Be Inspired On Opposite Day!

In honor of the unofficial holiday known as Opposite Day, I’d like to not thank you for never reading this blog. And for the people who haven’t read my book, I don’t thank you. LOL

I’m personally thankful for an opposite day, because, if nothing else, it gives us a chance to honor all of those who act so opposite in their everyday lives. Where would we be for free entertainment without all those who say one thing and do another?

Now, none of us are perfect so we’ve all been in the opposite boat as our personal knowledge and opinions evolve. And this brings up a good reason to remind the writers out there that, when it comes to a moment of writer’s block, turn to opposite day for inspiration.

THE CURVEBALL

Have a stubborn character who isn’t doing what you want? Do they keep painting you into a corner as the plot progresses? Take an hour away from your manuscript and create a separate scene where you put your character into an opposite situation. Just let the situation unfold and see how they would react. Perhaps their dialog or action in this foreign opposite situation might help jumpstart ideas for you. Did their reaction surprise you or make you laugh? How could you incorporate that reaction into your manuscript?

MR. HYDE

Getting bored with a consistently wooden character? Why not try the same as above but this time, in the scene, give them an opposite characteristic. Do they usually have cutting or witty remarks? How might a similar scene go if they reacted more dramatically? Where would that steer the dialog? Experimenting with different reactions from your character might give you insight into how the scene itself might end differently. Play around to see how a dramatic reaction might change the whole course of your story. The wonderful thing about writing is you’re free to edit later if it doesn’t work!

TIME TRAVEL

Of course, this type of opposite brainstorming might not fit in your novel, but watching a character react to being plunked down in an opposite timeframe is often fun. If you have a crafty character who is able to navigate the 1800’s after thriving in the modern age, it could give you ideas on how they could solve a problem in your manuscript. Or, if your character is falling flat, could some characteristics or quirks from a bygone era breathe new life into them?

Let me know how you jumpstart your writer’s block and how you celebrate opposite day! Or…wait…don’t tell me how you don’t celebrate opposite day.

Yeah, I think that’s how it goes.