Skip this part if you don't want to read my lame apology
Sorry for the radio silence... again. This semester has been crazy both in school and my personal life. That's besides the point. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving for our American people. If you live elsewhere, I hope you had a wonderful Thursday (without the Turkey bloating us Americans are dealing with).
Start here for the lame intro
One of the neat character brainstorming things I've seen lately are character Bucket Lists: the things your character wants to do before they die. I have my own bucket list with little things (publishing is on that list).
I've never written a bucket list for my characters because my characters aren't the type to make bucket lists. Most of my characters face things when they come or do things now (instead of hoping they happen).
Now the awesome, fun part
Let's to the opposite of a bucket list. I want to write a list of things my characters hope never to do in their life... then make those things happen in their story. This is especially useful if you have trouble putting your characters tough stuff.
There are obvious things not to include in this list unless the fit your premise. For example, even though I would never want to die of the black plague, it is kinda unlikely since I don't live in the Middle Ages (wasn't there a House episode where a kid caught the Black Plague?). I am a slightly paranoid health freak, so I hope to never get a nasty disease, cancer or anything that would put my in the hospital.
I'm kinda glad I don't have an evil writer writing my life or else I might be in the hospital right slowly dying before writing my literary masterpiece that resides somewhere in my mind.
I hope this exercise is helpful :)
