she smiled.

I shook my head, trying to understand how she could feel that way when I had seen such a different side of everything. “However perfect those things look, they’re not perfect. Nothing is. Each of those things takes a lot of work, and I get really frustrated with them sometimes. Don’t get me wrong I love my life, but I honestly don’t think you’d choose to trade if you knew all the details.”

She smirked, and let out a laugh. “Is it bad that I’m happy about that?”

I shrugged, “Nah, perfect is boring.” I placed my hand on my chest dramatically, “I’m proud of my problems.”

Erin: “There is no way you two are braking up.”

“Well we are,” I assured her.

“How is that even possible. You always looked so happy in all your posts,” she sounded so upset. Like our lack of perfection was a letdown of all of her hopes and dreams. That was precisely the problem though.

In trying to convince the whole world of our flawless relationship we just kept finding more flaws our self. When we saw the beach picture all Adam could remember the 156 attempts that took up our time over swimming and paddle boarding. The picture I took on our anniversary led to a fight about living in the moment and not for our “couple brand.” All the happy pictures were laced in unhappy memories and all the unhappy memories faded due to them not being document. All we could see was doom. Only strangers believed in us anymore.

“It was all a facade,” and toward the end it was.

Reveal the imperfect.

Writing Prompt: Day 216

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216.jpgDay 216 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Give your character a makeover.

Shannon: “Do you like it,” the woman asked as I stared at myself in the mirror.

The hairdo was the last piece of my transformation, and I was finally seeing a change. I didn’t know what it would mean for my life. Could looks really make that big of a difference?

I wouldn’t change on the inside, but what was the real effect of the way people treated me because of how I looked?

I didn’t want it to work, because I didn’t want to believe it mattered, but deep down I had a feeling it did.

Erin: When we signed up for my boyfriend picking a free makeover for me I was shocked by the results. He lopped off all of my hair. He bleached it blond. Then he had the woman do a dramatic smoky eye and nude lipstick. My eccentric colorful shadows and bold lip colors were gone. The shade of red in my hair was stripped. I looked good I just didn’t look like me. I knew who I looked like, and all the sudden I knew which girl he really wanted to be with.

What has your character changed in their makeover?

Writing Prompt: Day 215

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215.jpgDay 215 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: List your character’s Top 10 least favorite things.

Shannon:

  1. Waiting
  2. Mosquitos
  3. Dress pants
  4. Getting stuck in traffic
  5. Mold
  6. Litter
  7. Small talk
  8. Backseat drivers
  9. Cigarette smoke
  10. Bullies

Erin:

  1. Junk mail
  2. The color pink
  3. Iced coffee
  4. Voice messages
  5. Monday morning meetings
  6. People who talk on their phone at checkout
  7. Pickup lines
  8. Noise canceling headphones
  9. Misting rain
  10. Golf

These are a few of your characters least favorite things.

Writing Prompt: Day 214

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214.jpgDay 214 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: List your character’s top 10 favorite things.

Shannon:

  1. The smell of fresh air behind a screen window.
  2. A night sky dark enough to see the stars.
  3. The warm kiss of sunlight peaking through the clouds.
  4. Soft sand between my toes.
  5. Shade on a hot day.
  6. Recalling a memory that makes me laugh out loud.
  7. A deep conversation late at night.
  8. The taste of great food.
  9. The comfort of a long awaited hug.
  10. The joy of an unexpected surprise.

Erin:

  1. Jazz music
  2. Mornings
  3. Red lipstick
  4. Sweet potatoes
  5. Late night talk shows
  6. Prank wars
  7. Face masks
  8. Boat rides
  9. Rain puddles
  10. Dancing

These are a few of your character’s favorite things.

Writing Prompt: Day 213

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213.jpgDay 213 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about the obstacles a character faces on their journey.

Shannon: The obstacles aren’t physical. They are more like a minefield in my brain. I don’t know what will set them off, and I guess I’m afraid to tread forward knowing there is a chance of pain around every corner. I’m trying to be brave and trust that I can handle the setbacks, but right now it’s a slow crawl when I wish I could run.

Erin: Even in the dark I could find the bathroom with no struggle. Step out of bed and stay close to the frame to avoid the dresser. When I hit the end of the frame I have to lift my leg over my husband’s slippers, but not step too far and hit whatever pile of toys the kids were playing with that day. Outside of the bathroom is where we rested an umbrella and my husband work clothing would be waded by the door of the bathroom. Once I dodged those I would have light and access to my midnight pee.

What does your character have to overcome?

Writing Prompt: Day 212

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212Day 212 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about twins being reunited after years apart.

Shannon: “I’m sorry, but it’s weird looking at you. I keep thinking about how that’s what everyone sees when they look at me,” I attempted to fill the awkward silence. They put us in the room alone to give us time to get to know each other, but they didn’t give us a strategy and I still felt like I was talking to a stranger, or to be honest, a clone.

“No it’s ok, I get it. I was thinking the same thing,” she flashed her eyes at me for only a few seconds before she had to look away.

“You know we probably have a lot more in common than our looks. I took a sociology class in high school, and we read studies on how twins who are separated tend to be more similar than the ones who grow up together. It has something to do with not having to separate themselves from each other. It’s a cool study, but I never thought I could be a part of it,” I rambled on.

“That a nice thought, but I have a feeling our situation is quite a bit different than most of their stories,” she shot-down my excitement. I didn’t want to judge her too quickly, but I did wonder how she felt about our different economic backgrounds. Now I knew.

I breathed out, in an attempt to hold my tongue. “Well I guess we’ll just have to find out who’s right,” I shrugged, even though I wasn’t thrilled by the chance of finding anything that had I in common with my sister.

Erin: The day Tyra came pounding on my door that feeling I had throughout my whole life started made sense. When I saw her face, I felt a little less lost and a little more whole. I didn’t feel the deep urge that I was at the wrong place, at the wrong time with the wrong people. She was still a stranger, but in that moment, I knew who I was and I finally felt at home. She was what I never knew I was looking for. She found me.

Bring your characters back together.

Writing Prompt: Day 211

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Copy of 211 (1)Day 211 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a spy’s perspective.

Erin: When I found out that my assignment was to spy on my clients spouse I could feel my eyes wanting to roll all the way to the back of my head. When I got to school pickups though I felt her concern being solidified. One of the other child’s mothers got into her husband’s car. For a split second my heart thought she looked like or was my wife. I knew my kid didn’t go there and it was illogical, so within a minute I was assured. The second of rage stayed though and I was set on making things right for this guy’s wife.

Shannon: Whenever I’m sent out on one of these assignments I always try to detach. I pretend like I’m watching a movie, and not a real person, but sometimes it’s hard to look past the truth. When you spy on someone they’re not putting on some fake face they show the rest of the world. They don’t see your eyes, so they let their guard down, and you don’t just see what they’re doing wrong. You see every piece of their life from their pain to their kindest moments. After watching people for as long as I have, you’d think I’d be discouraged by all the bad things people do. Instead I’ve learned that it’s not that simple. No one is all good, or all bad. They’re complicated. They have their own motivations for everything they do, and you realize everyone is really just a person trying to get by.

What is your spy figuring out?

Writing Prompt: Day 210

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210Day 210 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about a character’s family.

Shannon: My dad is a quiet, but caring man. He’s not the type you rant to about your week, or the type to pry with enough persistence to find out why you’re upset, but he’s always there and you can depend on him for that. He’s there to teach, there to fix your problems, and there to make you smile at every twist and turn.

My mom is so gentle with us, along with the rest of the world. Don’t take that as if she’s weak. No, I’ve seen her protect her loved ones with a vengeance. I’m just saying she does her best to do no harm in this world, and I admire her big heart. I feel lucky every day I get to feel that kind of love wash over me.

My sister is a honey badger, as that is the only way I could possibly describe her to make you understand. If you have ever met someone so sure of themselves that they’re not trying to please anyone’s expectations but their own, then maybe you understand what I’m talking about. She’s the most refreshing type of person you will ever meet. I’m so lucky she’s my sister, and I always find myself hoping a little more of her rubs off on me everyday.

Erin: Our family was small. Just my mom and me. It didn’t feel small most days, but as I got older it seemed to be shrinking. With age, it started to become very clear that my mother was trying incredibly hard to be every other person we could have had in our home. She would be stern like a father, we would bicker and play like sisters, she would look out for me like a bother. Sometimes she seemed to have a hard time distinguishing who she should be. I wish she would believe me when I told her, “just mom is enough.”

Even when your character is gone they are not fully gone.

Writing Prompt: Day 209

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209.jpgDay 209 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Write about hate at first sight.

Erin: “The only thing that could make you prettier is a smile,” the slim ball at the corner by my work called out to me.

“I can think of a whole bunch of things that could make you more pleasant,” I spat back.

“Care to elaborate,” he asked with what seemed like an almost cocky smile.

“No, I don’t care to speak to you for even a second longer,” I rushed across the street knowing I hated him already.

Shannon: “This isn’t going to work,” I shook my head, and retreated away from the dumb look on his face.

“What’s not going to work,” he followed, unable to comprehend that he was the one I was running from.

“Us,” I circled my finger. “I can already tell I don’t like you.”

His brow furrowed. “You just met me.”

“I know. I have a good intuition about people, and I already know you’re no good. Find someone else to help you,” I shooed him away.

He huffed, and stood there speechless for a few seconds. “You’re wrong,” he finally argued.

“Am I?” I gave him one last chance to realize the truth.

Dose your character believe in hate at first sight?

Writing Prompt: Day 208

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208.jpgDay 208 of 365 Days of Writing Prompts: Let “New Rules” by Dua Lipa inspire you.

Shannon: My phone lit up, and I’ll admit I still felt a jolt of excitement, thinking it might be him. I wanted to answer as soon as I saw his name flash across the screen, but I stopped myself. It’s your choice I reminded myself. Why should I jump every time he decided he missed me? The phone stopped ringing, and I determined it was for the best.

I saw the message icon appear and again I decided it could wait. I got up to get my mind off of the interruption, but the phone was ringing before I could leave the room. I checked the screen and found his name again. What if he needs me? I jumped to the worst-case scenario and almost picked up.

NO my mind restrained me and I flipped the phone over. That wasn’t our relationship anymore. If I wanted him to stop, and if I wanted to stop loving him, then I had to stop being there for him. I had to disappear from his world, no matter how hard that would be.

Erin: “We can still be friends,” my ex suggested. I took it as his way of lightening the blow.

“Yeah. No thanks,” I nearly chuckled.

“Wait why not,” he tried to make me sound like the delusional one.

“I have no interest in you keeping me on the line and slowing my healing process,” I got up to start that growth immediately.

“I’m not going to string you along, I still love you. We could still be great friends,” if I wasn’t there for the beginning I would think I had just dumped him.

“Nope sorry. I’m a love all of me or none of my type of person,” I began to walk away. “Lose my contact information,” I shouted back without looking. I could feel he had taken a few steps in my direction. I wasn’t going to break until he was out of sight though. Once I closed the door behind me I dropped the strong act and started weeping.

How is your character going to get over their last partner?