WRITE - July 2016 - Describing Landscapes

Warming Up To Writing

This is a writing exercise. Get a pen and paper to hand, or something you can type on.

Now, writing can be a tricky business. I mean it's easy for anyone to pick up a pen or pencil, find a notepad, or open some sort of writing based app and write/type ABC. Except if you can't read or write, of course, but then you won't have read the words above so you can't really take offence. While we're on that note, boy, I pity those who can't read or write. Considering reading and writing is just as important to my survival as breathing is, I'd be dead if I was never taught to read or write.

And for many, it's just as easy to let the words flow out of your head and into the paper. Adjectives, nouns, pronouns, you name it. The hard thing about writing a story, is writing a story. I mean, it's easy to write something down and think "Ooh, that sounds good." But it's a lot harder to develop it into a plot, or character, or even a chapter.

But for now, let's forget about the plot lines, or getting to know fiction characters as if they're our best friends, or getting a whole chapter finished. Let's just focus on getting a word, a sentence, a paragraph, a page even, down on paper.

Let's just try something funny, and see what you come up with. Firstly, you need to empty your mind, and try to ignore any distractions. It doesn't matter if your favourite TV programmes on tonight, or if your boyfriend just broke up with you, or if your vanilla cupcakes are burning. Actually, vanilla cupcakes taste good, so get them out of the oven before you begin the exercise.

Done? Good. Now bear in mind that the words I'm going to ask you to write bear no relation to each other whatsoever. So please don't try and make them, it's just an exercise, to get your brain working.

Write down an adverb. (Eg. Gradually, Slowly, Angrily)

next a personal pronoun (Eg. Sofie, He, My maths teacher)

Now, a verb (Laughed, Walked, Ate a rhubarb pie)

Now, a connective (Then, And, But)

Another personal pronoun,

And another verb,

See what you got. I got:

Mischievously My Mother Gloated Then Donald Died.

Poor old Donald. Word have the power to do anything, even end someone's life. So make sure you select each word carefully even if it's just a first draft.

You never know, this might have sparked something. What was My mother gloating about? How did Donald die? Was it My mother who killed him? Just one sentence can spark so many questions. So answer them, by writing a story.