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Exercise #375: Craft
Posted 7/2/10
More from the #336 Craft toolbox . . .
Steven Williamson suggested a detail-driven exercise. Steven said, “<That> reminded me of an English class homework assignment from Mr. Smith, way back when ‘the dinosaurs roamed the earth’ as my son says about my high school years.
The assignment was to write a sliver of action in as many words as possible (within reason.) The idea was to exaggerate every detail - it stuck out in my mind because I was one of three students who understood what he wanted - I wrote about 500 words on a man’s shoe narrowly missing a poodle on the sidewalk, down to the way his laces rose and fell and the quiver of the poodle’s eyelashes as she saw the foot, and the wear of his leather soles. (There was a bit of gum on the heel.) So, that over the top, slo-mo style might help people who struggle with detail.”
Let’s try it! You may use Mr. Smith’s exercise above, or do a written “still life;” show us something in your surroundings in the same type of exaggerated detail. (Perhaps I’ll show you all the current pile of stuff on my computer desk.)
Critiquers, along with the usual grammar, spelling, etc, critique, do you think the exaggerated style helped with detail? Why or why not?
Word limit: 1000
Please use the subject line
SUB: Exercise #375/yourname
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