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IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Action! (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/).
Prepared by: Rheal Nadeau
Posted on: 8 Jul 2001, 11 Jul 2004
Reposted, revised, on: 16 Jul 2006
Reposted, revised, on: 25 May 2008
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Exercise: In 300 words or less, write a scene in which one or more
characters
demonstrate traits like "nice" or "loving" or "wicked" or "pitiful" or
any other
characteristic through their actions. Make us know the characters
through what they
say or do, rather than through vague descriptive words.
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Some words have been used so often as to have practically lost all
meaning. Think of the following phrases we might come across
while writing or reading:
he's a nice guy
she is a loving mother
she was an abusive mother
he was very pious
All deal with strong concepts, but in weak ways--we don't get a
specific image. Such
phrases have been used and overused and have lost much of their power.
In most cases, it would be better to replace those with an action
or two
*showing* the concept.
For example, how was he "a nice guy"? Did he buy her roses, or do the
dishes without being asked? What does a loving mother do, or an abusive
one? A
proper action can show "nice" or "loving" or "abusive," but even more,
it can
tell us something about the character involved.
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Exercise: In 300 words or less, write a scene in which one or more
characters
demonstrate traits like "nice" or "loving" or "wicked" or "pitiful" or
any other
characteristic through their actions. Make us know the characters
through what they
say or do, rather than through vague descriptive words.
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Critics should tell us what they learn of the characters through those
actions, and note any wasted, nebulous words.
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
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