Ed Cyzewski: Freelance Writer » Writing Exercise

Writing About Nothing

Ed C — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 14:07:43 +0000

Below is a writing exercise in which I was instructed to write about nothing for 20 minutes.

The music is pretty, but the dog was zooming through space so fast you could have heard a pin drop on a field of blazing tumbleweed. The dog landed and the aliens were so glad to see him they shooed him away. With music coloring the black universe the aliens zoomed past the dog as he left them in the dust. They couldn’t keep up with his relentless stationary position.

On earth no one knew about this except for those in the know, and no one let his or her eyes breath a word about it. Birds chirped in the morning stillness where the sound of rustling leaves in the wind added flavor to the landscape. Chickens strutted up and across, across and up until they ran smack into the thick wire fence that didn’t surround their imaginary pen that really did exist in the backyard of farmer Jones. Only the pen was in the side yard, precisely in front of her house.

Pollution steamed from cars and factories in the big city, but that really isn’t happening. Businessmen, politicians, and lobbyist said so. The climate changes, but it’s changed before so who are we to say which is better? Perhaps it’s not changing at all, since it’s just staying the same by changing all of the time. And who said there’s a climate anyway? It’s all just weather, weathering away the earth and it doesn’t matter whether or not we like it. Weather changes just like our climate, which probably doesn’t exist.

A truck rumbles down main street, the marvel of man’s ingenious idiocy: a smoke-belching carrier of goods releasing what is bad and carrying goods only half the time, which means it really does little good, but in a world without morals or boundaries we really can’t say what is good or bad and so perhaps the truck doesn’t even exist anyway, just the thing to make the politicians and lobbyist happy.

Newspapers spin off the press, words lining every page, but never leaving an impression. Ink is spilled like the blood of thousands who die from war, crime, and famine, only to be tossed in the trash and forgotten. The papers say all and tell all, but nothing has been said or told. Secrets lie all over town behind drawn curtains and everyone knows. There’s no point in hiding what everyone can find out, but no one will remember so long as it can be forgotten. Words drip on the pages of magazines, shoppers, and books trying to wear out our stony eyes, but reading means nothing because the words taste bad. It all falls apart in the end even if we’ll be put back together some day.

Numbers spin in cash registers, an alphabet of their own that cannot be counted. Cash jumps from hand to hand, meaning everything, holding all value, but never truly worth more than a scrap of newspaper. Money is the one god we part with readily even if we’ve given our lives for it. People rush by grabbing for green, picking up air, and sliding away into everything.

Writing About Pink Socks

Ed C — Thu, 10 May 2007 20:49:27 +0000

Here’s a writing exercise to try for 20 minutes:

Pink socks.
Blue convertible.

Go for it!

What size? Decaf.

Ed C — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 20:45:13 +0000

I overheard a conversation today at a cafe. The server asked a lady which size she wanted for her drink, and she replied, “Decaf.” That’s a precious conversation in my humble estimation.

Such out-of-the-blue conversations are the perfect subjects for practicing the craft of dialog. Dialog is a challenge and starting with something a little zany and unusual may help take some of the pressure off.

What will the server say in response? Will the customer correct her statement or insist that decaf. is a legitimate size? The only way to find out is to start writing.

Writing Exercise: Customized Banking

Ed C — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 12:26:01 +0000

Writing Exercise: If you could make a bank that would hold anything but money, what kind of bank would it be? What would you put in it? Give yourself 15 minutes.

Technorati Tags: writing+exercise

Why? People are Complaining

Ed C — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 19:25:16 +0000

Writing Exercise: You’re in an art gallery and you come accross a cabinet with the 5-Disc CD changer that is playing the music in the galleries. A typed note reads, “Please do not change the CDs.” A hand written note is below that message, “Why? People are complaining.” How did that note get there?

What Not to Wear

Ed C — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 13:01:40 +0000

My initial intent was to not only publish writing exercises, but to also post what I myself had done. I now realize that I will never keep up. I have too many written out that I’ll never type them all out any time soon. In light of this, I’ll post my own writing when I can, but my primary interest is posting useful and fun exercises more regularly.

Writing Exercise:
Begin today or tommorrow morning by putting together an outfit that doesn’t quite work. Don’t get yourself fired for a dress code violation. Just try out something that clashes or looks a bit odd. Then write for 15 minutes on the following day about it. Take any angle you want: yourself, a co-worker, a stranger on the street, the shirt, the pants, etc. Anything goes.

Technorati Tags: writing exercise, writing

Eavesdropping: Writing Exercise

Ed C — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 03:47:47 +0000

One of my favorite writing prompts is eavesdropping on conversations and pulling a line or two out of context. These lines become the starting point my writing. I typically give myself 15-20 minutes, but will keep going if I’m having a good time with it. Here are a few gems that I heard recently:

“He’s religious but sensible.”

“There were dead cattle on the road, no one would talk to us, and we couldn’t get a ride. We had to ride a bus back and he was furious.”

I wrote something based on the first one at inamirrordimly.

Cliche Writing Exercise

Ed C — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 00:45:19 +0000

Using the following three cliches throughout, take 15 minutes to write a short story.

“The game is up”
“Don’t eat your heart out”
“I need someone I can count on”

Here’s mine:

Lance clamped his teeth down on the smoldering cigar that emanated into his cramped office. Pistols adorned a gallery of plaques that covered the only wall without dull grey filing cabinets. The stack of papers on his desk lurched toward him, threatening to overtake the last bastion of space left for him to write up his report on the Mulhaney/Roberts case.

The cigar drooped in his mouth and would have plunged onto his crisp black pants had it not been for a knock on the door. A tall blonde woman strode in before he could mutter, Yeah?” “My name is Jane, Jane Heartthrob. Are you detective Lance Corporal?” She repeatedly smoothed out her dress with twitching hands, nerves running from head to toe, while waiting for Lance to offer his cool and calculated response.

“That’s me,” he replied. “Out with it, something must be on your mind.” He used every ounce of self-control to keep his voice level and at peak masculinity. Something had struck him . . . he was quickly falling in . . . love?

“The game is up I’m afraid,” Jane replied in a weak, whimpering voice. “My dead husband’s debts have grown too large to pay off witht he interest always rising. They’ve begun to take things from the house to remind me how helpless I really am. I, I, just need someone I can bank on.”

“OK Miss Heartthrob,” replied Lance. “We can help you, but we’re gonna need details, records, and your full cooperation.”

“Oh, oh, my, my, you’re just splendid,” gasped Jane. “I knew I could count on such a wonderful man as you Mr. Corporal!”

“OK, OK sweetheart,” stammered a reddening Lance. “Just don’t, errr . . . eat your heart out . . . or,” he paused and mumbled, “Or was it mine?” Lance had clearly botched the climactic moment. It was at best a 3 out of 10.

“Excuse me?” asked a puzzled Jane.

“Nothing,” sighed Lance. “Let’s just start at the beginning. How about discussing it over dinner tonight?”

English Teachers Band Together

Ed C — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 16:11:00 +0000

I regularly attend a writing group on Tuesday evenings at a local bookstore. During that time we do creative writing exercises. I will be sharing the exercises as well as my own writing here for you to try out.

Writing Exercise: Write about a bracelet that is associated with a cause other than a disease. Allow yourself 10 minutes. If you’re brave, post it as a comment!

My exercise:

English teachers of all grade levels have taken to the halls of their repective schools with blue wrist bands. I an effort to raise grammar awareness, they chose blue to remind students of the markings that typically cover their essays and reports after grading.

“It was hard to settle on a color that matched everyone’s grading style. Some like red, others like purple, but blue seemed to be the choice of the majority,” commented Mrs. Semma, one of the campaigns organizers. “It’s a subtle reminder to the kids that grammar has a beauty all its own and should be valued,” she added.

Of particular concern to teachers is the effect that technology has had on the style and usage of their students. “With kids using Instant Messenger, e-mail, and grammar check,” remarked organizer Mr. Colin, “Kids can flagrantly ignore all of the rules of grammer. Does ‘LOL’ or ‘L8tr’ really pass as English?”

Bands can be purchased online at www.save-grammer.com. Don’t forget the dash in the name, all grammar is important.

technorati tag: writing exercise” rel=”tag”>writing exercise