Notebooks Out, Soldiers!

Sorry for the lack of posts the last few days. I've just been very busy. I hope you like this post! 

You know how maybe you don't want to write for your major novel project or edit the one you finished, but you still want to write? This is where writing prompts can really help. So I'm giving you a prompt and challenge simultaneously (because that's how I roll), but the song choice and prompt questions were all the work of the lovely Tansie.

1. Pick a random song from your mp3/cellphone/iPod playlist. Just put it on shuffle and skip to the very next song because chances are you were already in the middle of one. 

2. Here comes the fun part! Answering the questions. My awesome sister Tansie Gray (check out her blog here) and I are collaborating on this post because she owes me one and just because. I'll put the instructions down below, each of which will be followed by both of our answers. This is really interesting because not only do you get to see what you (or if you have a writing partner) and your friend imagine for certain types of music but your unique writing styles will also pop out.

Song: Wasting My Young Years by London Grammar

Imagine a world. What does it look like?

SKYLAR: A city, with many tall skyscrapers. Cars left [I always find the perfect word after I do these things. In this case, 'abandoned'] on the street, their doors left open. Smoke drifts over the whole scene. Looters have been here. Broken glass is scattered across the ground. 

A tear slips down her cheek. [I know, I know. I was trying to give it emotion and...you know, epicness]

TANSIE: Apocalyptic setting. Broken buildings, once majestic, now in broken remains. Signs of war are everywhere. The sky is dim and dark, the sun hidden behind layers of smoke.

Imagine a person (a main character). What do they look like?

SKYLAR: Red hair (little lower than her shoulders). Pale. Soot is smudged on her face. Grey eyes. Torn jeans, dirty jacket.

TANSIE: She has long hair; dark blonde. Thin, and short-- almost too thin. Light blue/grey eyes. Spray of freckles. Smudged cheeks and dirty clothes. 

Imagine their family. Or do they have one?

SKYLAR: Yeah, but she doesn't know where her family is. Except for her little brother holding onto her hand. Her mom, dad, and older brother have disappeared.

TANSIE:  None that she knows of, but she keeps looking. There was her mother, her father, and younger sister (four-six years old). 

Imagine a villain(s). What do they look like? What does their voice sound like?

SKYLAR: Evil. [I wrote that because Tansie specifically told me not to.]

White haired, blue eyed older man. A doctor type. And his grandson, a guy with sandy brown hair and brown eyes. [I completely forgot about the voices when I did this. Oops.]

TANSIE: Dark hair, dark eyes. Late teens to late twenties. Male. Voice is low and husky. Posture/expression is arrogant and confident. Tall, athletic, and wears dark colors. Always carries a weapon. 

What is your main character scared of losing? Love, life, or hope?

SKYLAR: Life and hope.

TANSIE:  [I said OR, Skylar] Hope.

How has the song of your choice affected your answers?

SKYLAR: It made me write a sad, mournful [waxing poetic here] story. Bad things have happened...but the world keeps turning. And little fingers clench [I meant clutch] her hand. She has to go on.

TANSIE:  The song is just really depressing. Seriously. Go listen to it. It's about loss, fear, and trying to hang on to what you've got left.

"War Torn" by Deltafreelancer at DeviantArt

Skylar here! So we wrote down seriously creepily similar answers. Try doing this with another person like I mentioned before, because it's fun comparing answers. :)