Exercise: Try creating three minor characters who come alive via dialogue between two main characters, keeping in mind that those talked about will not appear in the story again. The dialogue should accomplish two goals simultaneously, not only describing the minor characters well, but, by the way they're described, revealing much about your two protagonists, their attitudes toward life and toward each other.


"A Different Love"

“I can’t believe they’re doing that, Adrienne! Look at them!” Sylvia whispered in an urgent manner. Her long finger pointed out the two people she was speaking of like a teacher calling upon trouble children in a classroom. Her expression held a look of horror, and for this reason alone, Adrienne couldn’t help but turn around and look.

Adrienne’s eyebrow raised slightly in response, “Well... they do appear to be lovebirds after all.”

Sylvia’s mouth was agape and she lightly tapped Adrienne on her hand resting on the table. “But they’re both...men!”

Adrienne’s mouth turned up in a slight smirk. She couldn’t help but throw some sarcasm her mother’s way, “Gee, Mom...you just noticed? Maybe you need glasses. I think you need to go see the doctor for that.”

Sylvia’s face flushed but she couldn’t help looking over at the men again. Their arms were wrapped around each other as they sat at their booth in the diner, their lips in a playful dance of affection only to part for a moment to reveal joyful smiles that quickly turned to quiet laughter. Maybe if they had been a man-and-woman couple it would have been a normal gesture of romance that would put a smile on Sylvia’s face, but it wasn’t. It was different. And she wished Adrienne would stop making fun of her. “I mean, they shouldn’t be doing things like that in public.”

Again, Adrienne’s eyebrow raised as she looked at her mother. “What? Kissing?”

Flustered once again, Sylvia nodded quickly, “Yes!”

Sighing for a moment, Adrienne reevaluated the way she was handling her mother and said in a softer tone, “Mom...they’re in love, it’s obvious to me, to you, to everyone in this diner. They should be allowed to kiss and be in love no matter what. Personally, I think it’s nice to see them not afraid to show that love. Even if there are people here scared of it, like yourself.”

Finally taking her attention away from the men, Sylvia played with her food with her fork, “Well, I would appreciate it if they’d keep it at home.”

Before Adrienne could say anything to her mother, she heard a familiar voice break in, “Hello beautiful!” She looked up to see her father wearing that proud, crooked smile he always has whenever he’s come from the bathroom, showing that he accomplished his nightly bathroom break. Lightly tugging at his belt on his pants, he sat down next to his wife and laid a big, wet kiss on her lips – accomplishment in the bathroom tended to make him more affectionate with her mother.

With a squeal, Adrienne covered her eyes with her hands, “Can you please not do that here?! Of all places?!”

Sylvia couldn’t help but smirk at her daughter and folded her arms across her chest. In a mocking tone, she grinned, “Oh, but Adrienne, I thought you liked seeing couples in love. Has that suddenly changed?”

Taking her hands away from her eyes, Adrienne shot her mother a look before muttering “Shut up” and taking comfort in the last few sips of her Coke.



"All day I think of schemes
To get you next to me
I want you so bad that I can barely breathe
It's a sign of my obsession
That I can't stop thinking about

Your lips upon my lips
Your fingertips on my fingertips
Your skin upon my skin
Would be the sweetest sin..."

I think you have quite a nack for this writing thing

You frame the characters quite nicely in separating their voices and individual perspectives/styles.

Keep it up.

Snowy,

*has to laugh* Why thank you, I do believe that is a compliment.

And thanks again...that is always important to me, being able to make sure the characters have their different voices...and important that their perspectives don't seem necessarily "right or wrong" either way, but that they just ARE.

Thanks, I'll try to.

~Gabber



"There is a storm in my head
It rains on my bed
When you are not here
I'm not afraid of dying
But I am afraid of losing you

Maybe I'm addicted
I'm out of control
But you're the drug that keeps me from dying
Maybe I'm a liar
But all I really know
Is you're the only reason I'm trying..."