EXERCISE: Plot bunnies?
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writercises Original posting Oct. 25, 2018
Just to get your brain working, here are six plot bunnies, ready to hop into your story. Pick a number from 1 to 6 if you like, or you can read through them and see what happens.
Let's see. 1. The characters are refugees, the genre is the affective plot: the tension between thoughts and feelings (a.k.a. rationality or compassion? That is the question). The scruple is "on the street, you meet a couple who have recently arrived from South America, and want to remain in the country illegally. They are destitute. Do you help them?" The plot is a mystery. And if you like, you might have a cell phone in your tent.
Nope? Okay how about this one?
2. Again, the characters are refugees. The genre, however is the disillusionment plot, the loss of ideals and consequent effects. The scruple is simple, "you owe the bank $4000 from a student loan. You have moved, and the bank has failed to trace you. Do you repay the loan?" The plot is that of a hidden base, a safe place. And the oddity? Well, there is an alien pet in your briefcase.
No? All right, here's another one.
3. Aha! The characters are explorers. The problem is that you have witnessed a crime. The genre is rites of passage, or life changes. The scruple? "Waiting at a bus stop in a downpour, you see a blind man attempting to cross the street. You are in a rush and see your bus coming. Do you offer to help?" The plot? A quest to get the X, a.k.a. a treasure hunt. And an oddity? Well, how about a cell phone in the bathroom.
Not that one either?
4. How about the police as characters? The problem is the beginning or the ending of school. The genre? The admiration plot, where an ordinary person wins through. The scruple is very short. You find an expensive pen in a public lounge. Do you keep it? The plot is that of travel, you meet a group, head for X, deal with blocks and attacks and problems on the way, and do you get there or not? For an oddity, well, you have an alien child in your locker.
That doesn't quite do it? All right...
5. The characters this time are traders. The problem is moving. The genre is that of the dude with the problem, an ordinary guy in extraordinary circumstances. The scruple? A childhood friend from overseas is in the country and wishes to visit you. You have not been in contact for 20 years and have little time or space. Do you extend your hospitality? The plot? Stranded in a strange place, the best advice you have is don't eat the purple ones. And the oddity is that there is a quilted snake in your locker.
That doesn't do it either? All right one more...
6. Aha. The character is a veterinarian, who has the problem that they have gained a new family member. The genre again is the affective plot, with the tension between thoughts and feelings, rationality versus gut feeling. The scruple is that a friend who is a strict vegetarian is coming for dinner. You're feeling proud of your bean stew until you remember that you used a beef stock. Do you keep quiet and serve the dish? The plot is that of shelter, any old port in a storm. And the oddity this time is that there is a gun in the living room. Remember the advice, if you hang a gun over the fireplace in act one, you need to fire it before the ending!
There you go. Random prompts to help make the stories go round!
WRITE!
Just to get your brain working, here are six plot bunnies, ready to hop into your story. Pick a number from 1 to 6 if you like, or you can read through them and see what happens.
Let's see. 1. The characters are refugees, the genre is the affective plot: the tension between thoughts and feelings (a.k.a. rationality or compassion? That is the question). The scruple is "on the street, you meet a couple who have recently arrived from South America, and want to remain in the country illegally. They are destitute. Do you help them?" The plot is a mystery. And if you like, you might have a cell phone in your tent.
Nope? Okay how about this one?
2. Again, the characters are refugees. The genre, however is the disillusionment plot, the loss of ideals and consequent effects. The scruple is simple, "you owe the bank $4000 from a student loan. You have moved, and the bank has failed to trace you. Do you repay the loan?" The plot is that of a hidden base, a safe place. And the oddity? Well, there is an alien pet in your briefcase.
No? All right, here's another one.
3. Aha! The characters are explorers. The problem is that you have witnessed a crime. The genre is rites of passage, or life changes. The scruple? "Waiting at a bus stop in a downpour, you see a blind man attempting to cross the street. You are in a rush and see your bus coming. Do you offer to help?" The plot? A quest to get the X, a.k.a. a treasure hunt. And an oddity? Well, how about a cell phone in the bathroom.
Not that one either?
4. How about the police as characters? The problem is the beginning or the ending of school. The genre? The admiration plot, where an ordinary person wins through. The scruple is very short. You find an expensive pen in a public lounge. Do you keep it? The plot is that of travel, you meet a group, head for X, deal with blocks and attacks and problems on the way, and do you get there or not? For an oddity, well, you have an alien child in your locker.
That doesn't quite do it? All right...
5. The characters this time are traders. The problem is moving. The genre is that of the dude with the problem, an ordinary guy in extraordinary circumstances. The scruple? A childhood friend from overseas is in the country and wishes to visit you. You have not been in contact for 20 years and have little time or space. Do you extend your hospitality? The plot? Stranded in a strange place, the best advice you have is don't eat the purple ones. And the oddity is that there is a quilted snake in your locker.
That doesn't do it either? All right one more...
6. Aha. The character is a veterinarian, who has the problem that they have gained a new family member. The genre again is the affective plot, with the tension between thoughts and feelings, rationality versus gut feeling. The scruple is that a friend who is a strict vegetarian is coming for dinner. You're feeling proud of your bean stew until you remember that you used a beef stock. Do you keep quiet and serve the dish? The plot is that of shelter, any old port in a storm. And the oddity this time is that there is a gun in the living room. Remember the advice, if you hang a gun over the fireplace in act one, you need to fire it before the ending!
There you go. Random prompts to help make the stories go round!
WRITE!