Sometimes, the absence of something is as telling as its presence. Something missing, hidden, undeclared, veiled. A person, an object, an emotion. Write a short piece (max 200 wds) around something or someone who isn't there. Any style.
Showing posts with label style. Show all posts
Showing posts with label style. Show all posts
Play with the language, as in this...
... list from the Washington Post's Style section. They asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are some of the winners:
- Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realise it was your money to start with.
- Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
- Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
- Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
- Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
- Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously.
- Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.
- Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease.
- Glibido: All talk and no action.
- Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
- Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people, that stops bright ideas from penetrating.
- Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.
- Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
- Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
- Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
- Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.
- Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
- Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realise it was your money to start with.
- Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
- Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
- Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
- Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
- Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously.
- Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.
- Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease.
- Glibido: All talk and no action.
- Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
- Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people, that stops bright ideas from penetrating.
- Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.
- Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
- Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
- Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
- Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.
- Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
Sensual writing for sensual readers
Ranulph Fiennes, who has a long list of bestselling books to his name (which is in its full self a long list...), told me the other day that when he started writing his agent gave him two pieces of advice on style:
- get rid of every adjective and adverb
- look back at each page when you review the day's work and make sure that somewhere you have engaged all five senses. Check that there's some reference to smell, taste, touch, as well as sight and sound.
So here's your task for the day:
- look at the three pictures above.
- pick one, and think yourself into that picture. Feel the temperature, sniff the air, put your hands out and touch, discover what you can taste, listen to what's around you, look at details, shadows, shapes.
- write 200 words describing the scene using all 5 senses. Keep it subtle. Avoid adjectives. Keep verbs active.
- get rid of every adjective and adverb
- look back at each page when you review the day's work and make sure that somewhere you have engaged all five senses. Check that there's some reference to smell, taste, touch, as well as sight and sound.
So here's your task for the day:
- look at the three pictures above.
- pick one, and think yourself into that picture. Feel the temperature, sniff the air, put your hands out and touch, discover what you can taste, listen to what's around you, look at details, shadows, shapes.
- write 200 words describing the scene using all 5 senses. Keep it subtle. Avoid adjectives. Keep verbs active.
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