Exercise: That Wonderful Thing!

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original Posting Feb. 19, 2016

Over here

http://www.writingexcuses.com/2016/02/07/11-06-the-element-of-wonder/

the Writing Excuses group started to explore what they are calling elemental genres. I think you might call them primary components of fiction. Anyway, this time around they focused on wonder. The sense of wonder. They gave some examples, from a supersize spaceship the size of a moon in Star Wars to a cruise ship towering over you on the dock. They also talked about giving the reader time to bask in the moment of awe, that wonder is built in details, and wonder doesn't have to be big, it is often about something small.

They suggested a writing exercise. First off, polish your sense of wonder.

Now, look around your desk or your house, and pick out some object. Something small, ordinary, everyday. Maybe it's that letter weight, a tree outside your window, a raindrop on the window, a crumpled ball of paper in the trash, or even your own finger. One little humble thing, concretely in front of you.

Now focus on it. Describe it to us, in detail. Make us pay attention to the wonder of it, the amazing reality of it. Feel free to build up a scene, with characters, and all that, around this little bit of reality, if you want to. But mostly, engage your reader with the wonder of it.

Go ahead. Write about that wonder.
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