Conversational maxims – quality, quantity, relevance and clarity – violate at least one in each exchange. Not sure I managed to stick to this exercise from the 100 Day Challenge but I had fun... A merry-looking older man, blue eyes twinkling under grimy brows, plonked himself on the bench facing Alec and Nathan. Alec leaned …
A Steering the Craft exercise where you try to weave a large lump of exposition into a story. The crowds stared and whispered, as they did every year. At least it was a different crowd this time. Country folk, gawping and gasping, instead of the sniggers of the city’s thieves and merchants. In all, Queen …
Another exercise from Steering the Craft, this one playing with tenses and perspectives. Which version do you prefer? Third person, all past tense Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Janice logged in to the blog she’d created all by herself and hit the ‘new post’ button. This week’s recipe ‘From the …
Daniel staggered into the bare, single room of his home, leaning back against the rickety wooden door and groaning. A movement by the fireplace caught his eye and he groaned again. “Really? Can’t you go and be inspirational at someone else tonight? I’m exhausted.” Hope rose and drifted towards him. “It is when you’re at …
A mini follow-on to this post. Faith looked around the café as she entered. Marcus was easy to spot, mainly because every woman in the place seemed to eyeing him. He stood as she walked over to the table he’d chosen and leaned in to kiss her cheek when she arrived, before guiding her into …
“He what!?” Anna was glad she was seated as her brother’s friend, Sir Peregrine Travers, shuffled his feet and stared at the empty fireplace. “He lost.” Peregrine ducked his head. “Everything, the lands, the house, even your dowry Miss Greenleigh.” Across from her, Anna’s mother fell back against the sofa cushions and began to wail. …
This is an exercise from Steering the Craft, writing a piece with no punctuation. I've done it a couple of times before and the effect is always breathless and chaotic. It's rather fun! Delauney plunged down the stairs and into the heaving mass on the dance floor trying to find him from glimpses and hints …
Narnia is a nightclub with an entrance hidden in the back of a wardrobe in a shop. Not sure what kind of shop, but probably needs to be one that's open late, and where an old wooden wardrobe doesn't look screamingly out of place. Bianca led a sceptical Delauney through the charity shop and opened …
Another of the Steering the Craft exercises: The untold event: Give us a glimpse of the mood and nature of some event or deed by describing the place—room, rooftop, street, park, landscape, whatever—where it happened or is about to happen. The room was ready. Crisp, white cloths on the round tables, polished silverware and cut …
Another exercise from Steering the Craft. This time to write, then rewrite, the same basic scene, including transitions between the present and the past, but each time use a different Point of View and set of tenses. I find it fascinating how the voice changes, and different details become more important. Version 1 – All …
The DNA of Stories 