Alright, writers—grab your pens, or whatever you’re using to spill your tortured thoughts onto paper, because we’ve got some real pressure to work with. If you want to write characters who are believable and deeply human, you need to capture those gut-wrenching moments when the stakes are so high, the emotions are so overwhelming, that it feels like the universe is pressing down on them like a thousand-pound weight. Here’s your chance to get all those moments down on paper, where the pressure either crushes or reveals.
Prompt One: The Unforgettable Moment in Battle or Disaster
Write 600 words, and make it unforgettable. We’re talking about a moment in a battle or disaster when everything hangs in the balance. Maybe it’s a split second of chaos—a sound, a feeling, an unexpected event—that hits your character like a punch to the gut. Maybe it’s a moment so unexpected that it takes your character’s breath away, a single blink of time that stays with them forever. Dive right into that moment. Capture the intense human emotion that makes everything feel authentic, raw, and truly memorable. Bonus points if you can make us feel that moment in our bones, too.
Prompt Two: The Cliffhanger Moment—When You Just Can’t Go On
Or take us to that place where your character has hit their breaking point. Write about a soldier, or anyone in a high-stakes situation, who reaches a moment of paralysis—when they’ve either gone too far or not far enough. Think about that feeling of being stuck—unable to go forward or backward. It’s the ledge, the cliff edge, the top of a ladder with people below you, and you’re just frozen in fear. What happens when your character realizes they can’t go on? Is it exhaustion? Fear? Guilt? Or something else that keeps them from moving? Dig deep into the emotion of that moment and make it real.
Remember, no more than 600 words! So, make them count. We’ll be looking for these moments that truly show what happens when the pressure is on. Can you make us feel the sweat on your character’s brow? The weight of the world pressing in? If you do, we might just read your story on the podcast! Extra points if somewhere in there you can introduce the hint of a foggy angel warrior.
Comments