Writing Challenges
A while ago I read this post on Tumblr that listed a bunch of challenges to incorporate into your writing. Although I can’t remember the name of the post here are some challenges that have stuck with me over the years (and some I have added myself):
Have a character that only speaks one word or can not speak at all.
Have a character experience betrayal at the hands of a loved one.
One character is color blind or can only see in black and grey.
Two main characters find out they are long lost siblings.
If there is a prophecy it turns out to be completely wrong.
The main hero is an absolute clumsy fool who manages to save the world.
One character speaks in song.
One character wears a weird item that no one in the world ever comments on.
Break the fourth wall.
A character can only walk on all fours or hop on one foot to get around.
Make a character that is closeted gay or secretly cross dresses or appears androgynous.
Every villain is the hero of their own story.
Add a character based on a person you know in real life.
Introduce a character that the protagonist is destined to become enemies with.
These are just from the list on my phone, but I would be interested to see if anyone can come up with some more suggestions. I know that some of these have kickstarted ideas for my own writing over the years so hopefully they do the same for someone else.
For a long time, if I’m being honest, I was discouraged to write because I felt like I could never properly capture the story in my head. But challenges like this have helped me practice more, and as annoying as it is, what they say about practice is true. Writing has gotten easier. Obviously I’m not some literary god, but I can spit out words on a page and they spell out the world I see in my head. I think, my stories are becoming less and less bogged down by tedious detail, and focus more on action. At least, that’s what I’m aiming for in my writing.