I’ve got a warm-up writing assignment for a class I’m taking, wondering if you want to play along?
It’s a 15-sentence, one-paragraph portrait, a popular writing exercise developed by the late Wendy Bishop. Think of a person you know, and this exercise will focus on them.
First, for the title, pick either a color or emotion that represents this person to you. You won’t mention the person by name in this story.
Begin your first sentence, with one of these phrases:
- You stand there …
- No one is here …
- In this (memory, dream, photograph [choose any one]), you are . . .
- I think sometimes..
Then, follow these rules for the next 14 sentences.
2: Write a sentence with a color in it.
3: Write a sentence with a part of the body in it.
4. Write a sentence with a simile.
5. Write a single sentence [no joining of two or more sentences by a semi-colon or by coordinating conjunctions] of exactly 25 words.
6. Write a sentence of exactly eight words.
7. Write a sentence with a piece of clothing in it.
8. Write a sentence with a wish in it.
9. Write a sentence with an animal in it.
10. Write a sentence in which three or more words of the same part of speech [nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs] alliterate.
11. Write a sentence with two and only two commas properly/normally used.
12. Write a sentence with a smell in it.
13. Write a sentence that could carry an exclamation point (!), a sentence that you might normally put an exclamation point in, but do not use the exclamation point.
14. Write a sentence that connects in some way to the first line.
15. Write a sentence to end this portrait that uses the exact word you chose for the title.
I’ll post my effort tomorrow. I’d love to link to a group of these.
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