Weekly Writing Challenge 01!

[L]

Starting with this one (quite obviously!) I'm going to be posting a writing challenge of the week. These are exersizes that don't take too terribly long, but are helpful for developing and enhancing your writing skills.

This week's challenge: Who Am I?

Rules: Create a character from the one of pictures given. If you know who, or what the, the picture is actually of- don't divulge that information, and in fact, don't use it. Create an -original- character for the person based only on the picture. Follow the directions for the exersize and post your entry for it as a reply to this message.

Pictures:
www.labarc.com/Forum/Exersizes/01/writers16.jpg [/img]

This is one of about 27 pictures up for use- you can find the pictures here: www.labarc.com/Forum/Exersizes/01/ in this directory.

Please either post a link to which picture you are using or the picture itself in your entry, so that we can see which person you are writing the character from.

Pictures are used without permission as they were found all over the web, for the purposes of this exersize only. We have no idea who half these people are.

10 Questions to answer:

1. What is the character's name?

2. What is he doing in the picture?

3. How is he feeling at the moment this picture is taken?

4. What is(are) the dominate personality trait(s) of this character? (Example: Shy, serious, cranky...)

5. How would society as a whole treat this character? Would he/she be well liked by his/her peers?

6. Does anyone love this character? Who, and why or why not?

7. Does this character have any enemies? Who are they?

8. What does this character do for a living?

9. Where does the character live?

10. What is this character's terrible secret? What would happen if others found out?

Optional:
Write a short story story or a poem starring the new character you have created.

[Deleted]

www.labarc.com/Forum/Exersizes/01/writers16.jpg

Name: Jo (they think)

What is he doing in the picture: It is an observational picture taken in his weekly interview at the home.

How is he feeling at the moment the picture was taken: His mind is a jumble of maddness and flashbacks, its hard to say.

What are the dominat personality traits of this character: He is a scitzophrenic. He has over 20 split personas. He tries to reflect the personalitys of theose he cherished as a child.

How would society treat this character: He is locked away from scociety. He is tested on his mind frequently. He is seen asd a big experiment.

Does anyone love this character: No one knows the real him

Any enimies: No

Where is his home: He lives in a private institution for suvere mental patients.

Story:

Jo was sitting at the hard oak wood desk. He contemplated why his but was so squishy against the chair. It was one of those wierd thaughts he had, right before his mind went blank.

There it was, complete silence. Flash backs rolled throught his head. Screams, yells. The hand, the same hand that had haunted him throughtout his entire life. The pushing and shoving had. The tugging and throwing hand, before it went limp. The great fire, burned on in his mind. He knew the hand had belonged to his mother. That she had saved his life. Right before the fire claimed hers and everyone elses he loved. BUt now it was just another thread in the jumble of tangeld thaughts.

"Jo....Jo, what are you thinking about?" It was Doctor Minerva, she knew it was silly to ask a mental patient their thaughts, but she could see a hidden sanity, a knowledge in the dark depths of his mind. If only she could unlock it.

Jo sat,as his mind switched back into the torents of jumbled thaughts again. He settled into his mothers mind frame, the last thaught he had seen before he was disturbed.

The doctor let out a saddened sigh and spoke into a tape machine. " My patient has switched to persona 17."


I'm not sure how acurate it is, but I think its pretty good for a 12 year old.

[Deleted]

he he, that was fun, all do it. ;D

[L]

1. What is the character's name?

Samuel Wu

2. What is he doing in the picture?

He is walking home from visiting his granddaughter.

3. How is he feeling at the moment this picture is taken?

Samuel is sad, because he's thinking about the old days. Seeing his granddaugther and her young friends reminded him of his youth, and he's a bit melencholy thinking about how many years have passed.

4. What is(are) the dominate personality trait(s) of this character? (Example: Shy, serious, cranky...)

Samuel is an honorable and helpful man, who has grown very wise in his older years.

5. How would society as a whole treat this character? Would he/she be well liked by his/her peers?

Samuel has a group of close friends and associates that respect him greatly. He also attends a Buddhist temple regularly. Society as a whole, however, sees him as 'just another old man'.

6. Does anyone love this character? Who, and why or why not?

His family (son, daughter in law, and granddaughter) love him very much. His wife loved him- but she died many years ago.

7. Does this character have any enemies? Who are they?
None left... that he knows of.

8. What does this character do for a living?
He is retired.

9. Where does the character live?
Southern California

10. What is this character's terrible secret? What would happen if others found out?
Samuel knows what few people know- that the monsters of the world are real. In his youth, Samuel was part of an elite force of demon hunters. His family doesn't yet know his special secret... but he is growing old... who should he pass his ancestral sword of demonslaying on to before he is done with this world?

Optional:
Write a short story story or a poem starring the new character you have created.

Samuel Wu strolled briskly down Main street, on his way home. His footfalls against the pavement were steadied, not hampered by his advanced age. At 78, Samuel was still in realtively good health- despite his careworn face and his skin that had grown cracked like a leathery parchment.

The afternoon was slightly chill, and he drew the brim of his baseball cap down in an attempt to warm his balding palate. He pondered as he walked, just how much time had passed since he was a young man, fighting an ancient ongoing war with skills he had learned from his father's father. Fighting against the demons, he'd learned many hard lessons of his own valor- and the failings of his fellows. One by one, their numbers had been reduced by age or failings, and the new recruits had been few and far between. Not many people these days believed in the old traditions- knew that there are things unseen by most that haunt the shadows and hunt the darkness within our souls.

Samuel studdied his hands a moment- hands that had hunted, hands that had killed. A roadmap of thin blue veins crossed them now, with liver spots marking the miles they had traveled since his youth. He thought of his young wife, taken far too soon from this world by a Fa'era demon, who had held those hands and kissed them softly. Soon, he would join with her again- reunited. Before his passing, Samuel had yet one great work for humanity to complete. He had to pass on his traditions- his family sword that could seek the heart of demons and the skills with which he had wielded the blade- to his grandaughter, Sian.

The young girl was no killer- in fact, she was a healer. Doctor Sian Wu saved lives, did not take them. Still, he hoped that she might lift this burden, carry with honor the name of her Grandfather Wu who had once fought the forces of darkness and was now aproaching his end. He had waited long years- hoping against hope that his son would bear a son, or another daughter, more likened in spirit to himself. But this gentle girl, with her soft hands and easy smile, was his legacy- his hope for immortality.

Samuel turned from his chosen path, and began to retrace his steps to return to his grandaughter's home. With each step he felt lighter, more full of hope. So entranced was he with his new-found decision , he did not hear the hiss from the shadows, nor see the scaly clawed hand emerge from the darkness, reaching for his throat....

[Lappi]

www.labarc.com/Forum/Exersizes/01/writers03.jpg

1. What is the character's name?
Seiko Johnson (*snort*)

2. What is he doing in the picture?
Seiko is eating Japanese food ^__^

3. How is he feeling at the moment this picture is taken?
He hates being on camera, so he isn't feeling very good, but then again, he's eating his favourite food ^__^

4. What is (are) the dominate personality trait(s) of this character? (Example: Shy, serious, cranky...)
This person is kind, although hates being on camera, video or non. He doesn't like portraying himself at all . . . so he doesn't like people drawing him either.

5. How would society as a whole treat this character? Would he/she be well liked by his/her peers?
He's kind and respectful to his peers, elders, and everybody else. *nods*

6. Does anyone love this character? Who, and why or why not?
No, but if you're talking about sea creatures, they don't like him much because he eats them >.>

7. Does this character have any enemies? Who are they?
CAMERAS!! Dun dun DUUN (Sorry, I'm fooling around a lot ;;;___;;; )

8. What does this character do for a living?
Seiko makes Japanese animation and makes the characters.

9. Where does the character live?
This character is American but is currently living in Japan, where he loves to be.

10. What is this character's terrible secret? What would happen if others found out?
He's frightened of getting his picture taken in any form. He kind of goes crazy and is trying to control his fear. If others found out, they'd probably have a few laughs . . . nothing too big, but not many people know.

Optional:
Write a short story story or a poem starring the new character you have created.

. . . I'll write it once Muse comes back and my sugar has worn down. *ahem*

[sollunaestrella]

www.labarc.com/Forum/Exersizes/01/writers03.jpg

1. His name is Eric.

2. He is eating and dreaming.

3. He is totally lost in thought, deaf and blind to everything that is going on around him...he is trapped in a land that no others can visit.

4. Eric often escapes into his own mind--he's very pensive, so he's often very oblivious. He's rather timid and generally serious, but he doesn't mind a good laugh now and then. He rarely smiles. He is also very independent and mostly enjoys solitude.

5. He's generally an outcast, but through no fault of his own...or anyone else's, for that matter. He just seems rather ordinary, sometimes strange, and is never given a second glance.

6. In terms of romantic love, he loves deeply, but his love isn't often returned. He moved away from his family long ago to pursue a career in acting, but it failed, and now, he is mostly on his own.

7. There are many people that he doesn't like, but they don't have any strong feelings whatsoever about him because they barely notice him.

8. When his acting career failed, he picked up a job bagging groceries...but that failed as well as he was always too spaced out. Now, he sometimes does a little woodwork when he feels like it, and he sells it.

9. Eric lives in a small city in a small house.

10. His most guarded secret is his still somewhat kindling hope of an acting career. Never again will he try, but he still hopes it. He knows that if anyone ever finds out, he will be laughed out of town...nobody would ever dream of shy, insignificant Eric being a famous actor.

Optional: not much of a story, but here goes:

The snow lingered in the air, floating as if the flakes soared on the wings of wind. The streets were dirty, covered in slush, as Eric wandered along the sidewalk. He was lost in a reverie; all those who passed merely passed him by, looking at him only to see the lost, despairing look on his face. Those who had seen him before could only recall from the depths of their minds that he looked familiar, and those who saw him often could only think indifferently, "There goes Eric, all spaced out and crazy again."

Eric was really in a lovely world, happy, glorious, yet everyone felt sorry for him.

"He's always alone," they whispered, "always away. He's awful poor, and alone too--he must long for comp'ny something terrible."

Most of this was untrue. Eric enjoyed his solitary life and thinking. His pensive nature was always seeming to cause trouble with those who ever took the time to notice and think about him.

He reached his house and absently went in. He had forgotten to lock it again--

And a disaster awakened him from his daydream.

The furniture was overturned, scratched and ripped. Apparently, nothing had been stolen, but a whirl of chaos taunted his eyes.

He couldn't think who would care to do this.

All of a sudden, a pang of loneliness seemed to bowl him over, and he needed to sit down. Dazedly, he righted the couch and sat.

Although he enjoyed a life by himself, he couldn't help hoping that he would someday be noticed in some way, and he couldn't help being happy that someone had cared to destroy his belongings. Even though he almost felt like crying, he didn't; he merely sat for a while, thinking.

When he became alert again, he sighed and fetched the newspaper from his mailbox. To his dismay, he saw that there was a vandal in his area that broke into houses.

Frustrated and unhappy, he went to his garage and worked on his carpentry for hours.

[Kiddo]

1. What is the character's name?

Andrew Neil Cole

2. What is he doing in the picture?

He's on a bus ride back to Yale after spring break. He rides the bus because he can't afford a car.

3. How is he feeling at the moment this picture is taken?

Tired and a bit lonesome. All his friends go to a different college so he's sad from leaving them all behind.

4. What is(are) the dominate personality trait(s) of this character? (Example: Shy, serious, cranky...)

He's rather stuck-up and self-absorbed. He never admits he's wrong and is convinced he's every girl's dream. Inside, he enjoys being around other people though he pretends to be happy as a loner.

5. How would society as a whole treat this character? Would he/she be well liked by his/her peers?

He's only liked by a couple people who've grown up around him. Girls detest his macho egotistical attitude and guys don't really pay attention to him.

6. Does anyone love this character? Who, and why or why not?

His family doesn't really pay attention to him anymore, but there's always that token love to a son. No significant others.

7. Does this character have any enemies? Who are they?

His enemy is a girl named Tabitha over at UCONN, one of his old childhood aquantices. They are both smart and computer majors so they regard each other as rivals. Tabitha is smarter than him and he knows it, so he secretly hopes something bad will happen to her.

8. What does this character do for a living?

Absolutely nothing yet. He's still in college.

9. Where does the character live?

At the dorms in Yale.

10. What is this character's terrible secret? What would happen if others found out?

He can manipulate his surroundings in what can conviently be called magic. He's working on a theory for why this exists but hasn't come up with anything definate.

Optional:
Write a short story story or a poem starring the new character you have created.

Andrew sat in his room alone, a small ball of light held in one hand. In the other, a pencil was poised, ready to take notes. He stared into the light, the yellow glow reflecting in his pupils. There had to be a reason for this, there had to.
"Andrew?"
He let out a startled yelp and the light vanished. He hurriedly shut the notebook and turned to regard his roomate who stared at him quizzically.
"What is in that thing anyways?"
"Nothing," he replied nervously, keeping on hand on the notebook protectively.
"Let me guess," his roomate said lazily, "it's a bunch of girlish poetry you write."
"Sure, that's it exactly. How did you know," Andrew replied with a roll of his eyes.
Inside he was breathing a sigh of relief.
"I can read minds," his roomate joked, flopping on his bed and pulling out a magazine.
"Of course."
And Andrew hurriedly left the room with the notebook still in his hand.

(couldn't resist putting some element of fantasy in there)

[lupe]

I'm stupid, I don't know anyone...

[sollunaestrella]

Jessie said:

I'm stupid, I don't know anyone...

Uh...you don't have to know anyone....

[lupe]

sol_luna_estrella said:

Uh...you don't have to know anyone....

Oh... Lol...

[sollunaestrella]

Jessie said:

Oh... Lol...

Yes...you create your own character using a picture; you don't have to write about who they really are. I actually know who one of them really is--that is, I'm pretty sure, but anyway...yeah.

[thephoenixofeio]

www.labarc.com/Forum/Exersizes/01/writers09.jpg
1. What is the character's name?
Meet Divon LaMarhe.
2. What is he doing in the picture?
Divon may simply seem to be painting from observation-but this painting is much more important than a glance would make one believe. His painting is going to make or break his future, for it is to be submitted to a space academy which is interested in artists willing to fly to the planet Niqcuoat to paint the incredible (and somehow photo-resistant) scenery.
3. How is he feeling at the moment this picture is taken?
Stressed, horribly stressed. Divon is a passionate artist, and when he is at the canvas, he frees his emotions with his paintbrush.
4. What is(are) the dominate personality trait(s) of this character? (Example: Shy, serious, cranky...)
Divon is a very calm and compassionate person, though he's a no-nonsense type of guy when it comes to artwork.
5. How would society as a whole treat this character? Would he/she be well liked by his/her peers?
Most people see Divon as an artist seeking to escape the real world with his canvas and paintbrush, and they disrespect him for that. These people think he does not have the proper disipline to do what they call "real" work.
6. Does anyone love this character? Who, and why or why not?
Divon's family and close friends are quite attached to him. Though this is a small number of people(his mother abandoned him and his father for another man, and he has only two friends), they see him for what he is-- someone who can reach into his own heart to make it through life in the best of spirits.
7. Does this character have any enemies? Who are they? Yes-the people native to Niqcuoat see Divon as a threat, because they plan to lure the citizens of Earth who wish to see the stunning planet there for a grand scheme...and a painter would endanger this plan.
8. What does this character do for a living?
Despite his obvious talent as a painter, Divon works at a luaou as a bartender.
9. Where does the character live?
In a small village in Hawaii.
10. What is this character's terrible secret? What would happen if others found out?
Unknown to the rest of the world, Divon is actually half-Niqcuoatian (but I'm not telling from which side ) .
Optional:
Write a short story story or a poem starring the new character you have created.

Divon, man of Earth
seeks to paint a universe
his world has not seen.

[snoogley]

www.labarc.com/Forum/Exersizes/01/writers11.jpg

1. What is the character's name?
Jason Lam

2. What is he doing in the picture?
Posing for a poster for the next round if the fighter tournaments.

3. How is he feeling at the moment this picture is taken?
Confident, he has to show it to scare his competitors of course.

4. What is(are) the dominate personality trait(s) of this character? (Example: Shy, serious, cranky...)
He is primarily competitive.

5. How would society as a whole treat this character? Would he/she be well liked by his/her peers?
He is laughed at by the other competitors for his smaller size and ignored for his great fighting talent.

6. Does anyone love this character? Who, and why or why not?
His mother who worries, and little Jenny in science.

7. Does this character have any enemies? Who are they?
Kong, a man much older then Jason. The one who beat him in the finals last year, and rubs it in whenever he can.

8. What does this character do for a living?
Other then fighting for money to help support his family, Jason is devoted to his studies.

9. Where does the character live?
In the slums of Hong Kong.

10. What is this character's terrible secret? What would happen if others found out?
His terrible secret is that he loves Jenny back, but would be made fun of by the other kids.

[roselladestiny]

[img src="http://www.labarc.com/Forum/Exersizes/01/writers26.jpg"]
1.What is the character's name?
Martin King Carvesdale (named after Martin Luther King Jr.)
2. What is he doing in the picture?
Martin was reading his newspaper. His six-year-old granddaughter, Truth (named after Sojourner Truth), attempted to sneak up on him to take his picture, but he looked up just in time. Martin is normally very camera-shy, but he decides to humor Truth.
3. How is he feeling at the moment this picture is taken?
Although he was trying to read the newspaper, Martin was secretly reminiscing his time as a soldier during World War Two. Martin gazes at Truth, thinking about how lucky she is and how glad he is that she has a chance to grow up in peace.
4. What are the dominant personality traits of this character?
While he was growing up, Martin was very carefree, courageous, and somewhat reckless (one reason he enlisted in the army.) After returning from Europe after the war, the way he saw the world changed. Martin has become more pensive and ofter reflects about the past, as well as the future, on rainy afternoons. After seeing what the Jewish people of the Holocaust had gone through, Martin has become more humanitarian. He spends a great deal of time helping the less fortunate, though he is far from wealthy himself.
5. How would society as a whole treat this character? Would he be well-liked by his peers?
Martin is regarded with respect by most who know him, partly because of his encounters during the war and his charitable actions. Ever since his wife, Corinna Rose, passed away, he spends less time socializing. Most of his close friends live far away and he rarely spends time with them.
6. Does anyone love this character? Who, and why or why not?
Martin is well-loved by his large family, including Truth. His generosity makes him an ideal role model and father/grandfather figure.
7. Does this characters have any enemies? Who are they?
While he made enemies of several Nazi soldiers during his war, none are alive that he knows of.
8. What does this character do for a living?
Martin was convinced to retire by his concerned family last year. He still enjoys gardening in his spare time and has kept the immense family garden full of luxurious, fragrant blossoms.
9. Where does the character live?
Martin lives in Baltimore, Maryland with his oldest son's family.
10. What is this character's terrible secret? What would happen if others find out?
Martin has serious thoughts of deserting the army after a taste of what real war was like (very different from his youthful dreams.) Though he never carried out this plan, the thought haunts him everyday. If others found out, they would either lose respect for him or have more for being able to control his fears.

[sollunaestrella]

snoogley said:

1. What is the character's name?
Jason Lam

2. What is he doing in the picture?
Posing for a poster for the next round if the fighter tournaments.

3. How is he feeling at the moment this picture is taken?
Confident, he has to show it to scare his competitors of course.

4. What is(are) the dominate personality trait(s) of this character? (Example: Shy, serious, cranky...)
He is primarily competitive.

5. How would society as a whole treat this character? Would he/she be well liked by his/her peers?
He is laughed at by the other competitors for his smaller size and ignored for his great fighting talent.

6. Does anyone love this character? Who, and why or why not?
His mother who worries, and little Jenny in science.

7. Does this character have any enemies? Who are they?
Kong, a man much older then Jason. The one who beat him in the finals last year, and rubs it in whenever he can.

8. What does this character do for a living?
Other then fighting for money to help support his family, Jason is devoted to his studies.

9. Where does the character live?
In the slums of Hong Kong.

10. What is this character's terrible secret? What would happen if others found out?
His terrible secret is that he loves Jenny back, but would be made fun of by the other kids.

Which picture...?