Today is the Super-Snooper Blogfest!. Instructions are to describe a setting that tells us something about your character's personality. Characters can be of any age, living in any time or place. But don't tell us about the character, tell us about his or her stuff. We'll get to know the character from what you write.
My entry:
Sticky notes covered every millimeter of the computer monitor frame. Most were yellow, a few pink or green, each with an important note on it: events, dates, inspirational sayings and little bits of wisdom. Every two seconds, the screen saver flashed a new photo. The same face appeared in each, always with at least one other person: at parties, on the beach, in the mountains, under the wide tent of a hang-glider. Many of the same faces filled frames that littered the nearby bookshelves, obscuring the few books that lay jumbled in a heap. Swim goggles hung from the corner of one frame, a snowboard leaned against the bookshelves, and the harness of the latest bungee jump spilled out of the bottom-most shelf.
What kind of personality do you imagine this character has? What part of their stuff gave you that impression?
As I mentioned, I have a copy of Sam Gosling's Snoop: what your stuff says about you to give away. Each participant will get one entry in the drawing, and the randomly-selected winner wins the book! Check back on Friday to see if you're the lucky winner, and go see what others wrote!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm going out on a limb here: he's into "on the edge" sporting activities, probably as part of his job (cover), sticky notes and images imply he could be a man-tracker (PI - snoop - assassin, psycho kidnapper or grotty tabloid journalist, though he could be a pimply nerd fan obsessed with fav celeb). The latter I doubt. I'm going for man-tracker!
His personality is that of daring-do, obsessive in nature, the more facts collated the better the chance of whatever he's got planned. ;)
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This is a person who is very social and outdoorsy and active...and yet has a computer ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat entry! I think Toby really nailed the description I had in my head.
ReplyDeleteFrancine: I love it! I actually hadn't considered his occupation (this isn't from a WIP), but it fits!
ReplyDeleteToby: Pretty much what I had in mind.
Trisha: Even the outdoorsy types need to keep up with the rest of the world. ;)
Megan: Thanks!
And I'm over 30 entrants. If everyone participates, I'll have to find another prize. And quickly!
Definitely a guy who is a risk taker, likes living on the edge, and is stalking a former partner. Either that or all the photos (based on where they occur) are of him with a different girl! The few books suggest that he's a somewhat shallow. I'd really like to know the titles of his books!
ReplyDeleteThis person seems like a young outdoor thrill-seeker who loves to be around friends.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he also lacks a little bit of confidence, which is why he surrounds himself with pictures of these friends - as if to contunually confirm his popularity.
Great description. Thrill-seeker of course, but possibly someone who has lost a loved one to a tragic event.
ReplyDeleteClara: Ooh, a stalker. I hadn't thought of that, but he certainly could be!
ReplyDeleteSally: Likely, very likely. :)
Debra Ann: Thanks! I'm curious to know what makes you think he lost a loved one.
Allison:His obsession with sticky notes and pictures of the same person on his screen saver. I think either his wife or girlfriend.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks for stopping by. You almost were on the mark. Come back on the 7th for the first 550 words I am posting for another blog fest to find out who my MC really is...
Um, forgetful and outdoorsy? And friendly!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting this blogfest!
I find it interesting that everyone thought it was a guy. I thought it was a woman until you responded to Francine. Either man or woman I would have said that they were an extreme sports adventure writer. It's better to write about what you have experienced. At least for non-fiction!
ReplyDeleteThis was fun. Thanks!
I think that the person (male or female--uncertain at this juncture) has definitely got an athletic-type body. This makes me believe that they are young-ish but not sure either. The sticky notes too don't really tell me much because everytime I go to buy them from the store, I can only find the ones that are in the multi-colored packs so I don't think that it is a conscious choice to get the notes in different colors. You also say that only important stuff is scribbled onto the notes, however, what is important to me may not be important to the person in the setting. Without details, it's impossible for me to guess further.
ReplyDeleteSticky notes tell me this person tries to keep on top of things--a way of being organized without committing to a planner or calender of sorts. Being the sporty, outdoors, throw caution to the wind kind of person--the sticky notes fits. A planner would be weird.
ReplyDeleteThe same picture flashing on the screen and the same person in the picture frames on the shelves tells me this character is in a committed relationship. And that person obviously enjoys wild sports as well.
I see a thrill seeker, adventurer type person. Am I right? Am I right? :)
Nicely done. I finally got mine up and now I'm off to check out the others. thank you Snooper hostess for a fab blogfest idea.
The sticky notes are intriguing. Could be many things. I always go first to the fact that the person is a writer, but that seems somewhat inconsistent with the fact that there are few books. Obviously, the person is active, a risk-taker, a traveler, and likes to spend time with other people vs. going solo. It sounds like he/she has a core group of friends based on the computer photos and framed ones showing some of the same faces.
ReplyDeleteFun exercise!
Apologies I forgot about the date of this fest and missed it.
ReplyDeleteGreat description. It sounds like the office of a young man who enjoys outdoor activities :O)
The snowboard and bungee cord makes me think it's a guy. (My brother loved to snowboard.)
ReplyDeleteThe sticky notes are his feeble attempt to stay organized in a haphazard way. He's popular and friendly and encourages others (hence, the photos and inspirational sayings). He's also a bit cocky because his own face appears in all the photos with lots of different friends. But mostly an adventurer. Perhaps a college student. I think his occupation is a chef.
I'm late, but I will be there for your blogfest, Roland
ReplyDeleteI can identify with the post-its...the snowboard and bungee harness, not so much.
ReplyDeleteBoth our characters seen to be thrill seekers, just very different thrills :)
I dunno I thought it was a girl - most of the guys I know wouldn't be caught dead with a pink sticky note. Sporty and social, with a large circle of friends. Loves the adrenaline rush you get from the more extreme sort of sports. Works on the computer a lot.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting this blogfest, It was really fun figuring out how my character's room would look like and 'seeing' all these other rooms.
T.x
Great guesses from everyone, and the other entries are such fun to read! I'm working on a second prize for the blogfest. We shall see if I manage the super-cool prizes I'm aiming for. I'll let you know as soon as I can.
ReplyDeleteWas late home from work so I only just got my post up. I think the person described is quite organised, possibly a student (as indicated by the sticky-notes), perhaps on their gap year. They seem like an adventurous, carefree person who likes to lead an active life. They're a bit of a daredevil who have many friends that they like to socialise with.
ReplyDeleteGeek meets surfer late teenage boy athletic enthusiast.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome. I'm definately going to join. I'll be back later to add my page to the links.
ReplyDelete<3 Gina Blechman
Thanks for your comments on my blog! I think this character is a wealthy author--the computer sounds a LOT like mine, too! ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for holding this blogfest, it's way fun!
Elizabeth
For me, guessing this guy's character would depend on whether it's his own face or someone else's in the photos. If it's his own, then he's a bit of a showoff, egotistical, but insecure, considering that he has to remind himself of everything from events to inspirational sayings. If it's someone else's, then it's someone he's obsessed with. Could be a girlfriend that he broke up with (or broke up with him) but he still has feelings for. That may explain the untidiness of his room; he's so upset about the bad relationship that he's lost interest in tidying up, just flinging snowboards and books everywhere. Either way, he's got issues. :P
ReplyDeleteHe's someone who knows how to have fun ;)
ReplyDeleteI love your blog btw.
ecwrites.blgospot.com
Seems like a "live like you were dying" setting.
ReplyDeleteHe feels almost too stimulated; someone who is either forgetful - thus the need for sticky notes - or is compiling some sort of memento for others to remember him by.
I don't know what exactly make me think morbid thoughts of this setting, and not the adventurous world traveler depicted. I just get a sense of loss and fulfillment both - a life lived well.
Thanks for hosting this blogfest. It sure has been fun.
........dhole
What a great idea, I am so glad to have found your blog!
ReplyDeleteI think this person is younger, maybe someone at University, hence all the sticky notes. The pics could represent a girlfriend or family that he left back home while he is at school. A free-spirited adventurer it sounds like. Snowboarding and especially bungee jumping are not for the faint of heart! The fact that he owns the cord would indicate that he does it often I suspect too. Thanks for hosting, I can't wait to read the other entries :))
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI've now posted a follow-up: my character revealed! So were you rght in your guess?
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