Wouldn't stories be bland if everything was the same? If everyone was the same? If Character A was exactly like Character B?
I think I hear a unanimous YES! Bland, bland, bland, and we don't want blandness in our stories.
One way to make stories exciting is to have contrast.
The other day when I was walking near my house, I saw these trees. One was a row of cherry trees in full bloom, full of life. The other tree was dead. The trees next to each other showed a lot of contrast.
How can we put contrast into our stories?
What if Character A loves to have fun and make jokes? And Character B sees life seriously?
What if Setting A is a busy mall on a Saturday afternoon? And Setting B is a quiet, empty church on a Thursday morning?
What if someone in your story speaks fast and breathlessly? And someone else chooses each word carefully?
What if some sentences in your story are short? And others are long?
What if some scenes are emotional? And others are matter-of-fact?
What if some of your descriptions are lengthy and detailed? And others are short and general?
What if some situations in your story are funny? And others are sad?
What if Character A dresses in wild, colorful stripes? And Character B wears beige pants?
Try adding contrast to a story you're writing, and see how things that are contrasted come to life more vividly--even a dead tree.
