From the previous exercise –
Grab your phone, tablet, keyboard or pen and paper.

Imagine you are waiting in a parking lot. People are walking in front of you on the way into the store. The wind is kicking up and leaves, plastic bags and other trash is skittering around the edges of the lot. With each gust of wind you see the people moving faster. A woman in a blazer and skirt hurriedly scoops a chunk of hair behind her ear. A man in basketball shorts and a torn green hoodie stops the door and lets blazer woman in ahead of him. A woman with two kids come out of the store with a cart heavy with soft drinks and paper products. A pebble jams her front wheel.

Now, imagine your super-power is character building.

Pluck Green Hoodie guy up by the scruff and place him on your keyboard.

How old is he? Is he wearing a baseball cap? Is the bill dulled by smudge marks? He probably works with his hands. Does he have work shoes on? Does he look you in the eye? How do you think he got that tear on his hoodie? What was he doing when that happened? He seemed to stop the door for the Blazer Lady, does this tell us anything about his back story?

When you are done taking notes on Green Hoodie Guy see if you can catch up to Blazer Lady.

She was in a hurry, you could tell by watching her. Is she late for work? Is she annoyed that you yanked her out of the office products? Does she compose herself quickly after seeing how big you are? Who scares her? When she turns the key in her car does she say a quick prayer?

Give some of your parking lot characters a back story. They don’t have to be related in anyway except by chance. Or perhaps the woman with the children is the wife of Blazer Lady’s boyfriend and she rushed into the store to avoid them.

Add to the thread on the Forum and Bring Your Own Topic to chat tonight.

Next week Alistair Cross and Tamara Thorne are returning Celebrity Guests helping us celebrate Horror Month.