Wednesday Workout XIV - Character Continuation
After E's thought-provoking post yesterday about making characters grow, and after a bit of stress some of us have had to deal with at work lately, I thought I'd make today's Wednesday Workout about how our characters deal with stress.
What is stress? The American Institute of Stress can tell you something about it.
What stressful situations face our characters? We AG's are mostly romance writers, so there's the stress of meeting and wooing another person. But what about the external stresses? Is it job stress? Family stress? Stress from friends, acquaintances, and enemies? What do our characters do when faced with stress? Do they choose flight, running to their rooms and hiding? Or do they choose fight, suiting up in battle gear to take down whatever's bothering them? If your characters are like mine, I'm guessing it depends on the situation.
So let's say it's family stress. Your character's mother wants grandchildren, and she wants them yesterday. She's coming over for dinner tonight, and she's got a surprise for your character. So tell me: What's the surprise dear old mom has up her sleeve, and how is your character going to react to it? Don't stop at one - if you can think of a few different surprises, and a few different ways your character might handle them, list them all. :) Ready? Go!
posted by Honey @ 3:22 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
What a great idea! :)
Of my two stories, 3 or the 4 h/h are orphaned. I wonder what that means? So, I'll use my Crimean War hero and his mom for the exercise. I'll be back after breakfast. *Muwhahaha*
I suppose it doesn't have to be the mother... it could be someone like a nosy old neighbor, or the "best friend" who now has kids and wants everyone else to have the joy of the experience. :)
Gerard entered the parlor where his mother and sisters waited to be escorted to the Sutcliffe's ball. He drew up short when he spied Lady Cordelia Huntsman seated front and center amoung the other chicks and his mother, the hen.
The heiress had been flirting with him at every turn. She always eyed him up and down like he was a prime dish of beef swimming in rich sauce. Once, she'd even licked her lips. His cravat suddenly felt too tight.
"Look, Gerard, Lady Huntsman has graciously agreed to join on us for the evening's entertainment. Isn't that wonderful?" Gerard knew that an alliance between the two families would be a coup. After all, Cordelia's father had the ear of the Queen.
"Wonderful above all, mother." Gerard stepped the rest of the way into the room, took Lady Huntsman's hand and bowed over it. He wouldn't not embarrass the lady or his family by acting dishonorably. The day he quit being a gentleman, was the day he'd fall on his own sword.
"Shall we go?" he asked the gaggle of giggling girls. They moved as one unit to the front entrance, Gerard taking up the rear. Amid the swirl of lovely satin ball gowns, Gerard's mind called up the memory of an Irish angel, clad in a servicable, tattered gray dress, holding a pile of potatoes in her apron. What he wouldn't give to waltz with Rose tonight instead.
he would NOT embarrass the lady or his family, not wouldn't not. Guess my fingers work faster than my brain. LOL.
Awesome, E! :) I love it.
Scenario #1: Calla brings over a surprise date to meet Drena- a farmer from the market.
Calla: Surprise! *Pushes in average working man*
Drena: Oh God. Calla? What is this?
Calla: I wanted you to meet Joe. He's really nice. (Whispers loudly- And you need a nice man... A nice lover. Start a family of your own)
Drena: Oh God. *breaks out in a sweat* Um... Nice to meet you Joe. Heh heh. *wipes palms on skirt and escorts them to the table, vowing vengeance against Calla*
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