February 2024 Writer’s Workshop- Things We Love
February is often associated with the idea of love, but for this month’s theme the prompt will combine this idea with an inanimate object. The focus of the month will be a true, deep description of a character's relationship to an inanimate object. This can be something small and meaningful, such as a wedding ring, or connection to something larger such as a home or vehicle.
For this writing, try not to lead with the object. Set up the character first, so that the reader/listener can create a bond prior to the object being introduced. The goal then, would be to make the connection to the object seem reasonable and something to respect.
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Example:
Liam wasn’t sure why the bullying hurt so much. He knew that no one else understood him, and he liked it that way, liked being unique. His mother said his uniqueness was going to be the reason he was happy some day, so why was it making him miserable now? He sat in the dark photography studio eating his lunch with the limited light of his cell phone screen; he didn’t want to turn on the flashlight function in order to make sure he wasn’t noticed under the door. He was also reading his battered copy of The Giver. It was straining his eyesight, but he needed to fall into Jonas’ world after the morning he had. Knowing that he had to return to the hallway in just 13 short minutes when the bell rang was only acceptable because of Lowry’s words, which Liam had just about memorized anyway from rereading it so much.
All too soon the bell rang. Liam put his book away and stood up as slowly as possible, a few extra seconds taken to steal his nerves and enter the hustle and bustle where he was mocked, ‘accidentally bumped into,’ and felt lonely. He slowly exited the photography room and tried to look like he wasn’t thinking about anyone else in the hallway. He was almost to his locker when he felt the tug on his backpack. He tried to ignore it, but then heard the items start to fall onto the linoleum floor, and had to stop to straighten them back up. As he was gathering he realized something was missing - his copy of The Giver. He dumped his bag back over looking for it, but it was no use. His hand knew the feel of the cover without having to see it. It was gone. Liam sat back on his heels, hoping the book his brother gave him before leaving for College 8 years ago, the book that Liam knew better than he knew his own thoughts, would be in the photography room where he ate his lunch, but knowing that he was careful with it, as always, and it was definitely in his backpack when he started walking down the hall.
Liam had never told anyone what that book meant to him. What that copy was like in his hands. And how much he missed the brother who gave it to Liam the last time they spoke. Liam would get it back.