Something to cheer us up...

 

We were chatting in the last session about how relentlessly grim the news is at the moment - and Jude made a very heartfelt request for a task that would cheer us up rather than make us more miserable. This seemed eminently sensible - so here we go!

• During the week, look out for positive news stories - local, national or international. Come armed with at least one to share with us all.

• Think about a place that made you feel happy, and write about it. Remember about using all the senses - hearing, smell, taste and touch - or at least a couple besides the visual. Might be useful to find a photograph to remind you, if you have one, but that's not essential.

Characters and emotions

 So this week's task - first, make up a character. We did it in class by answering these questions:

Choose a first name

Then a second name

Character's favourite piece of clothing

Their job

Secret fear

Secret ambition/desire

(In class, we then described the room/house this character lives in - but you don't need to do that.)

Homework

Use your character in a story. The other main element is a particular EMOTION, such as pity, love, fear, jealousy, anger - as the main driver for your story, the thing that sets the action off.

Or, if you'd like a change from stories, write about a time in your own life when one of these emotions was dominant.

Starting with a title

 Choose a book title that you like - it can be one you've read, or you could just skim the titles on Amazon or another book shop site and choose one from there.

Now write a short story, to go with this title.

For instance: Hard Times, The Darling Buds of May, The Lost Girl, Still Life, Glass Houses...