This prompt idea is more of an exercise, but it is really critical to honing your craft, and everything you write can easily be morphed into a story later if that is what you desire. The Prompt: Go somewhere, apart from your house or job or where you normally are, and sit down (or stand, or crouch, or whatever I guess). Focus on your senses and describe in detail (in writing) everything you experience with all five senses: Touch, Taste, Smell, Sounds, and Sights. Likely you will discover that some senses are easier for you to grab ahold of and put into words. This is because we are used to talking about how something ‘looks’ for example. Other sensory imagery will be much harder to capture. We rarely talk about how something ‘tastes’, unless we are discussing food. Try to give equal weight to each sensory experience, especially the areas in which our descriptive muscles have essentially atrophied. Try for at least 100 words for each sense. If you want to go over this amount for some that is fine, but try not to write less. Really stretch yourself. Not only does this work your powers of Mindfulness of your surroundings, but it also forces you to flex your vocabulary muscles. In the midst of your action packed summer plans, make some time for this activity. Give your body a break and work your mind. If you want a really great ‘workout’ try creating a story using the imagery you recorded. And, if you try this writing activity, let me know how it worked out for you in the comments below.
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This is a fun writing activity that I use as the first writing assignment for my creative writing classes. It never fails to awaken the creative muse, and often some of the most interesting stories are born from the most seemingly benign beginnings (or images in this case). The Prompt: Choose a photograph—this can be one of your own or one from a media source (although, it has been my experience that using your own picture is often the most gratifying and the most creative challenge as you must pull yourself out of reality and see the photo as creative opportunity). Paste the image into your document and then begin writing…the only catch? You can’t tell the real story! Reframe the events of your own life into a fictional text. Have fun! The other catch…try to keep your writing to 250-300 words. This is a snapshot. Literally, and literarily. Tell the story of the photo. Use imagery, dialogue, characterization…all the elements of story craft, just in a condensed form. And, don’t be surprised if when you are done you reach for another photo…but that is ok, this is one addiction that it is ok to fuel. Have fun! And, please, if you give this a try let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear about your experiences. |
Wendy Picard GorhamWendy lives and works in the midst of words everyday--English teacher by profession, and writer by passion! Archives
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