IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Lights Out! (v. 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.internetwritingworkshop.org/).
Prepared by: Rhéal Nadeau
Posted on: Sun, 21 November 2004
Revised, reposted by Patricia Johnson on: Sun, 20 November 2005
Revised, reposted on: Sun, 2 November 2008
Revised, reposted on: Sun, 14 February 2010
Reposted on: Sun, 26 June 2011
Reposted on: Sun, 22 July 2012
Reposted on: Sun, 9 November 2014
Reposted on: Sun, 19 June 2016
Reposted on: Sun, 23 February 2020
Reposted on: Sun, 7 May 2023
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Exercise: In 400 words or less, write a scene in which the character(s)
can't see, and show the experiences via the other senses. Whether
by blindness, darkness, or some other cause, the character(s) cannot
utilize the sense of sight.
__________________
Involving all the senses is a powerful tool to liven up our writing and
draw in the reader. Too often, however, writers limit themselves to
visual descriptions and dialogue. This yields a world with no taste, no
smell, no texture.
One way to explore the senses is to imagine what things would be like
without them. How would your character(s) perceive the world without
the ability to see? Use the other senses: smell, taste, touch, hearing.
Show the experience, don't just narrate it.
_________________
When critiquing, mention specifics about how the story addressed the
absence of vision. Was the story's approach unique and believable? Were
the absence of vision and the presence of the other senses successful
within the story or not. Why, or why not?
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
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