Strive: Creating Character Emotions: Anger

English: Emotions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I am working on being a better writer. Right now I am making my way through the book: . Creating Character Emotions by Ann Hood. The book contains three exercises for a wide variety of emotions starting with Anger and ending in Worry. My plan is to post my exercises.

For the very first exercise, I had to write a conversation between two characters that begins with the line “Actually, this isn’t my first pregnancy. I gave a baby away for adoption ten years ago when I was in art school.” The person who hears this line has to go through three different emotions, anger doesn't necessarily have to be one.

Anger #1

“Actually, this isn’t my first pregnancy. I gave a baby away for adoption ten years ago when I was in art school.” Marissa said to Molly. Molly paused carefully picking her way through that statement.

“You went to art school?” Molly said attaching herself to the least shocking part of Marissa’s statement. Molly wasn’t sure, how she felt about Marissa statement. She was just Marissa’s coworker, and she did not want to know such personal information. She had tried to be friendly to the new girl and had asked after the baby, only to be hit with that.

“Yes, it was a bit of a phase. College seemed intimidating and I didn’t want to get a job. So, I convinced my parents I was an aspiring artist. I hadn’t anticipated how much effort it was going to be. That’s why I got into trouble with that teacher and wound up pregnant.” There it was again. Was Marissa deliberately trying to provoke her? Molly took a deep breath.

“Not to be rude or nothing, but I would rather not know about that kid you gave away.” Molly said as she looked towards the clock.

“Fine,” Marissa snapped and she stood up. Molly could hear the irritation with a tinge of hurt in Marissa voice. Molly huffed to herself as Marissa stomped out of the break room. Molly could feel her lips twisting into a grim smile.