Exercise 2: Second Sentences as Different Paths

I felt on a roll so I decided to got to the next exercise a day early. I was between putting a second sentence on all ten or just choose one, I decided to just pick one that I really liked.

These plot ideas generated with help of: http://futureisfiction.com/plotpoint/index.cgi


character gets a crush on someone "out of their class"

1. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." She swiftly turned her head away and reclaimed her hand, how could he ask such a thing in his position?

Wish granted! Suddenly your character gets the thing they coveted most, and now they feel empty unfulfilled.

2. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." At that she grasped his hand with her other and gave him a kiss with an eagerness she had kept well concealed which he returned in kind, but in that triumphant moment he could not help remembering the one he got from her sister days before.


Sometimes your characters greatest enemy is his/herself. Something is tempting them that they lack the willpower to resist.

3. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." He couldn't stop shaking and sweating and the current situation was not entirely to blame for his "old friend" to help calm his nerves was starting to let it's presence be known.

Your character meets a charming man that will swindle him/her.

4. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." Before he knew it he was carrying her while she embraced him to the carriage he had rented for the evening, it was cheap but the man at the helm looked totally legit.

Characters follow terrible directions or get lost, preferably to a more interesting or dangerous neighborhood.

5. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." With her approval gained he gleefully started to walk her home but soon got lost attempting to use a romantic shortcut he learned from a friend; it was now dark and silent and holding hands now became a matter of drawing and maintaining courage rather than a sign of affection.

I'm not afraid of the dark. But your character is.

6. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." She hesitated for what seemed to be an eternity in deep contemplation over his proposal which made him anxious, not only because he felt the longer she took the more likely she'll say no but it was also getting dark and this area wasn't the best place to be at night.

Did you know that your character has a phobia of open spaces? Well, they do.

7. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." He was far more nervous then he was letting on, she loved this spot since she was a child out where she can see the stars and the beautiful scenery for miles; it was all doing quite a number on his Agoraphobia.

Perhaps this scene would be more interesting if it happened at a mad, bad-ass party. Who is flirting? Who is wasted? Who is so xenophobic they are hiding in the closet? Whose stuff gets stolen? Who is the keymaster (I HAVE HIDDEN YOUR KEYS! YOU MUST CHILL!) ?

8. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." She didn't hear a word he said, the music was far too loud but from the look in his eyes she thought that he was breaking up with her.

Your character (perhaps the antagonist?) makes a marriage proposal. Doesn't matter if there was no love story before. You can go back and write that in later.

What a ironic topic to come up, yes? X3

9. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." Memories of all the years she had know him came flooding in all at once, plus what would her parents and family think, could he support or even want children, does he even really love her, what to say next!?

Incompetence can be funny but it can also generate a lot of conflict when the incompetent person is a doctor, lawyer, cop, or whomever is responsible for Character's fate.

10. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion." She hesitated and sensing a possible "No!" he hastily pulled out an engagement ring which he promptly, through his nervous bumbling, dropped. He swiftly bent down to retrieve it which she unfortunately did at the same time to see what exactly it was he wanted to show her resulting in an inevitable, and quite awkward, collision. After a brief silence and giggle session he realized that he couldn't find it. "Was it expensive?" She asked still giggling. "Very." he replied grinning.


That was fun! Some were very hard to fit into one sentence and I'm sure there's some that are just punctuation abominations. The last one I totally had fun with because there was just so much I wanted to add!

Exercise 1: First Sentences: Beginning in the Middle

I finally got my copy of "What If?" 3rd Edition. I'll be doing three exercises a week as part of my exploration in writing:

Ten "middle" sentences:

1. It wasn't very hot but it was still pretty warm, he found it to be quite wonderful actually.

2. And that was that, after everything they'd been through; that was it.

3. The music touched his soul in all the wrong ways but he couldn't stop listening.

4. He couldn't stop giggling, try as he might, it reminded him too much of a boob.

5. And the Lord, the Lord God in Heaven said down from high: "Fuck you all!"

6. As the saying goes: "If it burns it's working!" a reminder of the flawed logic of not-so long ago.

7. He held her hand then looked her sincerely in the eyes and said: "Your life is going to be a great adventure and I'd like you to take me with you, not as your friend but as your companion."

8. They went over the hills, under a cave, through a valley, and finally up the path to what they hoped would be home.

9. What was supposed to be a quick skirmish became a great battle with the harsh realization that afterwards all that they had gained would be promptly taken back the next day faster than they had won it.

10. A hug and a kiss, that's all it usually took to make everything all right and that night was no different.



That was fun, I noticed that almost every little idea I've ever had has been in the middle like this. Having this exercise in my artist toolbox makes putting it down so much easier and in perspective. Now let's just see if I can get Fee motivated!