BOOT CAMP LESSON 2: Integration

Welcome back!

Time for the second installment of BOOTCAMP! Today’s lesson is called Integration, and will focus on how to incorporate a character into it’s environment.

Lesson 2: Integration

Every character should feel like they belong with their surroundings. Professional writers will sometimes be tasked with creating new characters for pre-established works. It is their job to research the existing environment in order to build a character to match. It becomes painfully obvious if a character was created without taking the environment into consideration, as that character will stick out like a sore thumb! Image watching the play Macbeth with Frankenstein's Monster as the star.

The goal of today’s writing game will be to take one of the offered candidates and find a plausible way of integrating them in the suggested environments.

So, here are todays guidelines!

1. Below are 5 "candidates". Select ONE of them to work with.
2. Next are my suggestions for 5 stylized worlds/environments.
3. Write a short description of a story for the candidate you selected for EACH environment type.
4. All 4 short story descriptions must have a limit of 20 phrases each!
5. Within each short story description you will write, you must include: WHO the character is, and demonstrate how he/she belongs in this environment.
6. The candidate you selected may be modified to fit the environment you selected, BUT must remain true to the original design as much as possible.

Candidates:

Candidate 1: The Tin Man

Candidate 2: King Arthur

Candidate 3: Sherlock Holmes

Candidate 4: Santa Claus

Candidate 5: Red Riding Hood

Environments:

Environment 1: Post Apocalyptic

For one reason or another, the world has gone through a terrible change. Civilization as we know it no longer exists, and those who managed to stay alive must now scavenge for supplies and fight other survivors for resources.

Environment 2: Police Drama

Detectives, SWAT teams, Bomb Squads, Computer Crimes Division, Police Precincts, Forensics, etc. Law enforcement attempts to put a stop to illegal activity or investigating mysteries by tracking down various sources or suspects.

 

Environment 3: Super Heroes

Superheroes strive to uphold justice and bring balance to society. Unlike the normal police force, superheroes have strange powers to assist them in dealing with super criminals that are a threat on a global scale.

Environment 4: Retro Sci-fi

Retro Sci-fi can be described as the future as seen from the past, or the past as seen from the future. Influenced by the scientific, technological, and social awareness of the present, this world reflects the best humanity can hope for.

 

Environment 5: Deserted Island

Being stranded on a deserted island, the character must to live off the land by finding food, water and shelter. Characters may also be forced to deal with isolation, or else face possible insanity.

For those who aren’t afraid to share their entries, feel free to submit your entries as a reply to this post. Remember, this is a game, so no posting bad comments about other people's entries. If some simply want to share in private, send me a message via twitter @OzmosisCoH.

Now go! Create! And most importantly, have fun!

Until Next time!

Cheers,

Patrick Osborne