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IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Non-verbal cues (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:
Rhéal Nadeau
Posted on: 26 Mar 2001
Reposted on: 29 Feb 2004
Reposted, revised, on: 22 May 2005
Reposted, revised, on: 24 Sept 2006
This week's
exercise:
Choose a character and give him "an attitude." In 300 words or less,
write a scene making it clear to the reader what your character is
thinking or
feeling using non-verbal cues only.
~~~~~
Experts say the majority of communication is non-verbal--body language,
eye
movements, facial expressions, etc. How often have you known something
was wrong
with a friend or loved one, without a verbal clue?
The purpose of this exercise is to make us think about how we ascertain
a person's
attitude from non-verbal cues. Rely only on body language and other
visual clues to
realistically portray what a character is thinking and feeling without
dialogue. If
you use dialogue, don't give away the character's emotion in what is
spoken.
~~~~~
The Exercise: Choose a character and give her or him "an attitude." In
300 words or less, write a scene making it clear to the reader what
your
character is thinking or feeling, using non-verbal cues only.
When you critique, be sure to mention what you believe the character is
feeling or thinking. Comment on the cues that led you to that
conclusion. Point it
out if the writer tells rather than shows.
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
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