A Character Challenge/Exercise - Hatrack River Writers Workshop


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Author	Topic: A Character Challenge/Exercise
mikemunsil Member	posted October 21, 2005 01:23 PM I challenge you to write one sentence that strongly characterizes a person, real or fictitious. Let's see if we tend to characterize by physical appearance or by character. Let's see if a single descriptive sentence taken out of context is effective, or not. IP: Logged
HSO Member	posted November 10, 2005 02:32 PM Hmmm... only one? After Johnny said, "I'm not cheating on you, sweetheart," I kicked the lying bastard in the nuts... twice. IP: Logged
mikemunsil Member	posted November 10, 2005 04:15 PM (and no, this is not an entry) IP: Logged
Paul-girtbooks Member	posted November 10, 2005 08:34 PM It was the resigned look in her haunted, hazel eyes, and the way the corner of her mouth turned down in that cute frown of hers, that really broke my heart and not the words she spoke next. IP: Logged
Robert Nowall Member	posted November 11, 2005 06:28 AM "He's so cheap that it takes him six months to go through a roll of toilet paper." IP: Logged
Robyn_Hood Member	posted November 11, 2005 11:07 AM Then this fiery little red-head walked up to me and declared she was going to fly! IP: Logged
MG Member	posted November 11, 2005 02:46 PM Eleonor, our scientific advisor, always had something to say; if you saw her pushing her glasses closer to the bridge of her cute, button-like nose and leaning forward on her chair, you'd better go to the bathroom first and then listen. A bit on the longish side :0 MG IP: Logged
Spaceman Member	posted November 11, 2005 10:27 PM The flappy jowels and protruding nose stood in testiment to his conservative outlook and win-at-all-costs attitude. Who does this describe? IP: Logged
NMgal Member	posted November 19, 2005 12:47 AM She popped one hip out to the side, tilted her head, and gave him the high wattage smile that helped her win the 1999 Ms. Texas Pageant. IP: Logged
KevinMcGowan New Member	posted January 24, 2006 12:34 PM When his eyes began to glaze and his head started to list, it was obvious we had passed the point of comprehension. IP: Logged
Constipatron Member	posted January 27, 2006 12:40 AM Her caterwaul penetrated us with dread as her sunken, hungry eyes sparked with insatiable fury; enough for her to exert her hypnotic piles of flab. IP: Logged
Susannaj4 Member	posted January 27, 2006 10:44 AM He spent most of his life being perfectly pompous and unattentive to the world around him. IP: Logged
Ted Galacci Member	posted February 20, 2006 09:25 AM I notice a lot of people are telling and not showing. Also, most of the characters are not sympathetic. Here's my effort: The rain poured down on Johnny, but not on the kittens in his coat. [This message has been edited by Ted Galacci (edited March 05, 2006).] IP: Logged
Saint Fu New Member	posted March 13, 2006 12:45 PM Agnes hated her name and the Saint it belonged to, and above all she hated her mother who chose it. IP: Logged
hoptoad Member	posted March 23, 2006 01:20 AM Paulie Phfink ducked out of the street and into the nearest shop desperate to avoid his schoolmates and sweating as he watched them through the window. [This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited March 23, 2006).] IP: Logged
hoptoad Member	posted March 23, 2006 01:25 AM Or: Paulie Phfink was as round and bland as a boarding-house pudding. [This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited March 27, 2006).] IP: Logged
Mr.Confused New Member	posted March 25, 2006 01:52 AM She had ocean blue eyes and lips like crimson, but it was her voice that had awakened his heart. IP: Logged
Willster328 Member	posted March 26, 2006 05:22 PM For some reason he'd never been able to frown, even when his facial muscles were relaxed, his lips would somehow still curve upward slightly, and if that wasn't noticeable, it always looked like his eyes were smiling anyways. hahah can anyone guess how I've characterized this character to be? IP: Logged
Aalanya Member	posted March 26, 2006 09:53 PM In her younger years she had been smooth like an apple, both in look and manner, but now that she was old the apple had rotted, and in all ways she was poison to those around her. IP: Logged
Ray Member	posted March 26, 2006 10:03 PM Janet finished her salad, and when the waiter reached for her plate, she belched loud enough that half the restaurant turned their heads toward her. IP: Logged
hoptoad Member	posted March 27, 2006 10:34 PM I like that one, Ray. IP: Logged
FastCat Member	posted March 27, 2006 10:47 PM Augie Phipps sighed heavily and took his third look at his watch since his wife's funeral began. IP: Logged
Po Member	posted April 03, 2006 04:49 AM He looked to her as alive and lively as the vivid tapestries that adorned the walls of the palace. IP: Logged
Po Member	posted April 03, 2006 05:07 AM And this one doesn't exactly describe one person, rather a group of people. I apologize in advance for the strong language... In their wifebeaters and chinos with their hair slicked back or shaved, with their slutty girlfriends hanging on them, they seemed to forget that they were only teenage boys playing at being grown men. IP: Logged
oldhippie New Member	posted April 05, 2006 05:22 PM Farrell drew himself up to his full six-foot-one and answered her, saying, "Hell no, I didn't invest in your business; I invest in people and not things." IP: Logged
Wusong101 Member	posted April 08, 2006 01:28 PM As the tea leaves fell into the hot water they writhed like tormented souls and he sighed at how they seemed to define him. IP: Logged
hoptoad Member	posted April 11, 2006 08:44 PM I like your entry OldHippie. I get a very clear image of this bloke. IP: Logged
Snowden Member	posted April 12, 2006 11:27 AM Caleb reached up with a callused hand and pulled the cap down, protecting his eyes from the rising sun. IP: Logged
wyrd1 Member	posted April 20, 2006 01:05 PM Butte's eyes didn't flinch under the grey ballcap, he didn't cry or even curse the fool who had fumbled the beam that had torn the six inch gash across his thickly muscled torso. [This message has been edited by wyrd1 (edited April 20, 2006).] IP: Logged
Laralynzy New Member	posted April 21, 2006 10:33 PM The engaging green of his eyes went cold and flat as he allowed his war face to emerge, the killer stare that indicated he had detached from his emotions and had sighted his target. IP: Logged
Hygge Member	posted April 24, 2006 01:04 PM The boy's father remained standing, his back as straight as a redwood tree, and fought back tears as he heard the story of his son's tragic death at the hands of his friends. IP: Logged
GodSpoken New Member	posted April 28, 2006 10:05 AM Sighing, she settles onto the floor and watches as the kindling flares and bursts into a tiny inferno that will rapidly burn itself to cinder - without the least impact on the chill - if she fails to feed it further. IP: Logged
Bionic Fuzz unregistered	posted May 03, 2006 06:23 PM Agatha closed the door with a smile, tossed the the unopened box of 'Thin Mints' in the trash and headed back down to the basement. [This message has been edited by Bionic Fuzz (edited May 03, 2006).] [This message has been edited by Bionic Fuzz (edited May 03, 2006).] IP: Logged
giggles Member	posted May 08, 2006 01:49 AM Martha waggled her head and said, "writing isn't a horrible career; it is the degradation of individualism, suppressing visionaries from achieving prominence in a society of traditionalists, which is glory I wish to obtain." IP: Logged
RantNRave New Member	posted May 14, 2006 08:25 PM As Phil lowered the rifle, he wiped away the tear that was falling down his cheek and wondered if it was the result of either witnessing the horror of seeing such a magnificant animal lose its life so quickly and effortlessly, or from the relief that it wasn't his bullet that took it, or from the realization that none of his buddies saw his failure and he wouldn't have to explain why. IP: Logged
CarolynNicita New Member	posted May 20, 2006 01:29 AM During the unit on the female reproductive system in biology class, 6'5" Mr. Koenig, also the track coach, would hold the life-sized diagram in front of his own torso with a confidently-heterosexual swagger which made the class laugh so hard they drowned out the co-instructor's lesson. IP: Logged
wetwilly Member	posted May 20, 2006 03:17 AM She was a really strong character. IP: Logged
MightyCow Member	posted May 20, 2006 05:47 AM Lacy poked one finger through the hole in her left sock, pulled it off of her foot, and kneeling on Ray's chest, mopped it across the thick stream of blood that dribbled from the hole in his neck on its way toward the bathroom door. IP: Logged
mikemunsil Member	posted May 23, 2006 10:24 AM I love reading these. IP: Logged
teddyrux Member	posted June 01, 2006 03:06 PM “I enjoy seeing the face of my victims as I kill them, but this time I’ll make an exception.” This is spoken by the main character in my current WIP. IP: Logged
Ellepepper Member	posted June 27, 2006 08:53 PM I miss red, its such a vibrant color, but it reminds me of my other me; the killer. Spoken by one of my characters in a WIP. IP: Logged
Kilgore__Trout Member	posted July 01, 2006 01:56 AM "This is not my life", she thought as she kneeled hunched over letting her head press into the carpet and tears stream out the swelling eye and down her forehead. [This message has been edited by Kilgore__Trout (edited July 01, 2006).] IP: Logged
TMan1969 Member	posted July 12, 2006 10:23 PM Phil looked menacingly at his partner, his strong hands gripped tightly on the steering wheel. His partner watched as Phil's jaw clenched and he wondered why he was so unforgiving. IP: Logged
TMan1969 Member	posted July 21, 2006 12:54 PM Ethan's face went white when he saw George, the neighbors dog. He wrung his hands nervously and plotted a safe route to get his father. IP: Logged
TMan1969 Member	posted July 21, 2006 12:58 PM A wide grin spread across his face as he anxiously tore at the wrapping paper of his gift. Anger knotted his face when he saw its true contents, a wool knitted sweater with dancing deer. His Grandamother smiled at him and his mother nudged him, Jorge looked up with a forced smile, "Wow, thanks Grandma this is a beautiful sweater" IP: Logged
Tom_Shandruk New Member	posted July 22, 2006 06:59 AM Though they all knew that he did not understand, but there he was, sitting there with that distant, comprehensive stare that he was known for. [This message has been edited by Tom_Shandruk (edited July 22, 2006).] IP: Logged
Hygge Member	posted July 28, 2006 05:50 PM John’s own world defined by three items, worthless to the rest of the world but priceless to him. IP: Logged
Hygge Member	posted July 28, 2006 06:06 PM Patiently Elaine waited in line, doing the things one does when their time is being robbed by the incompentence of others. IP: Logged
DeathtotheSwiss Member	posted September 01, 2006 06:08 PM Joshua fell down a lot these days. IP: Logged
Giskard Member	posted September 03, 2006 07:56 PM Trying to ignore the ringing phone, he hugged his knees and started flipping through the channels with the remote IP: Logged

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