EXERCISE: Pay Attention to the Mermaids!
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writercises Original Posting 9/17/2019
There was a Facebook post that started out with this quote..."In case of volcanic eruption, you will hear mermaids. Do not ignore the mermaids; they are there for your safety."Followed by the note:Perils of Google Translate No. 44a. People seeking greater warning of volcanic eruption want sirens, _not_ mermaids. (Spanish: Sirenas).But, you know, in the fantasy worlds and worlds of mythology, you might very well hear mermaids. So, your exercise is simple. Write up a scene with the character encountering the first quote in a context where it is literally correct! That's right, the character is warned that the mermaids are there for your safety, and... they really are! Go ahead, set us in that world where the mermaids sing when the volcano erupts, and you had better pay attention to them.Bonus points if you go ahead and have a volcanic eruption, and an encounter with the mermaids. What the heck, follow the flicking fish tails?
There was a Facebook post that started out with this quote..."In case of volcanic eruption, you will hear mermaids. Do not ignore the mermaids; they are there for your safety."Followed by the note:Perils of Google Translate No. 44a. People seeking greater warning of volcanic eruption want sirens, _not_ mermaids. (Spanish: Sirenas).But, you know, in the fantasy worlds and worlds of mythology, you might very well hear mermaids. So, your exercise is simple. Write up a scene with the character encountering the first quote in a context where it is literally correct! That's right, the character is warned that the mermaids are there for your safety, and... they really are! Go ahead, set us in that world where the mermaids sing when the volcano erupts, and you had better pay attention to them.Bonus points if you go ahead and have a volcanic eruption, and an encounter with the mermaids. What the heck, follow the flicking fish tails?