
Jessica Sherry
5 Story Writing Prompts on First Buys
What's the first thing your main character bought with his or her own money?
My first buy with my own money was a portable typewriter. This was before laptops were an affordable option, okay? I can't remember how old I was, yikes, but I'm guessing twelve. The machine ran on about ten D batteries. I could take it anywhere, and I especially loved cranking out stories in the third seat of Mom and Dad's Suburban on long car trips. It had a small screen, where I could type out a line of text before the mechanics kicked in and the words appeared on the page, which saved me quite a few mistakes. I bought it from Kmart for $129.99 plus tax using money I'd earned working at my parents' convenience store at the totally unfair rate of $1 per hour. SMH. I got up with my Dad to open the store at six a.m. and often worked until three or four. I didn't care how hard it was spending my summer this way or how little I got paid, only that I reached my goal. I'd wanted that typewriter for as long as I'd been writing. And, I got it!

Though I'd go on to make many purchases with my earnings, I remember the typewriter most of all because: I knew what I wanted and saved for it; I LOVED IT and took it everywhere; and it made me feel like a real writer.
Want more insights into how spending reflects personality? Check out this article.
BTW, my parents eventually realized the unfairness of my wage and bumped me up to a "real" employee.
Anyway, my first buy with my own money reveals a lot about me, right? It shows that even as a kid, I had a strong work ethic and loved writing enough to invest in it. Plus, it predicted my future as a writer. And, it reveals that my folks enjoyed cheap, child labor. *smirk*
So, what about your main character? Even if this topic never comes up in your story, your MC's background helps understand her better which will come out in your writing.
What's the first thing she bought with her own money?
Why did she want this thing?
How did it make her feel?
What did she have to go through to get it?
How does this reflect on her as an adult?
Have any insights? Share below! For more story ideas, check out www.coffeebrained.com. Happy brainstorming!