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Day 2 Assignments
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4 Replies
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Megan’s Character Descriptions
What I learned doing this assignment is… to focus on the most interesting details about each of my six main characters. For some characters, I needed to dig a little deeper into their layers to discover what makes them tick. I found myself asking the question “why?” over and over again. I intentionally brainstormed opposing characteristics that I could potentially work into certain characters to make them more complex.
Lexie Abbott
A naive, socially awkward 15-year old who catches spelling and grammatical errors for fun, Lexie is growing tired of her boring, bookish life where she always feels overshadowed by a genius older sister and a social superstar younger brother.
As part of a freshman English assignment, she sends an email to her future self and shockingly receives a response. Her future self is much cooler, more confident, and successful than could have ever imagined. Lexie’s goal is now to become just like Alexis.
But what if Alexis isn’t sharing the entire truth with her younger self? What unexpected intrigue could Lexie be getting herself into as she tries to become more like someone she barely knows—her future self.
Alexis Abbott
Cool, confident, successful, and living in Chicago in the year 2040, Alexis is everything Lexie someday hopes to be. But even though she presents an independent facade, she is actually miserably alone. Despite the fact that her coworker Brett hits on her hard, Alexis remains a complete ice queen, keeping him as well as the rest of the world at arms’ length.
Lexie’s email arrives at Alexis’s darkest moment and in a way saves her by providing Alexis with a project—to transform her pathetic younger self into someone no one will ever take advantage of. She says she’s trying to help Lexie but what she’s really interested in is improving her own life. Alexis gives Lexie information about her future, but there are some things she refuses to elaborate on. What is she hiding?
Betsy Sullivan
Tactlessly honest but fiercely protective, Betsy is used to life not going her way. Her father ran out on their family when she was younger and she’s basically been a second mother to her younger brother ever since.
With the arrival of high school, Betsy notices alarming changes: a growing distance between herself and her childhood best friend Lexie, academic struggles, and interpersonal conflict with the head cheerleader who seems to have a personal vendetta against her. Tall and athletic, Betsy gets recruited for the varsity girls’ basketball team as a freshman, but the honor means little if she can’t keep her grades up. When newcomer Cerise arrives, it seems like Betsy might be losing her sport and her best friend.
Cerise Davies
A newcomer to town, talented artist Cerise just wants a fresh start where no one knows her—or the fact that her mother has just died of cancer. Since her mother’s death, her father has become unbearably overprotective and Cerise has no choice but to lie to him to maintain some sense of freedom.
As an angry, grieving freshman in a new town, Cerise had no aspirations for new friends, but she soon finds herself gravitating toward Lexie despite the fact that Betsy, Lexie’s longtime best friend, clearly does not want to share her best friend with anyone. She is therefore completely surprised when Betsy comes to her with a request. Despite their conflict, Cerise agrees to help Betsy cheat in order to maintain academic eligibility for the basketball team.
Brett Hall
Alexis’s coworker Brett, a carefree Romeo, is used to rejection. He’s been hitting on Alexis regularly for the last 18 months with no success despite a sensational smile and a series of quips.
But this unrequited lover has a secret: retail is not his only job. His unknown employer has assigned him to spy on Alexis. As a result, Brett knows about her communication with her past self. But how will he use that information?
Sterling Zheng
Alexis’s work competition, the thorn in Alexis’s side, who undermines coworkers to get ahead and is hated by everyone. But with a demanding father and three extremely successful older brothers she feels driven to match their achievement. Though a cut-throat backstabber at work, Sterling volunteers at the local animal shelter and excels in languages.
Since Alexis is her biggest competition for success at work, Sterling spies on Alexis in order to get ahead, which is how she uncovers Brett’s questionable activities. How will she use the information?
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Megan Schemenauer.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Megan Schemenauer.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Megan Schemenauer.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by
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Tom’s Character Descriptions
This was a challenging, but welcomed lesson after an epiphany in the final lesson of module 1. At that time I realized a new approach to the overall story, which rearranged my main characters. Two of my new main characters were not fully developed, so this took a little extra effort to get them up to speed. They still aren’t quite as developed as I’d like, but by spending time with them, I feel like I have pulled back a new layer to the story, which is always exciting.
Florida Man
A full-time conspiratorial theorist, Florida Man is a genius in his own way, who aspires to realize a deeper mystery of existence. He comes off as paranoid, but he is a resourceful and caring man, who practices the theories he preaches, frequently complicating his own life in pursuit of truth. Florida Man’s past (and real name) are a mystery that he holds tight in an attempt to stay “hidden in plain sight” from the evil empire.
After recently being arrested and facing jail time, he defended himself and convinced the judge to reduce the sentence to house arrest if he did community service and joined a support group. Once in the group setting, events trigger repressed memories causing him to believe that Eddie and Tiffany are controlling their minds, further leading him to believe that he’s been abducted by aliens. Whether the delusions of an unstable man or the repressed memories of a trauma victim, his antics lead him to the ultimate truth he is seeking.
Tiffany (formerly Claire)
An overachieving apprentice studying the relationship of space and time as it relates to human existence, Tiffany is the brains behind the execution of an alien abduction experiment. She has been groomed for most of her life for the opportunity to “handle” extracted humans. Brilliant, curious, and compassionate, Tiffany seems to know everything about this group and is obsessed with human quirks.
Once the experiment begins, Tiffany’s tone moves from helpful and altruistic to erratic and desperate, as she begins to question the ethical nature of what they doing. She must inspire the group to see the common bond between them before they are returned to their lives, and is competing with Eddie to be awarded permanent oversight the outcome of an event on earth that will lead to the downfall of humanity or set it free.
Eddie
An outspoken apprentice, Eddie is the easy-going and fun-loving counterpart to Tiffany’s analytical and process-driven nature. Everything seems to come easy to Eddie, and people naturally feel comfortable opening up to him, making him the perfect spokesman for the alien experiment. Using charisma, creativity and his fascination over what human’s call nostalgia, he taps into an emotional core that allows him to manipulate the subjects.
In competition with Tiffany, Eddie believes that his approach of likability is the key to getting human’s on track to realizing their connection to one another, and ultimately not becoming extinct through an impending war that can be traced to the event they are trying to stop. This approach opposes Tiffany’s “truth-seeking” model in that he feels mankind are more emotional than analytical. The differences in their approach lead to squabbles that threaten the experiment, their careers, and the well-being of the planet.
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What we learned from this process is to really cut a lot of the fat and get to the most interesting aspects of the characters especially when it comes to the dynamics between characters where the conflict jumps off the page.
Liz Kane
Liz has no filter and masks her insecurities by being fiery and short-tempered. She has to butt in when she thinks people are wrong or need help. Raised on catholic guilt from her mother and by a dad who is trans but still married to her mom, this formed Liz’s belief that monogamy wasn’t natural.
Most consider Liz’s marriage “couple goals”, but nobody knows they’ve been swingers for 14 years. She wants to live authentically and be out about her lifestyle (unlike her dad), but her husband Eric is perfectly cozy in the swinger’s closet. She also doesn’t know if she’s ready for the vanilla world’s bullshit.
When she’s forced out to help save her best friend Michelle’s marriage, Liz feels alive with this finally off her chest. With Michelle’s help, she gives sex and relationship advice using their hair salon as a front, but Eric has no idea. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle, so what will life be like once more and more people know about their once closely held secret?
Eric Kane
Eric grew up the fat kid and never had a girlfriend until Liz. In middle school, his cousin slipped notes into his textbook making him think it was from a secret admirer, which caused trust and confidence issues (Liz is the only one he fully trusts).
While Liz runs toward confrontation and attention, Eric avoids it at all costs and is often embarrassed by her behavior. He tries to be Liz’s voice of reason. He’s triggered by being lied to which causes him to give the silent treatment (that drives Liz nuts).
He’s content with their lifestyle because he feels they have a much deeper level of trust and communication compared to most couples. He also gets off on other men being into his wife cause it validates that he has a hot chick which he could never get growing up.
He’s unhappy in the corporate rat race and wants to start his own business but he knows he needs to provide for his family and fears uncertainty.
As the series unfolds, how does Eric handle being outed? What issues will he and Liz have in their marriage because of this? Or will it be the opportunity he is looking for?
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Sharilyn’s Character Descriptions
What I learned from this assignment is…characters must be built from the inside-out, which is really hard since I’m just getting to know them.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS – Erin
• Who is the character? Erin Stodermann Role in the show? bedridden 600lb. millennial / perky protagonist with a weightloss goal that is interrupted by sudden underground/internet porn fame
• Noteworthy traits : flip, smart, kind to kids, bilingual
• Intriguing history : adopted, lost a child
• Intrigue : Why is the porn world enamored with her particular brand of food f#*%^@$? What makes her sex sell?
• Mystery? Who is / was her baby-daddy? Who are her birth parents? Will she choose fat shame or porn fame?
• How do they support or drive the conflict with others? She is the center of the viral “soft” porn world
• Irony – Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character : By being a good role-model for the kids she can’t do porn, be morbidly obese; fear of being seen makes her go viral; losing weight equals losing $$, acceptance
• Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters: Not doing porn holds back the dreams of her friends who invest in her career
• Unpredictable? Food rituals
• Intriguing relationship with one or more character : Walley, Patty, Johnny, Chubby Chasers
HOW TO WRITE IT
START: Present the character as someone we can relate to: A 600lb. millennial on a weight loss journey is afraid to leave her house for fear of judgment
MIDDLE: Conflict, intrigue, and issues. When her phone camera is hacked, she unknowingly goes viral as all of her struggles with food and fat are exposed to novelty internet porn people
ENDING: A final punchline that hooks us and sends us into the future of the story : She succumbs to the acceptance of the porn world at the expense of her emotional and physical health
EDITED VERSION – Erin
A 600lb. millennial on a weight loss-journey is desperate to escape her bedroom but for fear of judgment about her size, she enrolls in on-line courses. A bilingual adoptee, she never wants any kid to feel rejected. So she tutors immigrant kids in her neighborhood, free of charge. When she discovers her phone camera has been hacked, and that her life, including a hokey family, endless food, and of course, enormous FAT- has been paid-by-view on a porn site, she freaks out.
At first, she shrinks from her viral status. But then, her bestys point out that the money she earns just by allowing porn people watch her dine, dress, and dream could aid in her search for a new life and new body. The acceptance she gains by being fat encourage her to explore her brand of chubby chasing pleasure while she navigates the “soft” porn world of “normal” size and “normal” sex.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS – Patty
• Who is the character? Patricio “Patty” Rodriquez Role in the show? Ride-or-die-sidekick-chick
• Noteworthy traits : Passionate, outspoken, pretty, loyal, sassy, not classy and oh-so-nasty
• Intriguing history : Trans-Latina, excommunication, lost a child
• Intrigue : Why does she betray her besty?
• Mystery? Will she be a he to make another baby? Why not get the operation?
• How do they support or drive the conflict with others? Fierce loyalty = fierce defense of her besty / the lifestyle
• Irony – Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character : Attraction to both men and women
• Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters: Friendship over fame/fashion
• Unpredictable? Gender fluid
• Intriguing relationship with one or more character : Ms. Chen, Mi-Ya, Gina, Walley
HOW TO WRITE IT
START: Present the character as someone we can relate to: A fiercely loyal, and gender fluid, ride-or-die friend
MIDDLE: Conflict, intrigue, and issues. : Can’t resist the urge to use her junk and make her own family, while exploring a lesbian attraction. The porn world opens her up to possibilities that clash with her besty
ENDING: A final punchline that hooks us and sends us into the future of the story : She can’t be everything to everyone which forces her to choose herself at the expense of relationships
EDITED VERSION – Patty
A fiercely loyal and gender fluid, ride-or-die chick, she goes all in to be there for friends and fashion. Unfortunately being true to herself has never clicked with her traditional Latin family who excommunicate her after she comes all the way out. Unable to live under religious judgment, she makes herself available to chill with her besty, doing her hair and make-up, running food errands, and gossiping.
The two share an unbreakable bond after one wild night. She wants to take advantage of the porn fame her friend receives in order to launch her own fashion / stylist empire. She connects with others in the business who encourage her to do her thang even if it means turning her back on her besty. She realizes she can’t be the sidekick all her life and takes porn matters into her own hands, literally and figuratively.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS – Ms. Chen
• Who is the character? Ah-Nie Chen Role in the show? Counterpoint, voice of reason, Motherly, means well but through tough love
• Noteworthy traits : hardworking, blunt, honest, dependable
• Intriguing history : illegal immigrant, not divorced
• Intrigue : Why sabotage the weight loss journey?
• Mystery? How does she find the biological parents? Why cavort with the adopted parents?
• How do they support or drive the conflict with others? Fiery spirit drives wedges between family / friends
• Irony – Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character : She hurts those she helps
• Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters: Micromanaging stifles
• Unpredictable? She fights back
• Intriguing relationship with one or more character : Mi-Ya, Johnny, Stu&Lu, Wei Chen(the ex)
HOW TO WRITE IT
START: Present the character as someone we can relate to: Hyper organized caretaker and faithful single, immigrant mother of a daughter she doesn’t connect with
MIDDLE: Conflict, intrigue, and issues. Manages everyone’s life but her own as she never divorced her abusive hubby, who poses a looming threat to her immigration status
ENDING: A final punchline that hooks us and sends us into the future of the story : She can’t move on with her life until she is willing to face her abusive, lonely past
EDITED VERSION – Ms. Chen
A busy-body caretaker who means well, she inserts herself where she is not wanted because she has no family here; except for her daughter with whom she doesn’t connect. She’s made do as a single mom, struggling every step; but optimistic that if she just pushes onward things will get better for her financially.
A glimpse into the porn world (so many needy people!) opens her eyes to women who need her strength, and mothering. She’s so used to controlling everyone around her, she gets sucked in by the new challenge of managing their lives. The money is good too. When her abusive hubby gets wind of her unconventional new job, he demands parts of profit, threatening to report her to customs if she doesn’t give it up and give in to his demands.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS – Walley
• Who is the character? Walley Stank Role in the show? Antagonist surface ass-hole
• Noteworthy traits : hacking, sensitive,
• Intriguing history : in love w/a blow-up doll-Candy; double-wide trailer trash, bullied
• Intrigue : Why does he hack? Will Candy return his love? Will Erin forgive him for making her a porn star?
• Mystery? What will he do with footage he’s collected?
• How do they support or drive the conflict with others? No one, but Candy, trusts him
• Irony – Opposites or paradoxes that exist with the character : He’s a confused genius
• Opposing agendas/etc. that naturally causes conflict with other characters:
• Unpredictable? Never know if he’s “on” to you
• Intriguing relationship with one or more character : Erin, Gina, Chubby Chasers, Candy
HOW TO WRITE IT
START: Present the character as someone we can relate to: A high school drop-out from a dead town who is brilliantly stupid. Years of bullying cause him to confide in his blow-up doll lover, which cause him to live in a mixed reality.
MIDDLE: Conflict, intrigue, and issues. He discovers hacking as a kid and enjoys the power of anonymity as he voyeurs into neighbors’ trailers.
ENDING: A final punchline that hooks us and sends us into the future of the story : He has to satisfy the sex-charged fat-for-profit phenomena while building an on-line porn presence in a business that only accepts what he can do for them.
EDITED VERSION – Walley
A high school drop-out from a dead town who is brilliantly stupid. Years of bullying cause him to confide in his blow-up doll lover, who encourages him to live in a mixed reality behind his computers. When he discovers his ability to voyeur into neighbors’ trailers, he collects footage and begins to sell it on the dark web. When he stumbles upon the fat fetish fandom, his thirst for the next biggest thing rages.
In the porn world, he is not a weirdo. In fact, he’s totally accepted as most understand his background. What he can’t get is respectability, as he is not contracted to work for any major outlet. He decides to build his own internet porn site but he is met with opposition from not only the establishment, but also from chubby chasers who pay top dollar to view fresh meat. As he strives to meet the demands for freaky fatness, he loses himself in a world he cannot control and doesn’t fully understand.
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