Monday, November 22, 2010

Monday Moment #96: 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.)

This Monday Moment is on SNOW DELAY, just like everything else in the Seattle area (except my kids' school).

When it snows here, people freak out. Kind of funny, because I do too. Didn't used to be that way. I grew up in Montana. When I moved to the Seattle area (at 15) I was shocked by a couple of weather factors:
1) How warm the winter weather was. I think the first year we were here I never once zipped up my coat.
2) And, when it snowed, school was cancelled! What!?! This was unheard of where I came from. School had never once been cancelled for anything.

Here, there's this build up of excitement. Snow's coming! Kids go to bed (okay, and parents go to bed) excited then wake up eager to peek out the window to see if there's any of the white stuff.

This morning...

NOTHING

Honestly, not one stinkin' flake.

DISAPPOINTMENT

But THEN...what starts to happen? Small flakes spit from the sky. Kids eat breakfast. I pack lunches. Flakes get bigger. The ground is white.

Five minutes to bus time. Phone rings...

Nope. It's not a school delay.

More DISAPPOINTMENT.

Off to the bus stop. No bus. Waiting. Still no bus. And just when we think maybe we've missed an announcement...THE BUS.

Even more DISAPPOINTMENT.

But really, now I'm nervous I sent my kids to school. Will I be able to get them home? It's quite seriously a winter wonderland here.

And just for fun...my hummingbird friends.


Can you spot him in the photo below. He looks just like one of the rose bush leaves.


How about when he turns his head and you get that flash of red?


Really, depending where in the world you live (or what world you live in) all of our characters would have a different reaction to snow.

What does you main character think of snow and how would they react to it?

1 comment:

Wanda Vaughn said...

Beautiful pictures! We don't get much snow around here, so I'm afraid the snow would excite my mc like it does me!