Telltale Signs

Did you ever take a shortcut while performing a chore because your heart wasn't in it? Perhaps stuck something in the dishwasher even though you knew it was at risk to warp or melt, or wore a new shirt while doing a task that might ruin it thinking you can be careful enough not to get grease, food, hair color (you get the idea) on the spanking new fabric.

Write a scene from the first person point of view depicting an episode where lack of good judgment leaves behind a telltale sign.

Abandoned House

Describe the outward appearance and grounds of a well-maintained house in a paragraph or two.

After you've completed this exercise, describe the same house after being abandoned for a month, then a year and then 25 years later.

A Child's Love

Place your adult stick-in-the-mud character with all the personality of Scrooge in a situation with a loving accepting child that doesn't seem to notice the negative qualities.

Just Around the Corner

Story starter: Develop a story based on this sentence.

The cool night breeze tugged at her hair as she slipped around the corner into the shadows.

Oh My Aching...

Ever go to a theme park and walk around all day in the heat?

How about lifting a box that's too heavy, or a wet dog that struggles and jerks you around as it slips from your arms?

Maybe it's a weather pattern that spurs a sinus headache.

Pick a body part from the waist up and one from the waist down. Now add a pain and write two short scenes. Remember to show the pain not just tell it.

Boxes in the Attic

While in the moving process, I came across boxes I had moved 17 years ago. I didn't have a clue what was in them until I opened each one. Place your character in an attic where they find a box. When they open what do they find? How does it change their life?

Haste Makes Waste

Haste makes waste, a stitch in time saves nine and other such sayings originated somewhere for a reason. Really they make sense. Choose one of these familiar sayings and develop a story line that teaches one such moral. Make up one of your own or use one of the old standbys.

Possible ideas:

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Don't count your eggs before they're hatched

A penny saved is a penny earned

Haste makes waste

A stitch in time saves nine

What Happens Next

You've been short with your spouse and in a frenzy getting the house ready for dinner guests. Why does the time run out before the things to do? The doorbell rings, and you slip your shirt over your head before you whip the door open. You force a smile but not for long--build a scene based on this bit of information.

Cartoon Character

Cartoon characters' actions and reactions are exaggerated for effect. Watch a cartoon and follow a cartoon character through a scene. Jot down actions and reactions as you see them. Develop your favorite into a scene.

In the News

Some days the news can seem stranger than fiction. Last night I heard a sad story about a family pet being killed by a coyote. The owner of the pet is funneling her grief to make a law that if a dangerous animal is in an area that SOMEONE must let the residents know.

Find an unusual news clip and use a few of the details to write your own story.

Stinky Socks

Sense of smell is one often overlooked when writing. For practice and a few laughts, develop a scene around a pair of stinky socks.

Describe the Sky

Describe this sky in one sentence and use it in a paragraph.

Tee Shirt

People express themselves by what they wear. Schools make rules and establish dress codes to control the environment while adults display sayings and photos. Dress your character in a tee shirt with detail and make it part of the story.

Road Trip

I've had stories published that were the direct result of a writing prompt. In fact, the first story I ever had published came about when I incorporated three different writing prompts as a challenge. Following those prompts helped me discover a story of murder and mystery that I didn't know was in me. With that in mind, today's prompt contains five elements to choose from in a scene regarding a road trip. This one is wide open. I can see that it could easily incorporate humor or horror! Or just a slice of life with a moral. Let me know what YOU find.

Pumping Your Muse Writing Prompt

Write a scene involving a 9 hour road trip that turns into a 12 hour road trip. Choose three details below to incorporate:

Two vehicles

Two families (one with children, one without)

One drives a van pulling a trailer (what kind of trailer is up to you. Anything from camping, horse or other livestock, to a moving trailer)

Top goal, get through a major city before rush hour

A family pet (your pick)

Have fun!

Opposites

The Odd Couple, Felix and Oscar were a good example of two very different people trying to function as a household. One a slob and the other a neatnick. Write a scene with two main characters. Give them opposite personalities and put them into a stressful situation.

Possible scenarios:

Moving
Having people over for the first time

What's the Weather Going to Be?

Write a scene with characters who have special plans. Base the outcome of their plans on the weather. Will it be rain? Snow? Hot? Cold?

Sports

Sports--fun, stress, and more.

Write a scene at a sports event from two points of view. The first from the player's POV and the second--the same scene from a spectator's POV.

The Haircut

Write a story centered on a haircut. It can be a makeover, or a bad hair day, funny or not. Haircuts are something everyone experiences. This can be a true story or a work of fiction.

Story Starter

Tires screeched. Acrid smoke seeped into the car. Tory opened her eyes...

Flashlight

Choose one of these settings and add a flashlight.

Basement
Side of a dark road
Under the hood

The Drill

The sound of a drill--high pitched, low grind--what one hear helps prepare for what they see. Write a story based on the sound of a drill.

Fire!

It's the time of year here in SW Florida when the fire danger is high. Recently, 400 acres burned a couple of miles from my home. Ash fell from the sky like large grey snowflakes. If the fire department knocked on the door and told you that you had to evacuate, what would you do? Would you leave or try to save your house? What would you take with you, if you had to leave within 10 minutes?

The Light Switch

Write a scene involving a light switch. Bloody fingerprints smeared across the switch plate, or a light that doesn't come on. It's up to you. The only requirement is that the light switch is part of the story.

Your Feet

Describe your feet. How do they feel? How do they smell? Write a brief description, add it to a character and use it in a brief scene.

These Three Words

Write a scene incorporating these three words:

field
truck
haircut

Shadows

Sometimes shadows offer shade, other times they might be mysterious or scary. Many times, they may misdirect. A character may see a shadow and think they are being followed, when in fact it is something else. Shadows are dark areas or shapes produced by something between rays of light and a surface. What that shadow portends depends on the writer. Whether it is something good or bad, shadows can be used to strike strike an emotion in the reader.

Light and shadow are devices used to create mood in writing. It's a way to engage your reader emotionally as people tend to respond to light or a lack of light in a feral way. Well lit areas are deemed safe, while dimly lit areas give people the creeps. Shadows bring with it a sense of sadness, gloom, or even an ominous feel promising something to dread.

Today's writing prompt

For today's writing prompt, introduce a shadow. If you don't know where to start, have a character spot a shadow twice. They think someone might be following them. Here's what you need to include:

• Why do they think they are being followed? (Facts)
  
• What do they think is the reason someone may be following them? (Backstory)
• What do they do about it? (Plot)
• Add conflict (this can be internal or external)
• Resolve the conflict.
• Reveal the shadow.
  

 

Emotions

Write a scene describing the emotions experienced when a long awaited piece of mail arrives. It is an acceptance or denial?

Possible scenarios:

Student hearing from a college
Writer hearing from a publisher

Blessing or Curse

Write a scene where the character gets what they've always wanted, but not with the result (or perhaps in the way) they were expecting.

You may write it as general fiction. For example: a young woman longs to be married and her desire is fulfilled. However, the reality of everyday life makes her wish for the days when she had more freedom.

Or, you can take more of a fantasy, thriller, horror route. I think of Stephen King's Thinner.

Notice in Your Mailbox

Write a short story about receiving a notice informing that a package awaits your character at the post office. Why couldn't it be delivered in the mailbox? Did it require a signature, or perhaps was too big to fit into the mailbox. Build the anticipation and bring the story to a close with opening the package.

Essay Contest at the Dabbling Mum

ESSAY MUST START WITH THIS BLURB:
"Standing out on the deck, observing the birds in flight, and admiring the view..."

All entries must be received by July 1, 2006, no later than 8 p.m. Central Time Zone.
A new contest will be posted by the 10th of the following month!

Submit Your Winning Essay!

Subject: Essay Contest Entry
Your full name:
Your email address:
Your complete address:
(Required to send prize.)
Your phone number:
(Required in case email bounces or prize returns.)
Please tell us how you found us?
Paste your descriptive, story-telling essay using the following format:
(1) Tell us if the essay is hypothetical, made up, or true,
(2) Your 500-600 Word Essay
* If your essay is longer or shorter, it WILL be disqualified.
(3) Your Web Address (optional)
Send your email to:

* Please type this email address into your email program.
It is a .jpeg and not clickable; to prevent spam.

See: http://thedabblingmum.com/contests/essay.htm for all the details

A Bell Tolls

In the steeple of a little village church a bell hangs, but doesn't ring as often as it once did. Tell the story of this bell.

Forbidden Fruit

Way back to Eden, humans desired what they should not have, taste, touch, or look at. Write a scene with a character lusting after something off limits. If you can't think of something, choose one of the following:

dieter--a food they are not to eat
man or woman--someone else's date
teenager--a father's '69 Corvette

Natural Inspiration

In my book Pumping Your Muse you'll find an exercise called "One Inch Tall." In that chapter, I explain how a drainage ditch inspired a whole new world. That world not exists as the soon-to-be-released Windwalker. As I went for my walk this morning, I snapped a picture of the drainage ditch where it all started. Imagine yourself one inch tall, and see where it takes you.

Battleship

Create a scene involving two ships at battle. These can be seafaring ships, space ships or any other type of ship your imagination conjures up.

Low Battery

Write a story about a low battery in one of the following:

Cell phone
Flashlight
Camera
Car

Story Starter

The young girl huddled in the shadows of the pub. Her dark, disheveled hair hung in her eyes.

"She ain't talkin'," the barkeep said as he swiped a dirty rag over the worn wood counter. "Don't know where she's from...who's her people." He shrugged.

Favorite Dish

Describe your favorite dish. Entree or dessert. Smell it, taste it, feel it. Mm. Make the reader want some.

Hamburger Joint

Depict a visit to a hamburger joint back in the 50's. What's the floor look like? Is there a counter with stools? Is music playing? Is it crowded? Have a blast with the past.

Comic Book Story

Comic books tell stories in frames. Dialog shows in balloons and sounds are written out in letters like ZONK. Write a story in Comic Book Form. Make each short paragraph a frame.

Home Improvement

Write a scene depicting a home improvement project. It can be a small task or a large refurbishment job. Write the story from one character's POV.

The Boat

Place your character in a charter boat leaving the dock for a day of fishing. A small group of people and one charter captain head out to the great unknown. Describe the day. Be sure to include the sense of smell and sound.

Missing Day

You character opens their eyes and blink in the early morning sunlight. What time is it anyway? Have them start their morning routine and discover they've missed a day.

Blurred Vision

Your character rubs their eyes. They strain to focus, but their vision is blurred. What are they trying to see and why?

The Gym

Place an overweight, middle-aged character at the gym among fit twenty-somethings. Music blaring, face paced instructions and the latest equipment create a frenzied pace. Write a humorous piece from this character's POV.

One More Thing

Create a scene where your character is trying to get out the door for an appointment, but has one more thing to do first. Do they get side-tracked, run late, experience a mishap?

Can That Be?

You're running late. A pickup hauling a trailer stops, blocking traffic. Your blood pressure flares and then you notice the driver getting out. Can that be who you think it is?

Nursery Rhyme

Think of your favorite nursery rhyme. What did you like about it? Incorporate that element in a short scene.

One-Sided Conversation

In this day of cell phones, it's not uncommon to overhear someone speaking on the phone. For this exercise, let the reader hear one side of a conversation. Mislead the reader to think one thing only to hit them with a different reality at the end.

Smoke

Smoke, the smell of can evoke good feelings or bad. It warns us to run, or it can invite us to the cookout in the back yard. Use the scent of smoke to usher your reader into a scene.

That Old Song

Sitting at an outdoor cafe, your character listens to the musician strumming a quiet song. It's that same old song . . ..

Write about the memories and where they are today.

Point of View

I sat at a traffic light watching an Osprey fly overhead, carrying a fish in its talons.

Tell this story from the driver's POV, the Osprey's POV and then the fish's POV.

Animal Talk

Animals communicate with a language of their own. I have one parrot that squawks if I'm at the other end of the house because he thinks he's being left out. Cats purr when they're happy and hiss when they what to frighten us. Dogs wag tails, bark, whine, snarl and bare teeth.

Write a scene involving an animal trying to get a message across to another character (animal or human).

(For those of you old enough to remember: Think of how many times Lassie saved the day! Or in the same era, the horse Fury who also saved the day. Or, Rin Tin Tin!)

Christmas Memories

Most publications want seasonal stories 6-9 months in advance. So what better time to think of Christmas. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, you'll have a story to tell. This can be a fictional story based on a true story, or a slice of life vignette from your past.

Wood Stove

Do research on wood stoves, learn how they work and incorporate one into a scene. It can be present day or a blast from the past.

It's Time

Some people go into labor and make it to the hospital with little drama. For today's prompt, write a scene about a woman in labor. The baby's coming. Where is she? Will she make it to the hospital? Are there other children involved? A husband or boyfriend? The scene you write should be filled with drama.

A Cup of Coffee

Write a scene involving a cup of coffee. It can be the first cup in the morning, a meeting with a friend at a local coffee shop, or coffee on the run. Anything is fine, as long as it includes a cup of coffee. Be sure to include the senses of taste and smell.

Long Time No See

Create a scene that reunites two or more people after years. However, this is not your typical reunion. Let it ignite anger, horror and similar negative emotions.

Hungry

Write a scene that shows your character is hungry. Don't tell it--show it.

TV Commercials

Pluck a character from a TV commercial and build a story around them. Surf the channels and find one that works for you. Can you imagine the lady that's "got to go, got to go, got to go right now" running in your imagination to or from the situation of your making? Have fun.

Crossing on the Ferry

Do a bit of research on ferries to find a tidbit or two you didn't know. Incorporate the new information in a short scene.

A Walk in the Park

Take your imagination for a stroll in the park. What do you see, smell and hear?

Sounds of Morning

Describe the sounds of morning as the world around you comes to life.

Last Sentence

Write a scene or short story making this the last sentence:

A pair of pelicans glided over the glassy sea reflecting the fading orange halo of the setting sun.

Failure

Failure, whether real or perceived, can make people stronger or send them spiraling into the depths of depression. Write a scene depicting a character dealing with failure.

I'm Late, I'm Late

Remember the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland? Always in a rush, disruptive and late. Base your character on a fictional character from children's literature. If you can't think of one, use the rabbit.

World War II - Rations

Write a scene depicting life when rations pushed people to make due with what they had. Make it a story of a special day when family gathers.

Mmmmm, that Looks Delicious

Write 1-3 paragraphs about a favorite dish. How does it smell, taste and look?

This Day Couldn't Get Any Worse

Imagine one of those days. Nothing goes right. You know the ones I mean. Like when you spill coffee on your shirt on your way to an important interview. Write a scene where one incident after another builds into a perfectly horrible day. But here's the kicker. Write it with humor.

Bubbles, Butterflies and Falling Leaves

What do bubbles, butterflies and falling leaves have in common? They gently ride air currents. Watching them initiates a calming, and more peaceful mindset. Choose a character mindset below:

irate
depressed
worried or anxious

Now position this person in a place where bubbles, butterflies or falling leaves catch their attention. What happens?

Gravestone

Place your character in a cemetery standing before a worn gravestone. What does it say? Use the inscription to create a flashback to the real story of the person buried there.

Waiting for the Call

Write a scene with a single character waiting for a call. Let us see the anticipation. Will they experience butterflies and sweaty palms, or does dread stir nausea, dry lips and a pale pallor?

White Roses

The lights dimmed and with the hoist of the curtain a sparsely furnished stage blurred as Angela focused on the vase of white roses on the small table at the back of center stage. She’d ordered white roses. Did they actually get them? Could this be her ticket back stage?

What led to this moment?

Or?

Who does she hope to meet backstage…and does she meet them?

Creaky Floorboards

Twilight scattered charcoal clouds scuttling along the horizon. The old house took on a surreal quality as shadow swallowed the diminishing sunlight. Floorboards overhead creak. Your character thought they were alone? Who or what could be upstairs?

Dreaded Bug

Showing fear in our writing can be a challenge. Choose your least favorite insect and write a scene where you come in contact with the varmit. Write it from the bug's POV.

Cough

The doctor asks her patient to cough.

You hear a cough from another room.

The man in the park takes a drag on his cigarette and coughs.

Coughs tells a story. Write yours.

Where Are You?

Describe what's around you. Furnishings or landscape, smells and sounds. Provide a sense of space. Are you crowded by stacks of paper or sitting on a park bench beneath a magestic canopy of oaks.

Sunburn

Sunburn tells a story. Does it ruin a vacation, or prove your character went on vacation to a sunny place? Did your character in fact get it on a vacation get away or standing on the beach for a wedding? Use sunburn to introduce your character and tell the story of how they gained their telltale sunburn.

A Visit with the Dabbling Mum

Today is my son's wedding, so I'm scurrying about like a mad woman. Instead of a writer's prompt, today I'm taking the opportunity to share a mini interview with Alyice Edrich, a successful writer and stay at home mom. I've received her newsletter for years and wanted to take this opportunity to share a bit of her expertise with my readers.

Donna: What amount do you think is realistic for a first year income of a stay at home mom initiating a freelance writer/editing business?

Alyice: That truly depends on the mom’s “get up and go.” It’s really hard juggling mom duties with working out of the home. There isn’t a boss keeping you on your toes and most deadlines are self-perceived deadlines or deadlines given to the writer from a client that he/she usually never sees.

If mom has never been published before, she’ll need to learn the ropes of the industry and fine-tune her writing skills. If the mom has been published in the past, and knows the industry ropes, she’ll have an easier time jumping in and making an immediate dent in her annual goal.

I have a colleague, Shirley Jump, who wrote for both business clients and magazines. Today she is an award-winning romance author. When I first began my writing career, I told her how frustrated I was with the way magazines work: query, wait forever to get a response, get rejected, send out another query, finally get an acceptance, wait weeks (sometimes months) to get your piece published, and only then do you receive a check from that publication. I knew there had to be another way and I was determined to find it. She told me to join the local chamber of commerce, introduce myself, and start working on business materials. She said, “businesses are my bread and butter money.” What wonderful advice for anyone starting out as a freelance writer.

She gave me a wonderful article to share with women starting their freelance careers. It’s a blueprint to help women earn $1,000 per month from their writing. You can read it
here:"

You don’t have to stick to writing magazine articles or articles for trade publications. There are so many ways you can use your writing talents.


Donna: Do you schedule your work time/family time?

Alyice: I am a big “scheduler” but over the years I have learned to tone down quit a bit. Sometimes, things that are scheduled get cancelled and if you schedule too many things you can feel so overwhelmed with your “to do list” that nothing gets accomplished.

On my desk, I have a large calendar. When open flat, it shows me a week at a glance, with each date having time slots from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. I use this calendar for both my business and home life. I schedule in doctor’s appointments, school functions, business meetings, business deadlines, personal deadlines, and I even pencil in “wish I could do” things like attending the theatre (penciling those in allows me to erase if I can’t afford them or something else comes up).

When my children were younger, I worked around them. As they got older, I could tell them, “this is mommy’s work time” and ask that they play quietly until I was done or watch a video in their bedrooms. Now that my children are both of school age, I try to do my work when they’re at school. Sometimes, I can’t complete everything so I’ll work when they get home from school, too. (Which is more than I care to like since I am a bit of a work-a-holic.)


Donna: How do you measure the effectiveness of your marketing?

Alyice: I am terrible about measuring the effectiveness of my marketing tactics, and even worse at measuring the effectiveness of any ads I place.

Some businesses use special extensions on their phone numbers, special toll free numbers, special post office boxes, or special landing pages to measure the success of specific marketing and advertising tactics.

When working with online media, you can measure the effectiveness through your stats counter. The key is to get a stats counter that counts more than the last 100 entries (which most free stats counters do).

A good article to read on this topic is:

Making Marketing Measure Up
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_50/b3912109.htm


You can visit Alyice Edrich at Dabbling Mum Press (http://thedabblingmumpress.com to order a work-at-home e-book, or visit her online publication for BUSY parents at Dabbling Mum (http://thedabblingmum.com/busness/index.htm).


Catch up with Alyice by making another stop on her blog tour… here
Here.

Garage Sale Treasure

Bring your character to a garage sale where they find a special item. Why is it special? Do they share the fact with the person selling it, or try to hurry up and buy it before the seller changes their mind? Write this scene from the first person POV. Convey the emotions your character feels and include at least one other sense.

Here Comes The Bride

The big moment, the organ plays and the entire congregation turns to watcth the bride head down the aise. Write a scene depicting events leading up to this moment.

Babysitter

Inviting a stranger into the home is uncomfortable, but the babysitter in your story was recommended by the grocery clerk. Write a scene from: (choose one)

the mother's POV as she opens the door and sees the babysitter

the father's POV as the babysitter steps into the kitchen

the child's POV when they first lay eyes on the babysitter

the babysitter's POV when meeting any of the above

Write the piece in first person and me sure to include sensory information. What dose the character see, smell, taste, and hear?

The Toy Room

Growing up, my cousins had one room for all their toys. At first I thought it was a great idea, because it contained the picking up process. However, we were not allowed to step foot over the threshold with a toy in hand. I felt sorry for the toys.

Write a scene from a toy's POV, either from your childhood or the toy room above.

Pets

People love pets or find them distasteful. A few even walk the fence of Pets are okay as long as they stay outside mindset. Write a scene involving two characters--one that loves animals and one that thinks they are okay as long as they are served in hot grilled portions. For fun, add a pet or two.

Cleaning the Garage

Place your protagonist in a garage full of junk. He/she has just purchased a new car and has resovlved to get it into the garage. What happens? Do they get lost on memory lane as they come across old momentos, or do they get fed up and toss everything to the curb?

Long Time No See

Write a scene depicting a reunion between two people that haven't seen each other for at least 25 years.

Broken Tooth

Your character has an important meeting planned. Business, romantic or something other--it doesn't matter. Right now, they're in a hurry, stop for a quick bite to eat and break a tooth.

Write a scene showing the preparation for the appointment, the broken tooth details and how or if the meeting takes place.

Story Starter

Start a story with this sentence:

The full moon spread cascading shadows across the newly fallen snow like a patchwork quilt.

Flirting

Body language says a lot. How do people know if someone is flirting? Paint a scene where two characters interact. Show flirting (either blatant or innocent), and the response. Does it lead your character to a romantic encounter, or an emotional tangle that holds them in a black-widow type web?

Sportsmanship

Write a scene where athletes participate in a contest or game. Choose one player and show his sportsmanship qualities, good or bad.

Dare

Create a character living a mundane life, but doesn't realize it. In fact they live day to day satisfied with their rut, until a friend dares them to do something. The acceptance of this dare will change the rest of their life.

Choose one or create your own:

accepts a blind date

goes to a spa for a week

attends a Star Trek convention dressed as a Klingon

The Road

Roads and streets are part of every world. Set a scene along an unpaved road. Show the time of year without telling the season. Incorporate smells and sounds to create a vivid image of the era.

Creative Excuses

Your character is expected to attend: (choose one)

a wedding

party for work

Dinner at the neighbor's

or the event of your choise

Write a scene showing your character creatively trying to get out of the above obligation.

Stranger than Fiction

I'm a fan of Sci-fi and Fantasy. Did you ever wonder where writers come up with ideas for their mythical creatures. How do they make them believable? Take details from one or more of the following sea creatures and put them together to make your own. I'd love to see what you come up with on this one. Don't bother with extensive research. Grab interesting facts and use them. For example, the smooth dogfish can change color.

Sea urchin

Octopus

Eel

Smooth dogfish

Spiny dogfish

You Smell Smoke

The smell of smoke can trigger good thoughts. The aroma of pine burning in a fireplace after Christmas or around a campfire. But, if you're in your home and the odor of an electrical fire permeates the house and panic shoots through your limbs it's a different story. You run to warn others that fire is a real threat. Write a scene based on the smell of smoke. Is the smell of smoke a good thing or a scary thing. Show the reader what to feel.

Important Phone Call

The scene opens with a phone ringing. Your character doesn't quite get to the phone before the answering machine kicks on. An unfamiliar voice announces exciting news.

What happens next? Do they grab the phone and talk before the machine clicks off? Do they miss the call? Can't quite understand the phone number on the tape? What else could possibly happen?

Dream Comes True

Your character wakes from a dream (good or bad), and the following day sees it unfold in reality. Do they try to change the outcome? Can they change the outcome? Or, does trying to change it actually fulfill the prophetic dream?

Sounds of Winter

I grew up in the Midwest, north of the windy city. Winter winds howled and snow crunched under my feet. Snow plows blades scraped to the pavement trying to keep up with what Mother Nature decided to deliver. Today I'm in Florida. Winter sounds mean crowded restaurants (as the snowbirds flock for their annual escape), children playing basketball in the park and voices calling to each other over the surf.

Write a scene that includes at least one sound showing the time of year is winter.

Wet Dog

Write a scene from a wet dog's point of view. What the dog's doing, where it's headed, and what it's thinking are up to you. Have fun with it.

Benchmark Birthday

My sister turned 50 years old yesterday, and her friends at work decorated her cube with all kinds of "over the hill" memorabilia. Birthdays can be special, depressing, or something to be ignored. Write a benchmark birthday scene, showing how your character feels as they go through their special day.

Weather

Write a scene showing the weather. Choose one of the following:

picnic

football game

walk in the woods

driving down a country road