Exercise 1. - Building imaginative brain muscle by employing your descriptive abilities.

Task: First, take a noun or verb which depicts something that is thought of in a positive manner, something that brings a smile to the mind, eye, or lips. Now describe your chosen word with a negative description. Make the reader believe you or the narrator find some degree of abhorrence in the subject matter.

Then take something which is generally considered abhorrent and make the reader believe that you or the narrator find it delightful.

Examples.

As soon as I walked into the cafeteria the odor that wafted passed my nostrils made my stomach churn. I almost vomited where I stood. They had taken poultry carcases and created a brew using various juices and rectangular strips of a prepared flour mixture. I watched in disgust as the horde squealed, snorted, and oinked their pleasure. They squinted their piggish eyes, drooling over a piece of foul flesh before gobbling it up. They dropped pieces of thick skin-like sections of what was once life-supporting grains and herbs down their gullets. Unlike the lower forms of humanity that I had just witnessed, I rushed to the nearest restroom to empty myself stomach content, trying to expel the horror to which I had been exposed, while not exposing others to the expulsion of my life-giving nutrients which I had consumed earlier in the day.

The pustule was enormous. I could not avert my eyes from the abscess the swelled up from the top of the repairman's butt crack. I suppose at such enormity I should refer to it as a boil, a canker of bubo's proportion. At first I thought it set just above the cheek channel, However, closer examination revealed its diameter caused the top of the anal channel to broaden until it appeared to be a flat surface. The white backside framed the warm pink flesh, which abruptly rose outward and quickly turned flame-red, exceeding the diameter of a silver dollar pancake.

Every now and then he would reach back and tenderly rub the base of his growth with a finger, soothing the itch in the swelling at its base. There is a sensual satisfaction derived from soothing such an itch. He would sigh and go back to work. The skin above the bright red mound was stretched thin, exposing the white purulence, the corpuscles straining to break free. The tip, a pustule in its own right, the size of an acorn seemed unrelated to the origin of the cheek channels puffery. The rose-yellow mound looked as though it slept, while the corpuscles beneath yearned for release.

I could not contain myself. My hand reached forth desirously driven to feel it. Thick and firm between thumb and forefinger. Oh how I anticipated the delight of the volcanic explosion, an exotic eruption relieving the man's itch, while satisfying the corpuscles need to discharge, and my need to witness the pustule's ejaculation.

The following are from:

http://teenwriting.about.com/library/exercises/blexercisenoname.htm

Exercise 2. - Write about an abstract concept without naming it.

Instructions: When describing abstract concepts, it is very easy for the writing to become vague. By Nature, abstract concepts are difficult to talk about in simple terms. In order to avoid vagueness in writing -- to keep our writing clear and sharp -- it is useful to focus on the concrete details associated with those concepts. One way to practice doing this is to write about an abstract concept without naming it.

1. Write a paragraph about, or describing, love. Do not use the word "love" or any of its synonyms (or opposites) in your work.

2. Write a paragraph about, or describing, hate. Do not use the word "hate" or any of its synonyms (or opposites) in your work.

3. Write a paragraph about, or describing,tragedy. Do not use the word tragedy" or any of its synonyms (or opposites) in your work.

Exercise 3. - A Description Exercise

Instructions: Writers, especially those with less experience, often concentrate on visual detail when writing descriptions. The following exercise is cumulative, adding a new kind of sensory detail with each step.

1. Write a paragraph or so describing a place (either one you know well, or one you've made up). Use only visual details. Include enough information for a reader to be able to visualize the setting.

2. Rewrite or revise your description from step 1, inserting details of sound. You should end up with a description that allows the reader to both visualize the setting, and imagine what it sounds like there.

3. Rewrite or revise your description from step 2, inserting details of smell.

Consider what objects in the setting might smell like, as well as the air in general. Your result should be a passage allowing a reader to visualize the setting, and imagine the sounds and smells there.

4. Rewrite or revise your description from step 3, inserting details of taste. This can be a simple as the taste of the air in an open mouth, or as complex as your narrator sitting down to a feast. Aim for a piece that allows the reader to imagine the place in terms of visual detail, plus sound, smell. and taste.

5. Rewrite or revise your description from step 4, inserting details of touch. for instance the warmth of the sun, the feel of a breeze, or the texture of a object.

6. Is your passage intended to set mood, to give a sense of place, or simply as background? When you have finished step 5 go back over your piece and edit your passage. Concentrate on using the right details and removing the ones that don't really matter. See how the ones you keep or cut changes the whole feel of the piece.

Exercise 4. - Point of View or POV

Instructions: The point of view you choose to tell your story and the mood of the viewpoint character will affect the details mentioned and the vocabulary used in your work. Descriptions of settings can be particularly useful for conveying the voice and mood of your character. For this exercise you will want to have a fairly clear picture of setting before you begin, but be flexible and invent new details where needed. You will also need to get inside the heads of your characters.

1. Picture a river. It can be a river you have been to, or one you have seen in a picture, or one you just made up.

2. Write a description of the river form the point of view of an old man who has just lost something very important to him. Do not mention the old man (or any other character) or the thing he lost.

3. Write a description of the river from the point of view of a young man about to be married. Again, do not mention the characters or the upcoming wedding.

4. Write a description of the river from the point of view of the young man's mother, without mentioning characters or events.

Notes: The aim of this exercise is to show how you can communicate mood, feelings, and individual character's voices to show the inner state of the characters.

Exercise 5. Strengthening your settings -- making the fantastic real.

Instructions: You will get better results the first time you do this exercise if you complete each numbered part before reading the next.

1. Think a moment about a place you have been. Take 10 minutes and write a description of that place, based on your memory.

2. Now think of a fantastic setting -- perhaps one you have used in a story, or one you make up on the spot.Do not use someone else's invented setting. Again, write 10 minutes describing that place.

3. Compare the two pieces of writing. What to you makes a setting fantastic rather than real? Did you use a different point of view for the description? Consider whether or not the differences between remembering and imagining may have influenced the way you wrote. Where you more distant with one description than with the other? Did you use the same kink of language when describing both settings or did your use of words and sentence structure change?

Notes: People often use more archaic or perhaps less "ordinary" language when describing fantastic settings, while they use more concrete images for "real" settings. Try using some of the "fantastic" language in your descriptions of "real" settings. Make the fantastic real, make the ordinary magical. Each story will dictate what it needs, but strengthening your settings can only make your writing stronger.

Exercise 6. How a character's POV and mood affects the setting.

Instructions: Try to do the entire exercise in one sitting. You may find this helps your thought processes or you may find it overwhelming; if the latter, take breaks between numbered sections, but don't let too much time pass before going on to the next. There are notes at the end that may help you better understand the focus and point of the exercise.

1. Select a setting from a story/novel that you have already written or are planning to write (it is a good idea to do this exercise with the setting you used in your opening scene, as this is where your readers' first impressions will be had). Spend some time thinking about this setting.

2. Write a detailed, objective (i.e. third person) description of your chosen setting. Include as much detail as you know (especially if this is an invented setting) and discover some new detail. Don't be selective; include whatever you think of (but don't get obsessive, either; you don't want to write a whole book just describing one setting). A couple of pages is a good length (unless it's a very detailed setting). Do sketches, maps or diagrams if they help you see it more clearly.

3. Write a first person account of the same setting from the point of view of one of your characters. Imagine you are that character; try to see/feel/comprehend the setting from inside that character. Include only details that that specific character would notice or respond to. You may want to put your character in a particular state of mind before beginning (if you do, make a note of the state of mind/emotional state you were aiming for -- that way when you read your work later you'll be able to see how effective you were). Again, a couple of pages is good.

4. Try #3 again with a different character (or with the same character in a different state of mind). Do this as many times as you like, as long as it feels useful.

5. Read over what you've done carefully to see how the three (or more) accounts differ. Note any places where point of view or character slipped.

6. Make notes on ways to use this setting in your story/novel. How can you improve the use you've already made of it? What details should you add or subtract? Are you making effective use of setting to convey mood/atmosphere or character (especially the character(s)'s psychological/emotional state)? These notes will be useful later when you are actually revising.

Notes: You won't necessarily need to do this kind of exercise with every setting you create/use, but it can be effective for finding ways to make better use of setting.

The point of the exercise is to see how different points of view affect details in setting. You may want to try taking a character that does not appear in that setting in your story/novel and putting them there just for the exercise, just to see what happens. You may never use the scenario you thereby create, but it can tell you some interesting things about both the character and the setting.

Exercise 7.-Well-rounded character

Instructions: If all your characters think exactly the same way you do, then they're not very well-rounded. Characters should appear to the reader to be real people, with their own histories, thoughts and opinions. In this exercise, we'll explore characters through their opinions of current events.

1. Choose a current event about which you have a strong opinion, or about which you've spent a lot of thinking.

2. Choose one of your characters. You might find it easiest to first do this exercise with a character whose opinion is very like your own, or with one whose opinion is very different. Or start with the character you know best.

3. Write a monologue or essay from that character's point of view, about your chosen current event. Write for as long as it takes for your character to express their opinion. Remember to write as if you were that character, or as if they were writing through you. If they would be very straightforward about stating their thoughts, then be straightforward. If they would try to hide their real opinions, then do that. Let the character's voice take over

4. Set what you've written aside for a few days (or longer, if you want). Read over it later. You should learn some interesting things about your character, which you may be able to use in a story.

5. Repeat the exercise as often as you like, with other characters. You could write one character each evening for a week, say, then read over them all when you've finished.

Notes: Even if your characters are in a fantasy world of your own construction, they can still have opinions on "real world" events. Write as if these characters were able to see into the real world--you can try pretending that our world is a television show, or play, or series of novels in their world, if you have trouble imagining them as aware of the real world as well as their own. In fact, you can even try this exercise if you are using real-life historical characters by imagining what they would have thought of life today.

Exercise 8.-Symbolism does your character's name fit the character's persona?

Instructions: This is the kind of exercise that can be done in idle moments. It isn't an essential one for learning how to write, but it can contribute another layer of meaning to your writing.

1. Choose a character you've created that already has a name.

2.a. Look up the name in a dictionary of names (there are some good ones online) and write down the meaning. See what other names are related or have similar sounds or spellings and make a few notes about them, too. Find out if any mythical or famous people have had that name. If so, what things did they do? What were they like? Also check a regular dictionary to see what other words are similar.

2.b. If your character has a made-up name, try looking it up anyway, to see if anything turns up. See what other names are listed that are similar in sound or spelling and note their meanings. Also check a regular dictionary to see what other words are similar. If your setting is an imaginary world, what meaning might the name have in the languages spoken there? Do you mention this meaning in your story?

3. Write down some key words and phrases about your character's personality, likes and dislikes, beliefs and so on.

4. Compare your name research with your character key words to see how similar or different they are.

5. Think about how you can use the similarities or differences to add a layer of meaning to your work. Your readers may not notice or care, but it will give added meaning to you. Think about whether or not the character's name really fits, based on what you have learned (and if your name is made up and set in an imaginary place, do the "real world" associations of the name clash with the imaginary world meanings? Will this trip up your readers?). If you really like the names your characters have, don't feel you have to change them because of the results of this exercise.

6. Now you can try this process in reverse when you have a character that needs a name. Think about the kinds of meanings and associations you might want a character's name to have and see if you can find a suitable name that sounds good and also has some of the meanings you're looking for.

Notes: Sometimes it can be difficult to write about a character before you've given them a name. But they shouldn't have just any old name. Names have meaning and as writers, we want to make as much use of meaning as we can, even if our readers won't always pick up on it. And besides, playing with names is fun.

Exercise 9.-Shut off the part of your mind that analyzes and criticizes what you're writing.

Instructions: You know how sometimes, when you're writing away, you seem to hit a point where the writing takes over and the words just come without any effort? What if you could make that happen on purpose? This exercise won't quite do that, but it should come close. It works best on a computer in a room that can be made dark, but an electric typewriter will work if you can get that printed paper that's attached together at the end (so you don't have to ever put in new sheets); or, if you can write legibly without looking at what you're doing, you can do this with paper and pen.

1. Open Notepad or Wordpad, or another basic text-editor on your computer. (You can use a word-processor like MSWord or WordPerfect, but make sure to turn off any automatic hints or help options--like that animated paperclip in Word--you don't want anything to break the flow of words once you start writing.) Save the blank page with a logical name so you'll know what it is later. Practice the keyboard-shortcut for "save" so you'll be able to do it without looking (it's ctrl-s on a PC). Get as comfortable as you can.

2. Turn off your computer monitor (or cover it with a towel if you're working on a laptop that doesn't have a way to turn off the monitor). Turn off the lights so the room is dark. If you can't get the room dark, put a cloth over the keyboard (it's probably easiest to work with your hands under the cloth, as well), and close your eyes as you work. The aim is to make it so you can't see

either the words on the screen or the letters on the keyboard (if you can't type, it would probably work better to write by hand than allow yourself to look at the keyboard, but try both and see what works best).

3. Write whatever comes into your head. If you can't get started, picture a scene or imagine a character, but then let things go from there. Try not to think about what you're writing; try to let the words come right from your subconscious and onto the page. Remember to save once in a while.

4. You may want to decide on an amount of time to spend on this exercise ahead of time, and set an alarm so you know when to stop. Even five minutes is better than nothing, but the longer you write, the more interesting the results are likely to be, and the easier it will be to get into the exercise next time. When you're done, save the file, then turn the lights back on, turn on your monitor, and see what you've written. If you hand-wrote the exercise, this is a good time to tidy up your writing a little (or even transfer what you wrote to a computer), while you can still decipher it.

5. Notes: If you find it hard to write without thinking, don't give up. Each time you do this exercise, you'll find it easier and easier to get to the point where the words seem to come by themselves. Eventually, you may even find that you can do it without covering the keyboard or turning off the monitor, that you can see what you're writing without losing that state of mind. Being able to shut off the part of your mind that analyzes and criticizes what you're writing gives a huge amount of freedom to the part of your mind where the words come from. You may find your results truly bizarre, but you might also find them to be the best work you've written. I can pretty much guarantee that you'll wonder, "Where did that come from."

Exercise 10.-Developing a Character:

From: http://www.ofb.net/~lisa/exercise.html Lisa Lippert

Answer all of the questions, even if you answer incompletely or in the negative. For example, if you were trying to answer "what kind of car does he/she drive" for a knight errant, you might answer "he rides a horse and it's a chestnut stallion, 4 years old". For a little boy you might answer "he doesn't drive a car but he loves playing with his Matchboxes". Or you might answer "some kind of beat-up old compact car" instead of listing the model and year.

Be as specific as possible.

What is his/her name?

• Age?

• Height?

• Body shape?

• Hair color, skin color?

• Job?

• Favorite saying?

• Typical outfit to wear?

• Method of transportation?

• Immediate plan?

• Long-range goal?

• Kind of education?

• What kind of house/home/apartment?

• What city/country/location?

• Does he/she have a pet? What kind?

• Best friend?

• Favorite food?

• Financial situation?

• Hobby?

• Skill?

• Moral attitude?

• Philosophical attitude?

• Favorite book? Last-read book?

• What is the bedroom like?

• Spouse/mate/steady date/significant other? Why/why not?

• Parents? Siblings? Kids?

There are many other possible questions and it's easy to make up specific questions. For the computer programmer I was developing, I asked myself what slogan he would have on a bumper sticker and what doodads would be on his office desk. This exercise was inspired by ideas in A Passion for Narrative, by Jack Hodgins.

Exercise 11.-Reveal character's through dialogue, not back-story.

Here's How:

1.Choose a scene from one of your short stories or novels that seems to drag. Scenes designed to be more action-oriented are particularly well-suited to this exercise.

2.Rewrite the scene as a play or screenplay. In other words, tell the story using only dialogueand brief descriptions of action and characters. (If you aren't familiar with screenwriting or play writing formats, don't worry. This isn't an exercise in formatting, but in thinking visually.)

3.Practice economy. Think strategically about how character can be revealed through action and dialogue. Syd Field has excellent examples of how this can be done in his classic book, Screenplay. Instead of telling the reader what a character is like, find a way to illustrate character as the plot unfolds.

4.Rewrite the scene in prose, abstaining from back-story and long descriptions, and incorporating some of the details you have added in writing it as a screenplay.

5.Take a few days off from the work and return to it later, noting how the pace of the work has changed.

Tips:

1. In some instances, back-story will be necessary to the plot of a story. Determine what's absolutely necessary and what the reader can surmise from the dialogue and the action. Readers generally pick up on and remember more details than you might expect.

2. Don't confuse forward-moving fiction with fiction written for the screen. It's possible to write rich, literary work that also has movement.

3. It's easy enough to reinsert any necessary information later. When you start to get feedback on the work, people will let you know if anything is confusing.

Exercise 12.-Using Metaphors

http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/writingexercises/qt/metaphorex.htm.

Examples of Metaphor from Raymond Chandler: the hard-boiled detective novelist. Cracking "The Long Goodbye," I immediately came upon several examples of metaphor:

• "...his hair was bone white"

• "I got the drunk up [the stairs] somehow. He was eager to help but his legs were rubber..."

• "Sooner or later I may figure out why you like being a kept poodle."

NOW CREATE NEW METAPHORS

Blue paint spilled on the road like ________________________________

Canceled checks in the abandoned subway car came to mind ________________________________

A spider under the rug is like ___________________________________________

The oars on the boat rowed as if ____________________________________________

Nothing was the same, now that it was _______________________________________

The dice rolled out of the cup toward Veronica like _______________________________

A child in an arcade is like a ________________________________-

____________________________________ is like muscles stretched taut over bone.

The fog plumed through gunshot holes in the car windows like _______________________

Up is like down when _____________________________

She held her life in her own hands as if it were __________________________________

Alannah poured coffee down her throat as if she were __________________________

If I should wake before I die, __________________________________________

The security guard walks the lobby as if _____________________________________________

The library books left in the rain like ______________________________________________

Love is to open sky like ______________________________________________

Music in the hallway like ________________________________________________

Exercise 13.- Interview your Characters

http://www.virtualwriter.net/fiction/fictionexercises.asp?action=3&contentid=19

One of my favorite techniques for getting into the head of my characters is interviewing them. Interviewing characters is exactly how it sounds. You sit down with your characters and interview them, just like you would if you were a reporter.

To start, take out a blank piece of paper or start a new word file. Decide where you are going to meet them; in their house, coffee shop, or somewhere else. Now write about it. Go in and meet them. Say hi. Record what he looks like, how he acts etc. Now the fun part. Ask questions. Ask your characters about themselves, and about the story you're trying to tell. Get them to tell you their story, in their own words. Let them tell you what happened and how it affected them. You may gain new insights into your story. The important part is to not think or judge what you're writing - just write. Don't worry, you're mind will fill in the blanks. Write until you think you know enough about your characters or stories. If you run out of questions, write about there being a lull of silence in the interview. If you get past the 'wall' something else will come. Just don't stop writing until you feel you have enough new insights to go back to writing.

This technique also works If you get stuck in the middle of writing or plotting your story. You can go back and talk to your character about the section you're stuck on. Let him/her tell you what happened.

To help with this exercise, I have included some sample question that you can ask. You can use these, but also allow space for your mind to come up with questions on its own.

1. Tell me about the story I'm writing. In your words, what happened?

2. How did the events affect you?

3. Are there any details or events in the story that I've forgotten?

4. Describe yourself. What are your hobbies, dreams, hopes etc?

5. What was the most important thing that happened to you during the events I'm writing about? How did that change you?

Exercise 14.- How to use modifiers more effectively

From Ginny Wiehardt

Your Guide to Fiction Writing

While modifiers -- adjectives and adverbs -- can add to a story, too many, or the wrong ones can bog down your prose and lead to weaker nouns and verbs. This writing exercise, by forcing you to hold off on modifiers altogether, will challenge you to choose your nouns and verbs with care.

Here's How:

1. In the process of writing your next story, choose to write one or two scenes without the use of adjectives or adverbs.

2. As you write take time to focus on how the correct verb or noun can convey the mood or feeling you are striving for in this scene.

3. After a few days or a week, re-read the scenes. Note how your writing changed as a result of the exercise.

4. Add modifiers where you feel them to be essential to the piece.

5. You can also do this exercise with something you have already written, removing the modifiers to see if that strengthens the work.

Tips:

1. Beware of reliance on common modifiers such a "pretty," "little," and "very." Strunk and White in "The Elements of Style are particularly ruthless when it comes to these types of overused b qualifiers, referring to them as "The leeches that infest the pond of prose, sucking the blood of words.

2. Do not be afraid of going back to using modifiers to a certain extent; you will find very few examples of writers who do not use them. Think of this exercise more as training for a race. Weights are great during training, but you do not wear them the day of the race.

3. If this exercise has not convinced you, listen to Mark Twain: "When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them -- then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are far apart. An adjective habit, or a wordy, diffuse, flowery habit, once fastened upon a person, is as hard to get rid of as any other vice."

Exercise 15.- Cause and Effect

http://forum.vgcats.com/showthread.php?t=4053

Plot 101

Listed below are some various causes and their corresponding effects. What you have to do is link them somehow.

For example, if the cause is A bagel fell to the floor. and the effect is, Joanne realized she was in love: you might link them like this: A bagel fell to the floor. Soon Dmitri fell with it, his mouth and stomach overstuffed, his brain unconscious, Thus the bagel-eating contest ended, with Sam the clear winner. Joanne watched Sam victoriously take the stage. and in the midst of her applause and pride in his victory. a little part of her mind realized: she was in love.

Cause: Lionel watched TV. Effect: A mouse got to eat some cheese.

Cause: It rained. Effect: The underdog won the championship boxing match.

Cause: George proposed to Angela. Effect: Bob did the mambo

Cause: Kyle went to Madrid. Effect: An orphan was adopted.

Cause: The Yankees win the World Series. Effect: World War three breaks out.

Exercise 16.-Bringing that piece you wrote alive

Instructions: This is a good exercise for those pieces of exposition that seem to drag, never-the-less, necessary to the story, so the reader will just have to deal. Bring the finished product and the original to the meeting. Remember our self-imposed time constraints.

1. Look at something you have already written, something with little or no dialogue. This possibly may be descriptive back story, or explaining the action or character response to another characters action or dialogue. It may have been a while since you have written this piece, so take time and recapture what you conveyed, or attempted to convey.

2. Rewrite the exposition using dialogue. Let the character (s) describe the childhood, or whatever the back story is, instead of it being a narrative piece. If it is an action conducted by a character in response to another character or situation, have the character verbally express these emotions. Whatever the situation, let your characters (if there are no characters in your chosen piece, invent some.) express the narrative.

3. Compare the two pieces. Which would a reader find more exciting.

Exercise 17.-Focusing on the Essence of Your Story

Modification of: http://www.scriptologist.com/Magazine/Tips/Logline/logline.html

The Logline: What It Is, Why You Need It, How To Write It.

A logline is a one-sentence summary of your story. It's the short blurb in TV guides that tells you what a movie is about and helps you decide if you're interested in seeing it. It's the grabber that excites your interest.

Your logline answers the question: What is your story about? Your friends and others probably ask you this question when you tell them you're writing a story or that you've already written one. You need to be able to state the main concept of your story in one concise sentence.

"But my story is complicated with many plot twists, and I couldn't possibly tell you what it's about in one sentence," you say.

Writing something short and exciting is never easy. It takes practice. A lot of it. Read and study professionally written loglines in TV guides, newspapers, Variety, Internet film reviews anything you can that will help you express your story concept in one sentence.

Your logline will usually start out as more than one sentence. It may even be far too long and complicated. That's okay. Leave it alone for a day or two. Then go back, look at it, take a pencil and cross out all the words that don't contribute to the main action or the heart of your story. Soon, you will have pared your logline down to one sentence that captures the essence of your story.

Here are three questions to ask yourself as you write your logline:

• Who is the main character and what does he or she want?

• Who (villain) or what is standing in the way of the main character?

• What makes this story unique?

Use action words when writing your logline. Film captures the actions of characters.
Add descriptive words to create an image that will stay in the mind of your reader.

Examples:

Dull logline: A woman plots to murder her sister.

Intriguing logline: A woman obsessed by jealousy plots to murder her sister, who married the man she loves.

Dull logline: Two lovers plan to flee from their feuding families who forbid them to marry.

Intriguing logline: Two young lovers living in a ghetto defy their feuding families' ban on marrying and plan an escape that propels them toward tragedy.

Practice:

Logline: Two brothers fight on opposite sides in the Civil War and come face to face on a battlefield.

Ask yourself whether this logline answers the three aforementioned questions. If not re-write the log line so that it stirs something within the reader.

Better: Jeff fought for the Union and looked forward to facing his rebel brother on the battlefield for selling Maria, the slave woman he loved, to a sadistic plantation owner.

NOW!

Write a log line for your own story (whether you have written the story, or not).

Exercise 18.-Using the right words

In Fred Schepisi's Roxanne, the screen adoption of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, Steve Martin, as modern day Cyrano feeds the eloquent words to the tongue-tied Chris McDonell ( Rick Rossovich). Chris mis-hears Cyrano and instead of saying, they are only words, he says, they are only worms. It was a comedy. It was funnier than Rostand's choice of words.

Lets have fun with this exercise. Lets take something someone has written, and see if we can improve upon their work, or at the least, make it more interesting. Select a newspaper or magazine article, or a paragraph in a book, and find a better way to express the writers thoughts.

f you wish, you can use something you have already written.

Keep in mind, if it is someone else's, you can only use it for this exercise, even if you improve upon it.

Here is an example.

I used a Paragraph from John Grisham's, The Runaway Jury

Grisham's paragraph:

Easter laid an easy trail to follow throughout the weekend. He left the courtroom Friday and, after purchasing a sack of food, walked straight to his apartment. At eight Saturday morning he drove to the mall, where he worked a twelve-hour shift. There was no visible communication with any female who remotely resembled the girl they were looking for. He returned to his apartment after work and didnt leave.

How I changed the paragraph:

Easter laid an easy trail to follow throughout the weekend. He left the courtroom Friday and stopped at a grocery on his way to his apartment. Comfortable in the knowledge, no one was on his heels as he entered, but wanting to confirm whether or not he was being followed, he went directly down an aisle and stopped at a point where he could watch the entrance and store-front window. The man entered, looking around as one would in an unfamiliar store. Nicholas was looking at a can of asparagus, while watching the man out of the corner of his eye. The mans search came to a stop upon Nicholas and his asparagus. Then the man seemed to be fascinated with a can of peaches. After leaving the store with his groceries, Easter walked straight to his apartment. At eight Saturday morning he drove to the mall, where he worked a twelve-hour shift. When the occasions arose, he made it a point to have a short conversation with three women who somewhat resembled Marlee. Nicholas knew it would add to the ambiguity and frustrate their certainty of his being an inside man. He also knew their attempts to single him out would become frustrated to a greater degree. He returned to his apartment after work, where he remained for the rest of the day.

Exercise 19.-Using Symbolism to Highlight Your Theme

Before getting into symbolism, I would like to define theme: An idea, point of view, or perception embodied in a work of art. (Websters Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary). In Star Wars, the theme is good versus evil. Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot's theme is, when people do not take responsibility for their own lives, they force themselves into a position where they must rely on others for their survival, and they live in misery because of their lack of mental and physical effort. All of Beckett's plays are heavy with symbolism. For example in Waiting for Godot the play opens on a deserted road that gives one the impression that the road leads nowhere, symbolizing the futility of the lives lead by Estragon and Vladimir, the protagonists. The road is a physical symbol. Estragon worries about physical pain; his boots hurt his feet, while Vladimir suffers mental pain or anguish, because nothing can be done, a phrase that is repeated throughout the play. The hurt and suffering are symbolic of the physical and mental misery of those who rely on others for their well being. The pain and suffering are emotional symbols.

Theme may also be symbolized through biblical references, which are spiritual symbols.

The title of your story is a great way to symbolize your story. Moliere's The Misanthrope, the story of a mans (Alceste) misanthropic life is the result of his excessive virtue and therefore scoffs at those who are less virtuous.

The names of your characters can symbolize their nature or symbolic of the context in which you employ the characters. In the TV show Frazier, Daphne (Jane Leeves) was desired by Niles (David Hyde Pierce). Throughout the season, Niles desires remained unattainable. In Greek mythology, Apollo desired the nymph Daphne, but Daphne remained unattainable. In the following season, the producers had to satisfy the viewers and allow Daphne and Niles to become a couple. What is called the obligatory scene.

The setting, a natural symbol, is illustrated by Alfred Hitchcock's use of a wet street in the dark of night to symbolize the danger and intrigue of the event that was about to unfold.

Objects and events can symbolize concepts portrayed in the story. Director Mike Nichols uses the symbolization of drowning on several occasions. In the movie The Graduate, Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) dreams he is drowning at the bottom of a swimming pool, symbolizing his drowning in frustration because he feels trapped in a world of middle-aged insecurity. In Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?, George (Richard Burton) and Martha (Elizabeth Taylor) are drowning themselves in alcohol.

A characters professional status can symbolize power the CEO of a corporation, security a policeman, evil the Borg, or whatever fills the need in your story.

Sometimes an author will refer to another work to symbolize a concept. How often have you heard titles used to express a concept, such as, its a Dog Day Afternoon (Sidney Lumet, Director, written by Frank Pierson) to mean everything is wrong and you are totally frustrated, or this is a Catch 22 (Joseph Heller, Author) situation, meaning damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Another symbolic devise is using the plot structure of a famous work, such as Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which was the plot of West Side Story, and thousands of other stories. A theme based on the mythology is another symbolic devise. For example, Pandora's Box where evil is unleashed on the world through ignorance or carelessness. The movie Backwater, directed by Jim Gillespie uses the Pandora plot. A gateway to hell is accidentally opened and the fight to drive evil back into hell ensues.

Symbolism makes the concepts you present standout. Just be sure the symbols are not too cryptic. Be sure to use symbols your readers recognize.

Instructions: Create a new piece, or rewrite something that lacks symbolism. Use three forms of symbolism in your work: plot structure of a famous work, catch phrases/titles, character status, material symbols (cross, dead tree), action or concept symbol (metaphor, simile, [usually repeated, but not to the point of beating the reader over the head]), Religious, character name, story title.

• You can use it to improve something you are working on or to bring life to something you have tossed aside, but didnt want to pronounce dead.

• Don't force it. It should sound natural. If it causes your reader to pull out of the story, it just doesn't work.

• Have fun with it.

Exercise 20.-Using Slang, Colloquialisms, or Idiomatic Expressions (TO BE USED INFREQUENTLY)

• Certain words can add flavor or punch-up your story. They catch the reader and move him/her forward through the paragraph.

Here are some examples:

• Codswallop Nonsense His stories are nothing but codswallop; no one ever listens to him.

• Float an air biscuit Break wind He floated an air biscuit, clearing the room.

• Oxygen thief Old person That shuffle footed oxygen thief stumbled into the road. I almost hit him.

• Radgie A bit crazy I know how radgie he can be, but we need him.

• Wenching Dating, seeing different women Hes been winching ever since his wife left him.

• While using shopworn phrases can detract from a scene making it predictable and boring; catch words and phrases seldom heard or unknown to most readers can help build the emotion you are trying to invoke in the reader.

• Find 5 of these jewels (some may be of your own creation) that you think will be an asset to a story.

• Over time you can create a file of theses jewels.

The object of this exercise is not only to spice up your writing but also to help you build a file you can refer to when desired.

Exercise 21.- The Write Rhythm

Rhythm in prose, as in music, is the beat, or tempo of the words. For example:

When I plug in my MP3 to play the popular pop tunes, I feel lighter, more relaxed, in a breezy sort of way. My head moves back and forth and side to side as I listen. Tense muscles relax, my joints float in their sockets; I move to the sounds. I am there. I am joyful. I am released from my worries. Life is good; yes.

OR

When I'm tense, troubled by my life's mishaps, when things are not going as I had hoped; I play pop tunes on my MP3 to relax. Life can be so hard, so unforgiving; it can take so much out of you, sapping your strength; you need an escape, or you will go crazy. Music is my answer, my salvation. I can release my pent-up emotions through the joyful music of today's Pop Culture. Try it. It may be the answer you have been looking for.

OR

Pop tunes send me free. My worries disappear. I tune out the world and tune in happiness. This is certainly not escapism, it is finding joy, peace of mind. Happiness is essential part of life. I find happiness through music. I can relax. My breathing becomes rhythmic. My mind is at ease. I am

healthy, happy and sane. Try it; you will see what I mean.

Write a two-page, double-spaced story; be conscious of the rhythm of your sentences and paragraphs. Make it easy, and pleasurable to read. Your story can still be a hard, gripping tale, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats, even more so with the right rhythm.

Think of background music being played while your story is being narrated. That is the rhythm you want to convey to your readers.

Exercise 22.-Story Types

There are only two types of stories: Stories about relationships and stories about power struggles. Of course, there are relationship stories that contain power struggles, and there are power struggle stories that contain relationships. For example, Henrik Ibsen's, Doll House, is a relationship story, the relationship between husband and wife. However, when Nora leaves her husband, Torvald, she leaves to end his dominance, a power struggle. J.K. Rowling's, Harry Potter, and George Lucas Star Wars, are examples of power struggle stories each of these has various relationships with their conflicts, obstacles and resolutions. The power struggles, of course, in Potter and Star Wars is the power struggle between good and evil. Glengary, Glen Ross (adapted by David Mamet from his play Glengary, Glen Ross) is a power struggle in a real estate office over who will keep their job.

In a relationship based story, you will have to develop conflict, there has to be obstacles to overcome. In a power struggle based story, only conflict and obstacles are necessary, but that can become boring (desensitization), when relationships are added, richness and complexity can develop.

Instructions:Using the same topic, write two - two page, double-spaced stories: one a relationship, the other a power struggle.

Exercise 23.-Using Negotiation and Parallelism

Negotiation - When characters barter over an object or act for the purpose of

arriving at mutual agreement. The object of using negotiation is to reveal the deeper issues that exist between the characters. In Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, there is a continual negotiation between Blanche who wants the respect she believes she is due, while Stanley wants her to stop acting like she is better than everyone else.

Parallelism Using same or similar sentence structure (all gerunds or all infinitives, verb placement, adjective or adverb placement, repetitive beginnings to phrase). Examples: He was burning with desire and she was fanning the flames. It was a slow burn, which she could fan into a blaze. He would run from home to work, then he would walk from his work to his home. The cat was black. The dog was white. OR It was a black cat and a white dog.

While negotiation and parallelism are not related, they are effective tools for drawing your reader deeper into your story and keeping the pages turning.

Instructions: Write a two-page, double-spaced story using these two tools.

Purpose: Like a carpenter or pottery artisan, it is only by holding the tools, and applying them to your work, that you can improve your craft. Become experienced in manipulating these tools to shape the product of your mind into a work of art.

Exercise 24.- USING JUXTAPOSITION TO ADD EMPHASIS TO IRONY

Contributed by Dave Tomczyk

Webster defines juxtapose as: To place side by side <juxtapose unexpected combinations of colors, shapes and ideas -- J. F. T. Bugental>

This can be a very effective writing tool to use, especially when the "things" placed side by side
conflict in some way. It brings more emphasis to the irony in your scene and adds a poignant vibrancy to the mood. For example:

In the dawning of a bright new day, Jason hops down the flight of stairs from his second floor apartment to the parking lot as he heads to work. Approaching his car, he spies an envelope tucked between one of the wiper blades and the windshield. Snatching it up he sees "Jason" written in the unmistakable script of his girlfriend's precise handwriting. Filled with a hopeful enthusiasm he rips it open and reads the letter which begins, "Dear Jason," and ends with, "I
wish you all the best and goodbye." Crumpling up the Dear John letter tightly in his fist, he casts it into the open dumpster sitting only a few feet away, and drops into the seat of his car. Revving the engine, he drives into the rising sun, and flips on the radio to hear Three Dog Night singing their tribute to Jeremiah the Bullfrog. Painful tears roll down his cheek as they sing, "Joy to the world."

The juxtaposition of bright new day, hopeful enthusiasm, rising sun, and Joy to the world, against the sadness overcoming him after reading the Dear John letter makes the irony of the situation more dramatic, vibrant, and heartfelt to the reader.

The assignment: is to use the concept of juxtaposition and irony in a two page, double-spaced story on a topic of your choice. In order to give impact to the irony in the scenes you create.You don't have to "overdo" it, but some well placed juxtaposition can really add a punch to your story.

Exercise 25.- Pieces of the whole story

Write a two page story using the following guidelines. Of course, the main character and protagonist can be one in the same, but your story is more complex if they are not.

I will use The Agony and the Ecstasy as an example

The Plot (If someone asked you what your story is about, what would you tell them? - The close but abrasive relationship between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo. This personal conflict resulted in the artist reluctantly painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling.)

The Through-line (The concept which unifies the plot Michael Angelo is driven to succeed on his own terms)

The Theme (The storys underlying central idea or the generalization it communicates about life. art versus religion.)

The Setting (where does each scene take place?) A scene being a small section of your story that takes place within a framed time period and the same setting. Its purpose is plot progression.

Back-story (Information about situations/characters in your story, which took place before your story starts, but the reader will need in order to understand your character/plot) Would it be more interesting to the reader if it were presented as flashback, instead of in narrative form. Would revealing the information through dialog be ore effective?

Characters Action are they two dimensional blandly presenting the dialogue, or do they use hand motions while talking, pace up and down, throw things, laugh, cry, etc.

Who is the Main Character? The reader empathizes with this character ____________________________________

Who is the Protagonists? The major character who drives the story forward ____________________________________________

Who or what is the Antagonists? The major obstacle to the Protagonists ______________________________________________________

Who or what is the Major Obstacle to the main character?

Exercise 26.- More than a Setting Creating an Atmosphere.

Our stories take place in more than a specific setting. There is, in reality, a complete environment in which your characters interact. To help your readers experience what your characters are living, bring them to the very spot in which the action takes place. Intersperse your descriptions with action and dialogue. Dont bore your reader with long descriptives.

For example:

Eddy passively watched his handiwork as he moved the stone around in the dirt with his foot.

These Carnies are all lowlifes out to steal you blind, and there are pickpockets working the crowd, so you've got to be extra careful. Take you money out of your pocket one dollar at a time. It they think you have more, they will snatch it from you quicker than you can blink.

Okay, dad, okay. Gosh, I'm sixteen.

His mother pulled off some or her cotton candy and stuck it in her mouth. Remember, be at the car in four hours, okay?

Yeah, Okay. Now go and ride the Ferris Wheel and bumper cars, geeze.

His parents walked off to his relief. They turned toward him, saying something that was drowned out by a barker who stood halfway between him and his parents. Three balls, three bottles, knock em down and win a prize, your choice. What about you, you look like a ball player? He held the balls out toward Eddy's father.

Eddy smiled and waved at his parents and walked off in the opposite direction. The smell of cotton candy, pizza, sausage sandwiches, popcorn, and elephant ears assailed his senses. Another barker cried out in the direction he was walking.

Guess you weight, your age, your birth date, your sex, your preferences. Step right up.

Laughter rolled out of the fun house amidst merry-go-round music, while screams and demonic mumblings came from the house of horrors. The hustle of the barkers, and the gawking and shuffle of the crown excited him. He watched a fat old man throwing his arm out to win a buck-fifty doll that would cost him twenty and a teenager making hoops to win his girlfriend a large teddy-bear. He slipped the barker thirty dollars to get a big one.

Eddy stuck his hands in his pockets and bounced forward, brushing past the fun seekers, still watching the actions of the marks. It didn't take long before he saw his objective, the dog race. He grinned at the Carny in the booth who scowled at him. As he stepped into the booth, the Carny threw a money apron at him.

You're late. Do it again and your fired.

Eddy's grin widened as he put on the apron and called out to the marks, Step right up. A winner every time. Hey, you look like a winner. Step up and try your luck. There's a winner every time.

He listened closely to the barker at the dish toss booth next door. She was good; she could work a crowd in a mortuary. This was it. This was his life. It felt right. He felt at home, for the first time.

Now do one better. Take me, the reader, to that world and setting you will create.

Exercise 27.-Sieving for Literary Gold in the Field of Life

Walk around in the mall, or sit in a restaurant, or some other crowded place and listen in on others conversations. Write down pieces of their conversations and make notes on their speech patterns, word choices (their voices)

What is the conversation about?

How did it start?

How does it end? Here is where #1 & #2 come in.

What is the mood?

What were their nonverbal communication signals?

What was the pace of their dialogue?

What was each individuals tone of voice?

Did the individuals seem happy, angry, nervous, inattentive, coxing, manipulative, maybe a fishing expedition, demanding, informative, encouraging? What descriptive?

Did they communicate or talk passed each other?

Complete their scenarios.

1. Dont tell us; show us.

2. Write scenes for each overheard conversation.

3. Purpose: To expand our knowledge (become more aware) of how people interact in the real world. With this tool we can write more realistically, using dialect, speech patterns, mannerisms, and word choices.

4. Listening in on conversations for this purpose should become part of your lifestyle. It is one method of honing your craft.

Communication Exercise Example

Conversation I overheard

He: I dont know, Im not sure what it was about. You might be right.

She: Im not sure either. Everything should have a replay, you know like CDS.

He chuckles. We should be at least be able to re-wind our minds . . .

My Observation

They looked at each other with adoration. Almost constantly holding hands, almost always smiling. He had a radio announcers voice, hers lilting. He was brown skinned, shaved head, muscular, late twenties about six foot. She had auburn hair, tall, maybe 5 foot 8 inches, slender, shapely, athletic, probably a salon tan.

She talked with her eyes, very expressive.

There was a tension in his jaw and cheekbones as a matter of his normal countenance. Shoulders square, maybe military. He spoke from his diaphragm. Controlled.

Neither of them spoke with their hands, at least not while walking through the mall.

My Scenario

The walls were beige with light-brown trim, and there paintings strategically placed, which were done in blacks, browns, and yellows. They were trees, slender, possibly Asian in origin. They were hung in gold frames. They were delicate, though they possessed a strength of character; they possessed intellectual superiority; they had a life of their own. Music floated above the heads of the patrons, lush carpets nestled their feet. The linen covered tables and padded seats of the mahogany dining chairs spoke of menu prices not scene by the customary urban diner.

John and Suzette were celebrating. It was the first anniversary of their wedding. It was a night so special, no other dining experience would qualify as the right expression to symbolize how their love had grown. They sipped their wine while looking over their menus. Their backs a little straighter than normal, careful not to lean on the table with arm or elbow. Legs bent at right angles, feet flat on the floor, necks straight, almost strained, eyes peering down at the print, uncomfortably. The impression of belonging was important; an unspoken agreement on appearance dominated, and took away from the pleasure they sought.

A commotion at the next table distracts John and Suzette, their bodies relax a little as their concentration centers upon trying to not look like they are prying into someone elses business.

The woman leaning back in her chair addresses her counterpart who is mopping up the table with his napkin, while up righting his wine glass. My arent you the nervous one.

Nervous, what are you talking about?

That is the second thing you've spilt something this evening; darling.

All right, thats it. He motions for the waiter almost hitting the man who is already at his side, about to take over cleaning up the mess.

Excuse me sir. Allow me to take care of this for you. I will get you another glass. He busies himself, quickly cleaning up the table, smiling apologetically at the couple.

You almost knocked the poor man down. She looked bemused; from a distance. Then the woman addressed the waiter. He is sorry, of course. He always is sorry. Then addressing her companion. Do you think perhaps you should tell the poor fellow why you failed to control yourself?

Its okay, just bring us the check, the man replied, throwing his wet napkin at the table, not looking beyond his nose.

Yes, the woman said. Shall we go to my Fathers? Im sure he is dying to gloat. You know how he loves to condescend. Her lips smiled, the lines of her mouth were drawn in hard lines.

What do you want?

More of a man and less of an idiot.

The man stormed out of the restaurant, and the woman, caught off guard looked stunned. Composing herself, she beckoned the waiter. Would you be a dare fellow and bring my glass to the bar? Gracefully, she left the dining room.

What do you think set off that little foray? John asked.

He was sterile and couldnt provide the father-in-law with grandchildren, Im sure of it, Suzette said. The father-in-law never approved of the marriage.

You are probably right. Then again I like the business failure angle. The father-in-law always saw him as a leach, who only married his daughter for money. The father-in-law not only set him up in business, he also set him up for failure to show his baby girl what a loser she married.

They simultaneously reached a hand across the table and gave a gentle squeeze, and chuckled as a waiter approached and apologized for the disturbance.

Exercise 28.-Character Development Learning who your character is as an individual entity.

Differentiating between yourself and your character.

Often made common mistakes (when not done with the writers full knowledge and intention) of inexperienced writers are creating characters through their own eyes rather than as the unique perception, value system and morals of each character involved, or the writer stereotypes their characters, leaving no surprises for their readers.

Of course, this applies to the main or significant characters. I often stereotype characters who are only there for a scene or chapter. I do this to meet the readers expectations, set the scene, and create the forward, while relaying important information to the significant character(s), and/or reader.

THE EXERCISE:

Write a scene or short story with a setting, significant detail, physical interaction (gestures, sitting walking, etc.) The scene is an interplay between the Main Character and you, the Author. The character knows you are the author, you created him/her, and are creating the scene or short story within which the two of you are interacting.

NOW Write a scene within which the same character and you are interacting, but the character does not know you are the author.

What does the main character do differently than you would have expected?

What makes the main character more interesting than you expected?

Exercise 29.-Using Allegory and Allusions

Allegory A story with a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning, usually moral,

religious or political. (The parables of Jesus Christ as presented in the

Christian Bible)

Allusions To allude to something or someone not expressly stated. (Some people just dont know when to shut up.)

Create a two page double-spaced story which is both allegorical and contains at least one allusion.

For example, maintaining ones life in a healthy, productive state could be presented as a moral issue, a religious tenant, a political concept, or all three for that matter. The story line could go something like this: (using Ayla Kittings poem)

There I was standing, about to jump, toes dangling over, heart pounding; they didnt know how far they had pushed me.

She must have been adopted, my child wouldnt act like that, Mother condescended.

Mother always disowns me; I try to hate her for it, but I cant; I hate myself for not being able to please her.

Some people are more trouble than their worth, Father stated, not looking at either of us. (This is ambiguity as well as allusion. Was he talking about one of them or both of them?)

Have fun with it. Write it comically, or dramatically, Insightful, or mind candy. The important point will be there: picking up the tools, feeling their weight and texture, and knowing how to use them to shape your thoughts on paper.