Monday, August 9, 2010

Monday Moment #81: a writing prompt for your work-in-progress

(If you’ve already read this then skip past all the italicized blah-di-blah and start writing.) Monday Moments are writing prompts for your work-in-progress. They are questions that come from my experiences and are my favorite way to find out more about my characters. I find I learn a lot. Some of it I use. Some of it I don’t. But I always, always get to know my character(s) better just by answering the question. I hope you do too. )

I think everyone and their dog (and there was a dog at the conference, her name was Dusty) has blogged about being at the big conference last weekend. Everyone but me. *hangs head* But do I get a bit of a pass since I did blog and blog and blog some more while I was there?

No, not really.

Well, okay then. It's just how it is. (I promise I will get it done soon.) Re-entry has been busy, and the first chance I've had to do it was today. But guess what? I didn't. (But I am getting this Moment done.)

See, today instead of doing the "shoulds" I did the "wants" (the restful wants). I slept in until 7:15. Yes, I know that's sad, but that is sleeping in to me. I drank coffee. And perhaps had some bites of brownie with it (2 or 3 or 4 or more). Yes, I admit it.  I finished a fantastic book (TELL ME A SECRET by Holly Cupala). I watched a movie with my fam (Percy Jackson). Some kettle corn and M&Ms might have been involved. I also did a bit of snuggling with the hubby and the littlest girlie. And still their is one more movie on the agenda (Kick Ass).

It was a lovely day of wants with no guilt about the shoulds. None!

So...Hugs. Kisses. Time for movie number two. And apparently the second bowl of kettle corn the hubby just set between us. Well...okay! Why not?

If your character had a day of wants instead of shoulds, what would s/he do?

5 comments:

kah said...

Oooh, good one.
Something to ponder while I'm editing today.

I think my MC would want to go flying...oh wait no, that's what I want. Crap. ;)

C. N. Nevets said...

Well, as I'm juggling two WIPs right now because I'm insane, I will answer for both.

MC #1 of Real Stakes is rich enough and confident enough he doesn't do shoulds anymore, except when it comes to paying alimony. Given that his ex has a job and a husband with a job, he would enjoy skipping the alimony simply because its a should.

MC #2 of Real Stakes is governed by shoulds and loves it that way. The only want might be for more shoulds.

MC of Ennui and Malaise would have a really, really tough time with this one as it's in a lot of ways the very crux of the story...

Kjersten said...

When I realize I've got a long list of "shoulds" that aren't also "wants" I often step back and ask why the shoulds are shoulds. Do they have to be? If they do, then maybe they are really wants and how can I make them or approach them more as wants. Or maybe I'm making choices that don't fit enough with who I am and I ought to adjust what's a should.

Of course the best combo is when the shoulds and the wants are in cahoots.

Anyway, fun Monday Moment, Jolie.

And it was great to see you at the conference.

Sherrie Petersen said...

Well, I don't know about my character, but I would want to have a leisurely lunch with you in an outdoor cafe so we could catch up since we didn't do it in L.A.!! Next time :)

Cuppa Jolie said...

Karen - Perhaps you should ponder what your MC would want while you fly! And hey! You fly?

Nevets - Interesting on all three fronts! (All three sound like they have issues!)

Kjersten - So awesome to see you in LA, too! And, maybe it's just me, but I'm not sure I can ever make laundry a "want," although I do want clean clothes. Maybe it's a "should-want" to do chore (a cousin of cleaning the bathroom).

Sherrie - I WANT THAT, TOO! (unless it was here because it's way too cold...but a cozy coffee shop or cafe would do just fine)