15 Sentences

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.