It’s been a while since I completed the Writing Excuses exercises. The holidays really slowed me down and when I say slowed, I mean dead stop. Earlier this week I took a look at the 10.7 episode homework. It is as follows:
The assignment: Pick one of the dead-drop characters from the exercise two weeks ago, and turn them into a secondary character. Now take one of the characters with whom they interacted, and write the same scene again, but from this new character’s POV.
If you look back on the 10.5 homework, I chose to work with the leather shop owner. He only spoke in one of the scenes, but he is the perfect candidate for this week’s assignment of turning a secondary character into the main character. I really like where this story line could take me.
Writing Excuses 10.7: Who Are All These People?
Peter watched the crowd mill about in front of his outdoor shop. He breathed in the scent of leather. The earthy smell was a comfort. He spent his early life learning how to work with leather and his products sold well at the market.
The market was his favorite place to sell. He loved watching the people. This was the place that helped hone his skills at reading people. And reading people is what brought in the real money. To say his leather stand was a front was both insulting and true. Insulting because the leather wallets, belts, and bags brought in enough that he didn’t need to do anything else. And it was true because it actually acted as a front. This was the place spies were born.
Peter would be the judge of how well they could be trained to do the work at hand.
Ten years ago, he began running drugs for a local company. The term gang didn’t quite sum up the organization. It was a well-organized business. And after ten years he needed a new partner. Over the next few weeks, he would be using the stand as an audition of sorts. His soon to be retired partner found a list of potential hires. Peter would be the judge of how well they could be trained to do the work at hand. But in the meantime, he would sell his leather and wait for this week’s dead drop.
Today’s candidate could be spotted a mile away. He was tall, wore mundane clothes, and was looking over his shoulder with each step he took. He fidgeted with the bag in his hands. The ridged posture was the biggest giveaway. How could anyone walk like that?
Peter knew this man would not be trainable. He shook his head and waited for the man to make his way to Peter’s table.
The man smiled at Peter and put the bag down in on the ground in front of himself. At least he put the bag in the right place.
“I’m looking for a wallet,” the man said.
“I have some nice ones here,” Peter pointed to the ones on the table in front. The man was sweating from his brow and his face beet red. It looked as if he ran to the market. “But these behind me are better quality.”
“Let me take a look at the brown tri-fold,” the man pointed to a wallet behind Peter.
Peter pulled it down for him. Watching the man look through the wallet made Peter chuckle, though he was careful to not be too loud. The man’s sweat dripped on the smooth leather as he opened and closed it at least three times. He didn’t look through the pouches. He just unfolded and refolded. The longer he stood there the redder he was becoming. Peter smiled as the man’s eyes began looking left to right.
“It’s nice, but I’m going to have to think about it,” the man said thrusting the wallet at Peter.
“Come back when you do,” Peter said. “I’m here every day.”
Peter began wiping off the man’s sweat from the wallet when he smiled and walked back the way he came. Peter shook his head. Putting the wallet back on the rack behind him, he wondered where his current partner found that guy. Peter kneeled and pulled the bag the man dropped from under the table. He looked inside. Everything was there. The man was so nervous he didn’t even notice that he was transporting a bag of smarties.
Peter laughed aloud and opened a pack. In a market this busy, no one turned to look at him despite the loud ring of his laughter. He smiled to himself as he set back to work selling his goods, hoping the next candidate was stealthier.
To Sum Up:
At this moment I’m really tired. Getting back into the swing of things has been harder than I thought it would be. I’m not quite sure if what I have posted is readable, but I did write it a few days ago and it reads well at the moment. That gives me hope.
As always, leave a comment below. I would love to read your thoughts.
This post and I are in no way associated with Writing Excuses. I just really liked this idea and wanted to share.
Want to see the previous posts of my master class work?
10.1
10.2
10.4
10.5
Weekly Update – Sunday to Sunday
Words Written this week: 2,542
Words Written this year: 7,315
Least words written: Thursday – 0
Most Words written: Wednesday – 983
Books read to date: 1
I have to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this site. I am hoping to view the same high-grade blog posts from you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own, personal blog now 😉