Exercise: In less than 400 words, choose a picture--any picture--and write a scene that takes place in the space portrayed.

When you set a scene, you're painting a picture for your readers. Sometimes it's easy--if an airplane's taking off your characters are probably on an airfield or in the plane, and they act appropriately. Sometimes you have many more options.

For this exercise, choose the scene first, and then find some characters and let them do whatever they want to do. Use a picture--any picture you choose--for your scene. It can be a photo in a magazine, a painting, somebody's drawing, even a calendar picture. Tell your readers what it is in only a few words--if you get it off the Web, give us the URL. You might say: "A barn in winter, six cows waiting to be milked." Or, "In the Oval office; the President's not there." Doesn't matter what or where. But make sure your readers can "see" the scene.

In your critiques, let the author know whether you can "see" the picture in which the scene takes place, and whether the actions of the characters make sense. Also, critique the writing, and let the author know what could have been done better.