“In What House Would Your Main Character Reside?”
After writing the post about shoes characters might wear, it started me thinking about what house a main character might reside to bring about tension in the story or calmness in the middle of a stormy lifestyle.
Here are books that’ll start you on the road to visions of houses in your head for your main characters. They got my creative juices going.
- Magic Tree House Books by Mary Pope Osborne.
- Mom’s House; Dad’s House Isolina Ricci Ph.D.
- Llama Llama Home with Mama by Anna Dewdney
- 740 Park: The Story of the World’s Richest Apartment Building by
- The Urban House: Townhouses, Apartments, Lofts, and Other Spaces for City Living by
I used http://www.morguefiles.com to find the images to help get you thinking. Thanks, morguefiles.com.
1. Perhaps your main character likes an apartment to mingle with lots of people but ends up getting in heated arguments over noise, pets, or water leaks. Why does your character choose an apartment in this building?
2. Would he live in a beach home? Does he work as a lifeguard? Work for a restaurant? Work for a local fire department? Why does your main character live in a beach house?
3. Does your main character need a birdhouse? Perhaps he runs a bird sanctuary? Or a bird adopted him? Why does your main character need a birdhouse?
4. Has your main character inherited an unknown house out in the middle of no-where that according to documents might need a little work? How does your main character handle this? Why would he take on the challenge? Or would he give it away only to find out there is oil on the property?
5. Does she live in a mountain cabin so she can ski? hunt deer? enjoy a nearby waterfall? Get away from people when a nearby resort bus breaks down near her cabin? Why did your main character choose this cabin?
6. Does your main character fulfill a lifetime dream of living on a farm? Raise horses, cattle, or sheep? Why did your main character choose a farm?
7. Is your main character so rich he lives in a mansion with 100 rooms and 100 servants! Why did he choose a mansion?
8. Is your main character find himself devastated by a tornado that devoured his home and wiped out his family? What if he’s always helping others and now he has to accept help? Why did he choose this house?
9. Would your main character be dependable and concerned with the safety of boats and ships and as such live in a lighthouse? Why?
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this post. Please leave what kind of home your character would live in gladly and which one would add tension to your main character’s life.
Celebrate you.
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Copyright © 2014-2019 Joan Y. Edwards
Joan,
Setting is very important and can even be a character. I tend to forget that sometimes. I like your line of thinking! You help us to think too. Photographs encouraged brainstorming. Something we could all try with our stories. Thanks!
Dear Linda,
Thanks for writing. You’re right, setting is very important and can definitely be a character. I’m glad your like the thinking path I led you down. I agree that the photographs encourage brainstorming…one thought, then another. Finding a good picture with the mood you’re trying to set in a story will help you find the right words to describe it.
Celebrate you
You add joy to our world
Never Give Up
Joan
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Many years ago I lived in Bermuda . So I’m going to say that my characters would be hanging out on the beach under some palm trees. Houses in #2 are looking quite familiar to me. I remember waking up in the mornings and usually finding a lizard on the wall flicking his tongue, just hanging out also. So, my character lives in a beach house because nothing else will do! Thanks Joan, a creative and fun post.
Dear Susan,
Thanks for writing me a note. Wow! You lived in Bermuda. My parents visited Bermuda in 1953. They loved it. I love your description of the lizard on the wall flicking his tongue. It helped me envision him. I’m glad this post was fun for you!
Celebrate you.
You are fun.
Never Give Up
Joan
Joan, what great pictures and ideas to get those creative wheels rolling in our heads!! Thank you!
Dear Kathleen,
Thank you for writing. I’m glad you loved the pictures and ideas. So glad they got your creative wheels rolling which leads to the post about getting from place to place.
Celebrate you
Keep creating your joy
Never Give Up
Joan
Setting is a character! As Donald Maas says: “…the setting lives from the very first pages…” Learning what it is about your setting that is unique to your character – or vice versa – is exciting, engaging and evocative! Thanks for sharing, Joan.
Dear Ann,
Thanks for writing. You’re right. Learning about the unique characteristics of your character’s setting and how it effects him is exciting, engaging, and evocative. You’re welcome.for the post. I’m glad you liked it.
Celebrate you and your wonderful writing,
Never Give Up
Joan
great writing prompts here–great questions!
Dear Carol,
Thanks for checking out the housing post. I’m glad I gave you great writing prompts and great questions. That was what I hoped to do. Thank you for letting me know. I’ll be doing another in this series soon.. I hope you’ll come back and read it, too.
Celebrate you now.
Never Give Up
Joan