Writing prompt: What is your character excited about?

Not long ago, we wrote about what our characters are worried about at any given minute. (You can read that here if you'd like!)

Today, we're taking the same principle and flipping it around: What is your character excited about?

We've established that our characters have a lot to be worried about and that it extends beyond whatever the big bad is for your story, whether that's the evil villain or the ever enriching prom that your character doesn't have a date to yet. Your character is also worried about little things, like where they're sleeping that night, their brand new zit, if that message ever got back to their home village, whether or not there's food in their teeth, etc.

Your character is likely excited for the time after the climax of your story, when the stress has died down and they can have some peace for a while.

But they're also excited about the little things. Food. Hobbies. Brief breaks from the norm.

Remember that your characters are multifaceted, whole people with a myriad of interests. Just like you!

And if I were to apply this prompt to my own characters ...

Acacia actively looks for souvenirs in every new place they go because she can't wait to show them to her sister and adopted son back home.

Amber gets excited when she sees her crush, sure, but she also gets excited when she sees dogs of any kind for any reason, and also when she learns about new gaming equipment.

And Lottie treasures having a few minutes to escape this world through make believe, tv, movies, books, whatever works.

BONUS PROMPT: Which of these things would shock the side characters to learn about?

Acacia squealed like a kid the first time she saw snow, and Anatole looked at her like she was a space alien beamed down right in front of him.

Holly, Amber's best friend since elementary school, feels delirious when Amber tells her she's going to get her certifications to be a firefighter.

Lottie's family is stunned into silence when she volunteers for more chores. (She trying to get some quiet time away from her very big, very loud family so it actually makes a lot of sense.)

As always, have fun with this prompt.

Like I said in the "Worries" blog, explore every potential you can. Even the ones that seem a little odd or may not work with your story. Because this is an exercise. If you write a page for this prompt and then realize that it doesn't really fit the character, first of all, that's a little more you know about that character that you didn't before, and you don't have to keep it.

Keep what you like, take what you can learn, and throw out the rest.

And most importantly, just keep this in the back of your mind. Even if you can't write anything out right now, if you add it to your writing toolbox and pull it out during character work as you're writing, that's a huge success!