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IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Oh God, why me? (Version 2)
These exercises were written
by IWW members
and administrators to provide structured practice opportunities for its
members.
You are welcome to use them for practice as well. Please mention that
you found
them at the Internet Writers Workshop
(http://www.internetwritingwor
kshop.org/).
Exercise: Oh God, why me?
Prepared by: Rheal Nadeau
Posted on: September 14, 2003
Reposted on: September 26, 2004
Reposted on: October 2, 2005
Reposted, revised, on: February 25, 2007
Reposted on: May 25, 2008
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Exercise: In 400 words or less, let someone face a conflict against God
or gods or fate
or luck. Show what forces are at play, and how the events unfold.
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A key element in fiction, as in life, is conflict. Conflict creates
tension, and introduces
challenges a character must overcome.
For this exercise, we'll focus on "person versus a 'higher power' of
your choice.
Your character may rail against God, battle bad luck, or struggle with
any other
force that could affect his life.
Your conflict may take on the epic proportions of the Biblical Job or
mythical
Prometheus, or be as simple as Joe Shmoe's trying to get a job done
while being
thwarted at every turn.
Show us the character as conflict builds. Let us see her reactions and
feel her
emotions as you build a sequence of events that focus on the conflict
the character
faces. Does she rise above it? That's up to you.
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Exercise: In 400 words or less, let someone face a conflict against God
or gods or fate
or luck. Show what forces are at play, and how the events unfold.
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When critiquing, look for the force against which the character or
characters
struggle. Do the characters react in a credible way? If anything
stretches credibility,
say so. On the other hand, also point out the things that work well.
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
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