Everyone has seen someone
who has looked resigned. They walk about with stooped shoulders and drink
a whiskey sour at ten in the morning. Yes, we've all seen these people:
on televison. Most of us, and probably most of our characters, aren't on
tv. So how do they deal with defeat? When they give up, what do they do?
1. Look at the example below. Keep it as the last paragraph, adding two or three preceeding paragraphs. Have your paragraphs take Susannah through one other emotion of your choosing thoroughly enough to convince the reader she is truly resigned at the end. Try to keep the given paragraph as close to its original form as you can, though you may need to tweak.
The doctor shook his
head. "I don't even think in vitro will work in your case, Susannah."
"Thank you for your
time," Susannah said, gathering her things. So, she thought as she walked
away, there would be no children for her and Paul.
2. Make a list of situations
that might make resignation believable. Leave a space between each item.
When you're done, go back and write a sentence or two describing that situation
and why the character feels resigned.