So, I have a meeting with my Writing Buddy today...

[agilebrit]

And we're going to challenge each other to "dare to be bad" and write a story in a week, right?

This...is a problem for me. Part of the reason I hardly ever signed up for ficathons involving exchanges was because I couldn't come up with something for other people to write.

AUGH. *bangs head on keyboard*

A character needs to want something that's not easily obtained. A job? A woman? A way out? How should I know?

And again, I say AUGH.

Comments

[wistling.livejournal.com]

Use the WOTF 24-hour story method. Pick a random object (or image on the web - heck, use my LJ icon) for inspiration. Interview a random person. Then hit the library for a few hours, grabbing random books. You ought to have more than enough material for a story!

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

I have combined my flailings into "he wants his way out of his job because of a woman." We'll see what my Writing Buddy makes of that. :)

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

I have a creative writing assignment due next week--a very short story, three double-spaced pages--that's supposed to be about the protag not getting what he/she wants, but it's supposed to have a satisfying ending somehow anyway. I would have more ideas except my first big assignment is due that same day, which happens to be my "Books Gone Bad" entry that I never sent in because I didn't finish it, and that's still not finished. So...yeah.

Although I'm rather liking wistling's idea. Particularly that icon. No idea what I'd do with it, but all the same...

[mermaidrain.livejournal.com]

You see, the way to do these sorts of thing (the way a friend and I used to handle them) is that you challenge the person to write something they wouldn't ordinarily write. That way they grow. You have to be pretty knowledgeable of the person and/or what they write though. Like my friend assigned me a western story one time because she knows I don't like them all that much (but after studying western films was intrigued by the genre). etc. It's not really a specific idea, but maybe a concept that would be more useful to the writer. ;)

Hope that helps.

[mermaidrain.livejournal.com]

There are also those great books on "topic of the day" too. Like daily writing topics, etc.

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

That approach would have backfired rather drastically on me in my current state of mind. I think that part of the reason I've been so blocked lately is because, in addition to the new responsibilities of homeschooling for the first time, I've been writing way out of my comfort zone. And rather than pushing me to succeed, it's been locking me up.

But I have a challenge I think I can work with now. And a week to write it in...

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

*waves pompoms* You can do it!

[mermaidrain.livejournal.com]

Well, good luck. ;)