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writercisesoriginal posting: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 07:38:14 -0500
Here's an exercise that will help you write the best piece of your career. Ready?
Okay, here's the bones of this exercise (you'll put the meat on while doing it).
First, sit back, relax, and imagine that some time has passed. You've just gotten the early release of a future anthology or collection containing your best piece (perhaps it's the anniversary release of your works?:-) In other words, you've become the writer you want to be, and your work has become a part of the public consciousness, and one of your best works has been selected for this.
Now, you flip to your piece, and just before it, there's an introduction written by your favorite author, critic, reviewer of your work, someone who understands your writing and your approach and knows how to tell people what they are about to enjoy, how to lead them into your work so that they get the most possible from it.
Who is that writer? Who put together that introduction?
If your work is a novel, the introduction may be several pages long, a short story or poem may have a somewhat shorter introduction. But what are the key points to that introduction? What does it point out about your writing?
Stop here, and write down the main points of the introduction. If you want to, give us the lead sentence, or perhaps the final ringing summary that leads into your work.
Look it over. Did they miss anything critical about your work? When you write the letter thanking them for the introduction, what are you going to say?
Go ahead and bask in enjoying that introduction for a few minutes. Think about how well-deserved it is, how it leads your readers to your work, where this work fits into the rest of your writing.
Then, if you're ready, do the second part of this exercise. Sit down and write the piece (the poem, short story, essay, novel, or whatever) that they are going to introduce!
I REALLY DON'T DESERVE THIS, BUT…
Here's an exercise that will help you write the best piece of your career. Ready?
Okay, here's the bones of this exercise (you'll put the meat on while doing it).
First, sit back, relax, and imagine that some time has passed. You've just gotten the early release of a future anthology or collection containing your best piece (perhaps it's the anniversary release of your works?:-) In other words, you've become the writer you want to be, and your work has become a part of the public consciousness, and one of your best works has been selected for this.
Now, you flip to your piece, and just before it, there's an introduction written by your favorite author, critic, reviewer of your work, someone who understands your writing and your approach and knows how to tell people what they are about to enjoy, how to lead them into your work so that they get the most possible from it.
Who is that writer? Who put together that introduction?
If your work is a novel, the introduction may be several pages long, a short story or poem may have a somewhat shorter introduction. But what are the key points to that introduction? What does it point out about your writing?
Stop here, and write down the main points of the introduction. If you want to, give us the lead sentence, or perhaps the final ringing summary that leads into your work.
Look it over. Did they miss anything critical about your work? When you write the letter thanking them for the introduction, what are you going to say?
Go ahead and bask in enjoying that introduction for a few minutes. Think about how well-deserved it is, how it leads your readers to your work, where this work fits into the rest of your writing.
Then, if you're ready, do the second part of this exercise. Sit down and write the piece (the poem, short story, essay, novel, or whatever) that they are going to introduce!
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