All In Good Time...Writing Exercise #1

[rabid1st]

Since so many of my LJ friends are writers or aspiring writers, and since I did once host a writer's group, All in Good Time, that counted Nautibitz and Mary of Journey's fame and slash-mistress Buffonia in the limited membership...I thought, why not post a few exercises for writers in my Live Journal? These exercises are generally NOT original. They are culled from assorted writing tomes and are designed to kick start creativity.

If you choose to take up the challenge, you can write in my comments section or in your own journal or just scratch something on paper. Whatever! I'm just doing this as a public service...share the motivation, kind of thing.

First up, the picture as paragraph exercise.

Please write a single paragraph about the following photo:

Comments

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Ooh I like this idea!

The viscous punch threw him back against the wall with a crunch, forcing the air to with his lungs. Struggling for breath, too weak to put up a decent fight, he caught a brief glimpse of his attacker's knife, cold, smooth and deadly. So this was how his life was going to end? Slit open against a wall, graffitted in rough letters with words "Hot Dog Hell". He won't be selling Hot Dogs in this park again.


Will that do?

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Sorry it's a bit scrambled, it's very early in the morning here.

APPLAUSE! No, it's very good!

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Still, I know what you mean...the comment feature is unforgiving. You push that POST button and then go, "NOOO!!!" as the realization hits that you said something you didn't mean to say.

Many are the comments I have made with a measure of glib confidence and then noticed, reading back over, that I was rambling and also had left out important words (ones that, in fact, were necessary to complete my thought process for readers).

This, however, is NOT one of those posts. I liked it. I am there with the poor vendor dweeb. ;-D

Thanks for playing. Tell your friends.

Rae

[tom-salinoan.livejournal.com]

Heya Rae-- sorry, not a writer; just taking the chance to tell you how much I adore your stories. Have read every single one of them and am eagerly waiting for more all the time.

Still Life with Melon and Honey still lingers in my mind, Oeuvre is just darkly fabulous, and I am secretly in love with The Sweet Spot which *really* hits all my kink buttons-- hard to write a hot yet utterly credible fic that explores our beloved characters via their sexuality and outlines the process of disovering themselves and each other.

You always manage to write gripping stories with spot-on voices and a cool plot, and I really can't wait for more. Beg to Differ is no different *g*-- a perfectly envisioned look at how they could find happiness, or a reasonable fascimile thereof. So glad there is no Super!Dom!Angel, no Wimpy!Spike, and no Damsel!Buffy because I strongly dislike this sort of inferior fiction. BTD looks like a most promising story.

Thanks for writing-- you are outstanding. Please, keep it up.

:)

Thank you so much for your kind words, Tom

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

I love it when people take the time to feedback with what they enjoyed or what fic they found most appealing. It works like kibble, keeping me on the job. But it also helps me to refine my skills. Writing is a solitary mostly thankless endeavor. I am lucky to have people who are moved sufficiently by my words to respond.

I, too, enjoy the SS-AU S/B interaction...it's fun to write. There is just something about FemSpike! And then, I also have a soft spot for Wes.

Thought, I would let you know that Beg To Differ is now complete...or at least there are two parts. I was tempted to go on dealing with the subject...but that wasn't the assignment. Hope you like it.

Rae

Re: Thank you so much for your kind words, Tom

[tom-salinoan.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're so welcome-- well-deserved, each word. :)

Have read Beg To Differ; but aren't there more parts?
::sniffles::

In any case, I am very much looking forward to more of your work.

Whoa! Now I'm impressed...

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

...I just posted Beg To Differ part two a couple hours ago...and you've already read it? For that, you deserve more parts.

Rae

Re: Whoa! Now I'm impressed...

[tom-salinoan.livejournal.com]

Wheee!!!

The MERRIEST CHRISTMAS ever!

:P