Write-it Wednesday! — “Apples to Snapples”

This has really nothing to do with the beverage or the snake/snail people phenomenon, but it does have to do with the game. What? I needed a title and I like rhymes.

I just did something weird. (Yes, that could describe a lot of things I do. Moving on.) In my current project, the five main characters, all young teens, sit down to play a board game. Apples to Apples is the first one that came to mind. After all, most people at this point know how to play it, and it’s really just background noise for the conversation/argument they’re all about to have. I was just going to write down the first few nouns and adjectives that came to mind, but then I had a better idea. I got out the cards and started playing.

Was it depressing and awkward to play a game for 4-10 by myself home alone on my living room floor? Sure. But an interesting thing started to happen. I did that to get ideas about what words were in the deck, but I ended up learning about the characters. Who played ironic cards, who was literal? Who saved promising red cards for the perfect moment and who went for broke? When they were the dealer, did they choose a winner by accuracy? Irony? Humor? Gut instinct?

So that is your challenge. Get out Apples to Apples (or another board game) and play as your characters. I think this worked so well because I couldn’t get caught up in dream scenarios. Everyone didn’t have the prefect cards every time.

Alternatively, write a scene in which they all play a game. Avengers Monopoly anyone? (Tony looses, and he’s pissed. “In case anyone’s forgotten, I won in real life.” Which probably means Clint won the game, and is making it rain monopoly money. Natasha kept getting stuck in jail, and threatening to break out. Thor just played with all the tiny buildings.)

But that’s getting ahead of myself.

Maybe this is a weird prompt, if it even technically is one. Whatever. We play board games for our own amusement in the club, let’s put them to use for our characters.