For week 3 of the course, we were writing 200-250 words that included description of our character, their location and something they might be doing. It was described as a paragraph of each thing, but it felt simpler to write it as a cohesive scene that dropped elements of each of those into it.
This is my second version because my character changed - so the character study from the last class isn't even the same person as this one. Things shifted as I was thinking about her. And after hearing about plot things adjusted again. I know all of these elements already, but it's refreshing the knowledge that I have and reinforcing how I should be handling the story. I'm always trying to rush ahead, write the scene, write the dialogue. But focusing on the character is giving me a good place to start that directs my story.
Late afternoon sunlight filtered through the dusty shop windows. They weren't dirty, it was just a constant battle to avoid the coating of dust and Becc didn't care to engage. She sat behind the counter on a high wooden stool, her sneakered feet propped on the highest rung, making a tabletop of her thighs. Atop the blue-jeaned surface sat open a worn copy of something or other that she'd probably read before. The title on the spine wasn't visible with the book open, and the print was too small for anyone who might have been near to read it. There was no one near right now.
She absently twisted a strand of hair near her ear as she sat engrossed in the words before her, her other hand hovered over the pages, ready to turn to the next. The bell above the door dinged, some might say happily, pleasantly at least, but Becc didn't look up from her place behind the counter. She never did. The person who came in couldn't know this, but Becc was well aware of their presence. She could even have described the new customer, in detail, if she had to. Even without seeming to pay any attention at all. It was a gift. And sometimes a curse.
No comments:
Post a Comment