Back in week 2 of my Creative Writing class in college, there was a class discion that called for everyone to come up with the name of a character and a short descriptive asset list of ten items. After that everyone in class had to pick two their students asset list (and their character), to write a short story based off it. Basically using the asset list to get inspiration from to come up with something all new! I thought this assignment was a lot of fun so I've posted the two asset list and stories I wrote from them below:
Asset list one by Jennifer Mcleod:
"Tyler is interested in building specially designed robots that are used in the entertainment industry with his father. His desk in his father's shop is littered with many components he uses to build his very first robot.
nuts and bolts- all different sizes; some are shiny, some are rusted
wires- different colors, some are longer than others
schematics- factory made with his alterations on them;a few water and tea stains; older model robot plans
pen- black coating worn away from prolonged use; ink's almost gone
notepad- ideas and notes; drawings on several pages; flipped open to one page with hand drawn schematics with notes in the margins
stack of books- books on programming, metalworking, and machinery
tools- various tools used to work with wiring and metal
tubing- a flexible plastic type tubing used to cover wires and add flexibility
metal plating- eventually this will be a fully operable robot; buffed and polished to a shiny finish
various circuit boards- each of these will control various aspects of the completed robot; all shapes and sizes; most look a bit used and warn" (Mcleod)
Here's my story based on the above list (note I changed the characters name from Tyler to Steven for this blog, upon Jennifer's request):
"Dusty mornings on the dock, were always a welcomed sight in the eyes of young Steven. Every day he and his father Jack went out to greet first mornings light on it, looking off at the sun as it if were a fresh start of life with every new rise. Of course his mother wasn't as forth coming about it, she often fussed about how she wanted them to eat their breakfast before going out. But she knew it was a special sort of bonding time between them... She didn't want to break up knowing how little time they would have together.
"Dad" Steven said with the sweet morning light glistening in his innocent blue eyes. "Yes son..." his father replayed "When I grow up I want to be an inventor" the boy said. Steven could see a slight amount of shock behind his father's eyes, following from a boy who loved racing cars so much. Holding back an air of sadness quickly following the surprised feeling "Whatever you want to do, I am here for you. I would be honored if you were to take up my line of work" he half smiled. The boy set down feet dangling above the crystal green water below, he looked back to the sun which was almost finished rising. It started to fill the air with much welcomed warmth.
Fifth teen years later.
Steven a now strong young laid, picked up some tools and headed for shop. He had a picture of his mother and father above a tool organizer on the wall, to the right of a Naas Car poster and note pad. "They never thought I would beat the cancer and live my dream" he thought to himself quietly. He was reminded of this often, but not in a bitter way, he remembered it as a journey in which he made his parents proud.
Steven picked up the different sized wires and started to connect them, wrapping them all into a super role and putting them inside a hollow tube casing. A loud thud echoed to his ears from the other side of the room. He bumped his head sitting up to see where it came from. "Michael!" Steven said in an aggravated tone. His loyal yet equally rowty cat, knocked over a large stack of books on programming, and machinery. Steven sighed and picked up a tattered circuit board, and began to connect the metal plating that had seemed to have been, bent. Michael undoubtedly had gotten to it...
After a few hours, Steven backed away and with a proud smile he greeted his new creation into the world. The Autosymaticexasprator! Or... The lift, for short. It was a programmable lift that attached to actors, with strings giving them the ability on the silver screen to look as though they could fly. Now something similar already existed but it was powered by pulleys with other people on the other end of the rope, having to pick up a person and place them from A to Z. This baby could not only do that, but it could be programmed to move in sequence. There was a director in particular Steven knew would just kill to have this commodity. Of course it was only a model, there were still a few nuts and bolts that needed to be inter changed with shiny ones (Steven's supply of new bolts was always, in short supply)." (Jimerson)
Bibliography
Jessica Jimerson. (2011). Short Story 2-2. ENG421 Creative Writing: Wk2 Discussion, It's All in the Details. Westwood College. Page 2/2.
Jennifer Mcleod. (2011). Asset List 1. ENG421 Creative Writing: Wk2 Discussion, It's All in the Details. Westwood College. Page 1/1.
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