Write It Out Wednesday

Writing Exercise of the Week: (taken from The Best Of CWC e-book)

Match Characters with Settings
Here's how it works. This can be done with multiple people (more fun) or just yourself (still fun). First, generate a list of random character types. This could include "amnesiac kleptomaniac", "professional lawn ornament salesman", or "international spy". Write the list in a column on the left side of a piece of paper and number each one. Now in the right, make a similar column of random settings. Examples are
"playground", "mayo health clinic", and "in mid-air". Give each of these a letter. Now write the numbers and letters on scraps of paper and randomly pull one letter and one number out of a hat. You must now write a piece about why a professional lawn ornament salesman is now in mid-air. Don't just explain what he's doing there, though; make it into a story, an anecdote that reveals more about the character. Expand and embellish; it's your story, so have fun with it.

I did things a little differently and used the ever handy Microsoft Excel program to do the mixin' it up for me. I also added a time to the list of choices, so you have a character, a time, and a place.

Today, I'm not going to do any writing. Instead I am preparing for next week. I will choose my set of facts and give myself the rest of the week to think and write. If you want to do this exercise with me, then right now, BEFORE YOU KEEP READING, choose A, B, C or D. I know, sounds weird. But really. Choose one. That'll tell you what your set wil be. Got it? Good.

If you chose A, here is your character and setting.
Air Force Pilot
1800's
Africa

If you chose B...
Mother of three
Future
On top a skyscraper

If you chose C...
School Teacher
Medivial Times
On a ship

If you chose D...
Undercover Agent
Modern Times
Paris

And there ya have it. Let yourself think about it for a while and have fun coming up with a great story. Post it on your blog, then come back here next Wednesday to sign Mr. Linky and let us read your story.

Have FUN!!!