Showing posts with label Exercises and Prompts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exercises and Prompts. Show all posts

Friday, March 4, 2011

Hint Fiction Friday (Saturday)

Soundtrack stuck in my head by Dear and the Headlights.

As a shout out to the wonderful authors who together make up the Hint Fiction Anthology, I am establishing Hint Fiction Fridays! Woot!

This is a writing exercise for me and an invitation to all (3, probably) of you to post your own hint fictions on my comments page.

Hint Fiction refers to a story of 25 words for fewer that hints at a more complex situation but is a self-contained implosion of emotion.

Thank you, Robert Swartwood!

Tonight I have written such a story as I whiled away time in the box office.

80,000 Fan Haircut by Emily J. Lawrence

The director gave permission. The child star’s hair, I swept, dusted and tucked into my pocket. Daddy’s the hero at last. But, no. UNFOLLOW.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Welcome to Pallet Town!

Descriptions, whether metaphors or adjectives, must be impetuous, tenacious, and memorable - they must poke the reader in the eye, causing him to be more alert to your words. If your book or story were the mob, they would be your made men. They get attention, according to your orders.

You have your adjectives, your metaphors, your similes.

Give them enough bullets to accomplish the job. A full barrel, minus one, so they can't take you out and ruin the operation.

We'll start with one of our basic sets of descriptive words: colors. Try enhancing your writer's pallet.

I've included my experimentation as examples.

Yellow

The house was a yellow houses shouldn't be.

The house was the yellow that Hummers should be but houses should not.

Orange

He handed me an orange cup.

He handed me a tangerine cup.

Red

She painted her toes red.

She painted her toes like a clown's nose.

Purple

I can't wear a dress that ugly shade of purple!

I can't wear a dress the same color as old lady lips!

Blue

When her eyes were closed she was happy; in dark blue, she let her veins swirl.

When her eyes were closed she was happy; in the same blue as water on blacktop, she let her veins swirl.

Green

The grass is so green and beautiful.

The grass, wearing the same color fashion avoids, is yet so beautiful.

Brown

His hair was brown.

His hair reminded her of bitten M&M's.

Ivory

Her skin was ivory.

Her skin was ivory like a roll of Scotch tape.

Pink

He saw the pink rose and knew it was for her.

He saw a rose, pink like little girls' dreams, and knew it was for her.