EXERCISE: To every thing, turn, turn, turn

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting: Sun, 30 Dec 2001 07:13:39 -0500

Turning Points: Or Write What You Know?

Think back over the last year in your life.  Were there turning points in your life?  Places where two roads diverged, and you took the one less traveled?  Were there lessons that you learned, decisions that cost you, changes that affect you and yours?

This year, of course, we have the events of Sept. 11, 2001, which have shaken many, and changed the direction of the world.  But each of us also has a myriad of smaller changes and shifts in our lives.

Make a list of ten turning points, decisions, lessons that you learned this last year.  If the last year isn't enough, feel free to stretch further back into your life.  (Bonus exercise: do one list for your youth, one for your early career, and one for events of the last year  or whatever kind of stages you would like to separate your life into.  Compare them, and consider what kind of lessons you would draw from how you have gone through your life that you would like to tell someone else about.)

Now, pick one of those turning points from your list.  Either as autobiographical sketch or as lightly or heavily disguised fiction, or perhaps as poetic twist, write about that turning point.  Show us how you arrived at that point, what influenced you to make the choices you made, and what the results are.

Heck, if it works for you, write it up as a soap opera episode!

EXERCISE: Transformations...

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 13:47:58 -0500

Okay, let's try this...

"Lit up like a whorehouse on Saturday night."  Loren D. Estleman, quoted in Falser than a Weeping Crocodile and other similes by Elyse Sommer and Mike Sommer.

There's a fine phrase, talking about something being lit up.  But since we're stretching our writing muscles, let's consider two things.

First, what might you be writing about that would be lit up?  Can you think of a scene that would need some description around how well lit up it is?

Second, of course, let's consider a few variations on that simile.  What would you consider using as a simile to illustrate being lit up?  What does it do if you make it "lit up like a Parisian whorehouse on Saturday night?" Or what about "as dark as a whorehouse on Monday night?"  (er...when's the night off?)

Times Square at the stroke of midnight, Jan. 1?

like a four year old's face when Daddy comes home?

Go ahead, crank out a few similes about being well lit!  And then consider the effect they have on a scene.

If you like, go ahead and write the scene.

Or even the whole tale, if you have the time and the idea.

EXERCISE: Two Daily Metaphors

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 20:50:00 -0400

Conflict is a used-up piece of paper.

Writing, writing, scribbling, and here come the words...