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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
Posted on: 11 Jul 2004
Reposted, revised, on: 16 Jul 2006
Reposted, revised, on: 9 Mar 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.
-------------------------
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.
-------------------------
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.
-------------------------
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 Greg Gunther.
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