PDG Alumni Challenge - Summer 2011

Exploring Characters

Where do you get your inspiration for characters? Are they modeled on you? ...someone you know? ...maybe a composite of others? That's great if the story is served by such a character, but what if the narrator is NOT like you or someone you know? How do you capture the voice?

For example, what if the character is the bad guy? I mean I don't consider myself to be a bad person, but I've written a couple pieces from the point of view of the villain. Downright creeped myself out too! At the same time, I experienced tremendous growth as a writer, because I had to see the scene through a different set of eyes. It just opened a whole new world of characters to explore.

For this challenge you will create a flash fiction piece of approximately 300 words. Your challenge is to write from the point of view of a character that is as different from you as possible or as different from what you would normally choose to write as possible. You may create your own flash fiction story or choose from one of the scenarios and possible characters listed below. Just make sure to choose a character that will challenge you to grow as a writer.

At the conclusion of your story, add a brief sentence explaining how this character is different from you. Do you feel like you captured the voice? How does this help you grow as a writer?

Scenario #1
A student gets caught cheating on a test.
The student
A fellow classmate - friend or foe
The teacher
Parent
Other?

Scenario #2
A man is shot while hunting (accident or intentional).
The victim
The shooter
An animal in the woods
Other

Scenario #3
A child is kidnapped.
The child
The kidnapper
The parent
A detective

Scenario #4
Create your own.
Character #1
Character #2
Character #3