Antelope Valley Schmooze

Hello All:

At our recent Antelope Valley Schmooze we had just finished talking about putting detail in our writing by using our five senses (taste, smell, sight, touch, sound). After we finished talking about how to accomplish this, participants were given an assignment. Each was given brown envelope containing several small, random items. A note was included with the objects.

The note read: “A twelve year old girl is trying to solve a mystery. She just found a clue (or make use of the other items in the envelope as well). Describe the clue/s using as many of your senses as possible and tell us why she feels it/they will help her solve the mystery.”

If the writers desired, they were asked to describe the setting where the object was found, making use of what we learned about injecting the five senses into our writing.

I’ll see what the writers came up with at our next schmooze, which will take place Wednesday, April 8.

I used this same assignment at a recent presentation I had given at a writer’s group. My talk was about “Picture Writing: using your senses while writing,” and the attendees enjoyed the challenge. At this event the writers only had 15 minutes to write their scenario and I was amazed at the quality of work they produced in that short time.