Character – Page 6 – Welcome to lizbooks.com

I laughed out loud at some of these characters. Take them a step further along. Choose the fighting giraffes or the silly night-time bird to motivate a story, script or poem.

What about the little guy who says “Allen? Allen? Allen?” Who is he calling? Why does he need him?

The dentist monkey? What makes this improvisation so funny? Write about this guy, his patient or both of them.

What if the rapping puffins and the neurotic owl meet?

Try your own version of voice-overs. Make your own movie and create the sound effects and dialogue.

Cut out magazine and newspaper photos of people and animals interacting. Don’t cut out the captions. Instead, write what they are saying to each other. The funnier the photos the better!

In 2011, find humor every where you turn. Humor wins contests and sells stories, books, magazines and newspapers. But most of all, humor is fun to read and to write.

January 2, 2011/0 Comments

Art, Character, children's books, Contests, Funny!

Create a Model for a Children’s Book

Look at this fabulous contest where kids used potatoes and created their favorite characters from children’s books! If you are a teacher or librarian you could try it too.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aj_fotos/sets/72157625109250067/show/

December 13, 2010/0 Comments

Character, Description

In the large cities of Italy, high fashion is everywhere. Women wear lots of leather, fur, (No! Say it isn’t true!) many styles of boots, some past their knees and all the way up on their thighs. Women wear many scarves doubled and tripled around their necks.

In the area where I live I’m known as the scarf lady. (No, not because I eat a lot food fast, although that would be what my husband would say . . .) I wear scarves to keep my neck warm. Now I’m attached to them and wear them year-round.

I love people-watching in Italy, especially those well-dressed and high-society women who wear such expensive and fashionable clothes. Who are they? What do they do to afford such outfits? Where do they live? What do their homes look like if their clothes are so fancy?

Writing Prompts:

1. What clothes are hanging in your character’s closet. What is his/her favorite piece to wear? Why is it his favorite? Are their memories associated with it? Where did he get it? When does he wear it? Is there anything quirky/funny about it?

2. Write a story set in a clothing store.

3. Write a story where an element of mystery has to do with what someone is wearing.

4. Write a poem about color, lace, or a specific style of clothes. Remember to be a specific with your word choice and senses as possible.

5. How does clothing enhance a character? Write a scene where clothing helps show the character’s mood and personality.

October 29, 2010/0 Comments

Character, Description, Funny!, Writing Prompts

Of Rats and Bling and shiny things

We’ve been awakened in the wee hours of the morning by the scritchings in our walls that tells us we’re not the only ones living under this roof. As I have fed birds in our front yard for years, I’ve kept the bird seed in the garage with no problem until last week.

Yes. Bird seed scattered everywhere. My husband, Mr. Duct Tape, used his usual solution. I warned him the silver stuff over cardboard would hardly stop the huge rodents we had wandering through our walls and garage. But at the moment, neither of us had time or supplies for anything more.

Sure enough, the next day we had another clean-up.

“We need to get a metal garbage can,” I said. Years ago we used to keep the dog food out there in a plastic can, but the rats ate a huge hole right through it.

“No,” said my husband, refusing to give in to either me or the rats. I still am not sure which. “We don’t have room for yet another garbage can out here.”

Garbage.

Paper and glass recycling.

Aluminum.

I saw his point, but I wasn’t thrilled about moving the bird seed into the living room either. And no way would I give up my beloved hobby. We were at a stand still and the rats were winning.

Later in the day, I had to visit the jewelry store with a broken clasp on one of my cheap thrift store finds. An older silver-haired gent with a voice that surely came from a radio or t.v. station, stood leaning over the counter.

“What I love about buying jewelry for her, is these fancy boxes,” he said, the necklace in front of him glittering so much I needed my sunglasses.

Wow. I could hardly take my eyes off of him. Silver hair. Tan. Fit in his tennis outfit. Gorgeous. Seventy? Perhaps older, but he would have been a hunk when he was younger. Who was he buying the beautiful diamond necklace for? I could picture her. She’d be a younger woman, also very slim and tan.

“Hey, I gotta move my car, ” he said. “I don’t want to have any scratches on it from car doors opening. I’ll be right back.” He ran out the door.

“Wow,” I said to the women behind the counter and the other woman customer. “He must not be married.”

Everyone in the shop laughed.

“I mean, let’s get real. He buys jewelry for her all the time?”

“Yes, he does,” said the jewelery sales woman. “And you’re right. They’re not married.”

I sighed. “Gee, I wish I could just get my husband to buy the garbage can I want.”

The hoots calmed down in the store by the time the gent came back in the store to take his jewels to his lady-friend. He told me he’d call my husband to give him some advice, but I declined his offer, smiling.

I didn’t want any bling. This guy had an expensive sports car. You just know it. Mr. $.

I’m happy if I get a shiny garbage can.

And today I’m thrilled. Why?

Neither of us got much sleep last night. The rats were at it again. More garage-cleaning this morning.

I looked at my husband and raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll get it,” said my husband.

Can’t wait to tell the ladies at the jewelry store.

Writing Prompts:

1. People watch. Imagine the story behind the story of various people you see on the street. Who are they? What are their back stories? Who are their mates? Do they have children?

2. Use a person that you see during your wanderings as a focus for a story, poem or personal narrative/essay.

3. Take a paper and pen to a coffee shop or other public place. Glance up now and then without staring. That way people won’t know you are writing about them. Describe a person, animal or object you see physically. Then imagine their emotional life. Next, throw them into a story. What is their problem? Their goal? Who is their antagonist?

August 28, 2010/1 Comment

Character, Writing Prompts, Writing Technique

Of Piercings and Bumper Stickers

The other day at the gas station, the middle-aged man filling up ahead of me had earrings hanging from every available space on both ear lobes. When he returned the nozzle with a click, I could see silver bling glittering from his eyebrows and nose too. His clothes were unremarkable. Polo shirt and shorts.

As he got into his compact car, I glanced at his bumper stickers. LISTEN TO CATHOLIC RADIO, followed by call letters. Another religious sticker emblazoned the other side of his bumper.

Writing Prompts:

1. How is the character you are writing about NOT a stereotype? Write a scene showing one side of your character and follow it up with something unusual or quirky.

2. Look for possible stereotypes within your manuscripts. How can you change this?

August 23, 2010/0 Comments

Character, Misc, Writing Prompts

Of Cars and Characters and Carmel

This weekend we spent time in Monterey with friends. Wandering the streets of Carmel, vintage cars of all makes, years, and varieties dotted the streets like colorful signs of years gone past.

A Packard

And from the future.

Who knows what this car is? We have no idea. But it’s sleek!

But the most fascinating part of the informal car “show” on the streets of Carmel, were some of the people who were attracted to the, um cars. (emphasis on um) While a friend of mine stared at a lovely Rolls Royce, I noted a tall, thin blonde busy taking photos with a professional looking camera.

“Look, Hilde!” I poked my friend and nodded toward the woman.

As Hilde and I watched, the perky blonde held a more captive audience than the actual car. In four-inch spiked heels, skinny jeans and a sparkly jacket, her long, straight hair swayed with her hips as she bent this way and that, leaned in for the best pictures possible.

“Do you think there is actually film in her camera?” I said to Hilde.

“She certainly is performing, isn’t she?” Hilde commented.

It was pure art. I had to admire her theatrical abilities. She captured the stage well.

We moved on, and a few cars later we noticed another gal – – a copycat. Only this model-like blonde wore a short-short colorful sundress, as she sashayed this way and that.

On this overcast, cool day, I was bundled up in pants, sweater and a coat. I felt sorry for the poor little thing. But she seemed to tolerate the weather well. Perhaps with all of her movement and energy, she hardly felt the cold. And I’m sure she’d be warm soon enough . . .

There were plenty of stories here this day. And characters leading us to them.

1. Write a story about one of these blondes. Who is she? What happens to her? Who does she meet? Perhaps the blondes find conflict with each other. Maybe they are already friends and in cohoots?

2. Write a story about one of the cars. What is its history? Who owns it? What is the owner’s story?

3. Plop one of your own characters into this setting. What happens?

August 17, 2010/0 Comments

Character, Writing Prompts, Writing Technique

What I Saw in Santa Cruz: How Your Characters Handle Responsibility and Guilt

. . . So before our favorite used bookstore opened in Santa Cruz last Sunday, we sat in our car and waited. Off in the distance, a woman walked her spaniel on a leash. The dog sniffed and then squatted. The woman looked away and pretended not to notice. When the dog finished with his messy business, she glanced his way and then they both trotted on.

Responsibility. How do the characters you write about deal with it? Do they care about others? Do they only care about themselves? What would they have done had they been the woman? Had they seen the woman?

What I was going to do was get out of the car and yell, “Would you like a paper towel?”

But my husband said, “It won’t do any good Liz.” I let this statement stop me.

What does your character do in this situation? Does she have guilt like I do over this? Does your character let this go or does she hold on to her guilt? What if she did do something and the woman reacted in a negative manner? Create a complete scene with this in mind.

Or write a scene about a character and how she or he deals with responsibility and guilt in the story you are creating. Have an action and a reaction. Remember to slow-down-the-moment for your character’s thoughts and feelings.

August 6, 2010/2 Comments

Character, Writing Prompts

Buzz Words Can Be Funny

Several years ago, when our son came home from his brainiac college, we picked him up from the airport and he talked about his life at his school.

His face lit up. “Mom, it’s the only place where you’ll be at a party and everyone will get in his heated discussion about integers. Can you believe it?”

Yes. My son had found his nitch.

Then he launched into descriptions of ideas, discussions, and projects he worked on. I froze. I swear I saw his mouth move. Words flew out of it. But what were they? I didn’t recognize one of them, save for a preposition or a verb now and then. But what about the rest of them?

What had happened to my son? He had come back with a whole new vocabulary. Nerd-smart-math and science buzz words. Jargon. And even real words that I’d never learn unless I took Advanced ThermoDynamics Calculus Applied Mathematics 999.

How could I begin to ask him questions? I was too far behind in his dialogue now to begin. So I just smiled and nodded and read his body language. He was happy and content; that’s all I really cared about.

Fortunately, my engineer math-minded husband was in the car too, so I could pump him for information once we were alone.

When the time came, I drew Bob aside. “So what was Tofer talking about on the way home?”

“You mean that story?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said. “Did you understand any of it?”

My husband smiled and shook his head. “Not a word.”

Writing Prompts:

1. Create a character with a passion or a specific career. Research that passion or career. What specific vocabulary and jargon go with that subject? Write a scene where your character interacts with others in that field. Or it could be funny where the character interacts with people NOT in her field, as what happened with my husband and me and my son. ( A fish-out-of-water experience.)

2. What are the buzz words specific to your field? How did you learn about them?

3. Create a story where a character pretends to be someone she or he isn’t. She/he has to fake her way through a career or hobby, but doesn’t know the buzz words. What happens?

July 26, 2010/0 Comments