March Prompt

Okay, so I decided that every month I am going to make two posts. One of which will include a prompt or two for everyone who feels so inclined to work on. The other will be either something I've written, or random thoughts I have about writing. Like how it can be so difficult to remember to include sensory details...

So, here are your first prompts:
1. Start a story with the first sentence: "I did the cowardly thing." I just came up with this sentence while I was on a walk today. I was thinking how all of the characters in books end up doing the brave thing and everything eventually works out. I wondered, "What if the character did the cowardly thing? How would the book have turned out then?" And the sentence popped into my head as a perfect starting place for a story.

2. Pick three objects from the following list and write a story using them. They can be background pieces or  the focal point of your story, it's up to you. Here they are: picture frame, diving board, hanger, chalk, a single ski, ribbon, flood light, cookie, fake diamond necklace, rubber bands, teacozy, bottle of shampoo, dentures, microphone, clock, rubber gloves. My professor used to give prompts like these in my creative writing class and I always enjoyed them, so I decided to make up a list of my own and see what you all come up with.

3. Pick your favorite story and pluck a minor character from it. It can be any story, but make sure the character is hardly in it, barely mentioned at all. A single name could be given, but you have at least that. You're job is to give them importance. Write their story, where they came from, and how they view the events that occur in the book they come from.  For example, I could pick Harry Potter for my book and write a story about Fleur Delacour's little sister whose name I've forgotten. There might be some information on her and I could use that as a starting place, but I'd have to develop her character in light of all of the background events that occur over the seven Harry Potter books. Would this be classified as fan fiction?

Please share what you write in the comments or by email! I hope you have fun with this, I am already working on a prompt for one of these, but you will have to wait to find out which one I chose.

~Daphne