Monday, May 25, 2015

Writing prompt: A Memorial Day Misremembrance

Write a short story in which a key element of either the conflict or the resolution is a character misremembering an important fact.

Ulterior motive

It's Memorial Day here in the United States. On this day of remembrance, a memory-themed writing prompt seems especially apt.

Brain scanning technology is quickly approachi...
I put that memory in here somewhere!
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This is also an opportunity to cogitate on the idea that the conflict in a story doesn't have to be an actual conflict. It could a perceived conflict that doesn't really exist. If the characters don't know the difference, then there isn't one.

Misremembered facts can also lead to a story in which the protagonist and antagonist think they're clashing for the same reason, but really they're not. Each misjudges the other's motivation.

(A side note: I'm betting this kind of misjudgment will play a big role in the upcoming movie Superman v. Batman: Dawn of Justice. But that's only a guess.)