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IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Opening the door (Version 3)
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/).
Originated by: Florence Cardinal as "The Doorway"
Posted on: 21 Oct 2001
Reposted on: 6 Oct 2002
Reposted, revised, on: 21 May 2006
Reposted, revised, on: 29 July 2007
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Exercise: In 300 words or less, let your readers see a character
opening a door, and
then show us what the character sees on the other side.
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This is an exercise in creating a setting--keep that in mind. Your
submission may be
the beginning of a story or a scene, or it may introduce a character.
But above all,
this is your chance to practice developing a backdrop.
Imagine your character at a door. What does it look like? Where
does it lead? The character opens it. Did she need a key? Did he knock,
ring the bell,
or just turn the knob and walk in? Or is there a knob? Does the door
lead inside, or
outside?
The door and what the character sees need not be anything fantastic,
although they
can be if you so choose. Make sure you take the time to fully visualize
the setting
before you start writing. What counts is not a budding plot, but the
place in which
the action gets underway.
Once the door is open, what does the character see, hear, smell? How
about the
sense of touch? What does he touch? Does anything touch her? The wind,
perhaps?
Describe it all so your readers can experience it along with you or
your character.
__________________
Exercise: In 300 words or less, let your readers see a character
opening a door, and
then show us what the character sees on the other side.
__________________
In your critiques, concentrate on the setting. Can you *see* the place
the character
is standing or sitting? Setting affects characters, so see if you can
perceive any such
effect. And, of course, comment on the writing in general.
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
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