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IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Touch (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.internetwritingworkshop.org/).
Prepared by: Rheal Nadeau
Posted on: 29 Apr 2001
Reposted on: 24 Feb 2002
Reposted on: 17 Nov 2002
Reposted on: 1 Jun 2003
Reposted on: 26 Jun 2005
Reposted, revised, on: 20 Aug 2006
This week's exercise: In 300 words or less, write
a scene in which touch, in combination with other senses, plays a
significant role in
describing the mood or the action. While writing the
exercise, remember to experiment
with different words for the same sensation and see which of
those best serve
the scene.
A common mistake in writing is to focus on sight and
hearing, and neglect the other senses, though those have an
important role to play in
setting the scene.
This exercise focuses on the sense of touch. Think of the
adjectives relating to touch: soft, hard, satiny, coarse,
prickly, hot, cold, and so
on. Dozens of words describe texture, temperature, and
softness/hardness. (In your
favourite thesaurus, look up the entries for "hard", "cold",
"rough", and see the wealth
of words at our disposal.)
This week's exercise: in 300 words or less, write a scene
in which touch, in combination with other senses, plays a
significant role in
describing the mood or the action. While writing the
exercise, remember to experiment
with different words for the same sensation and see which of
those best serve
the scene.
Remember, the *primary* focus should be
tactile. When writing your exercise, keep in
mind the emphasis must be on touch. Any
other senses used must take a secondary position.
**********************
Extra-curricular activity: A few times in the next few days, in
different places, stop a moment and feel the objects around you -
the fabric of
your chair, the difference in texture between your shirt and your
pants, the gloss of
tableware, the brick of a wall, the ground beneath your feet.
Think of the possible
words you could use to describe those sensation.
************************
Critique by assessing how the sense of touch played a significant
role in the description of a mood or action.
Areas to consider when critiquing: Was touch the primary focus?
If not, offer suggestions as to how this might have been accomplished.
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
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