I Went to a Writing Group - October 9th, 2019

Sometimes it seems like life is one giant obstacle.


The prompt was about facing obstacles.

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When telling any story, the main character's desire is crucial. This desire forms the backbone of the plot, as the obstacles that prevent your character from achieving what they want and how your character responds to these obstacles drives the story.

Write a story or scene in which your protagonist faces an obstacle. What is this obstacle? How does it stand in the way of your character and what they desire? How does your character respond to this obstacle?

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Notice the name that I use in this story. I was thinking of Robert the Bruce, who was a Scottish king at one time, and Lenny Bruce, who was a legendary American comedian. Also, just before we started writing someone mentioned a town called Eden. And I'm reading "A Child's Garden of Verses" by Robert Louis Stevenson right now. I think all of that combined a bit in this story.

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Leonard the Bruce was the future king, but he had to wait until he was older to do whatever he wanted. He didn't want to wait, but his mother told him seven times a day, "Lenny! Stop that!" Lenny would stop, for awhile, and then try again later.

In the middle of the castle grounds there was a garden that his great-grandmother had named Eden. For the last two months Lenny's desire to get into that garden had been growing. No one would tell him why he wasn't allowed in the garden, but precautions had been taken.

There was a high stone wall built around it covered in thorny vines. Lenny had learned about the thorns the hard way on his second attempt when he tried to climb the wall. Even if he made it to the top there were bushes along the top of the wall that looked poky too.

There was no getting through the door. He had tried ramming his shoulder into it on his very first try. It was a big, thick, and heavy brass door. Lenny wasn't even sure he could move it if he had the key, and he didn't have the key. No one had the key. No one had gone in the garden for his whole life. A couple of weeks ago he had taken the groundskeeper's keys and tried every one, not a single one worked.

Today though, today was the day. He had spent the last week preparing for this moment. A week ago he tried to dig under the wall, but the wall seemed to go a long way down. That's when he knew that the only way into the garden was to go over. The door didn't have any bushes on top of it, and that would make all of the difference.

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"It was just getting to the good part." I said that after I read the story to the group and someone said that they thought the whole thing had been good, which is always nice to hear.

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Read more of what Jeff deems worthy of attention at: http://www.JeffreyAlexanderMartin.com

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