What's in the Junk Drawer?

This week we'll be starting a discussion about CHARACTER--how to create one, embellish one, make one come alive on the page.

To get us started, follow these steps:

1. Think of any random character. Determine their gender, age, and name.

2. Decide where  this character lives.
(For example: Jenna Carpenter, age 10, lives in Boston, or Augie Maxwell, age 82, lives in Seattle).

3. Once you know the general background of your character, get to know him or her by (in your imagination) opening their junk drawer. What is inside?

For each item you "select" from the drawer, do the following:

--describe it

--explain the story behind it (example: a ticket stub from A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theater downtown. She saved this because it was a happy holiday excursion which they had followed up with Christmas shopping. It had been snowing, and it was a magical day, and it was the last Christmas she spent with her Aunt Sue.

--do this for at least 8-10 items

--each item should  reveal a little more about your character

Finally: one thing in the drawer bothers your character. What is that item, and why does it bother the person?