April 26, Thursday Check In

[enemytosleep]

Another day has come and gone, so now it's time to check in.

How many new words did you write today? Did you reach your goal? Were you editing instead? Researching? Or was today a day of rest?

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In writing groups, the advice "Show, don't tell" is oft-given. In this exercise, the goal is to write a paragraph/short scene depicting an emotion without saying what emotion is being expressed. Is your character angry? Have them clench their fists. Nervous? Maybe they're ringing their hands and not making eye contact. Feel free to have a go at more than one emotion (or even run through them with more than one character, as each one will react a bit differently).

Feel free to post your results here if you wish (or link us to them).

Comments

[crowdog66]

I actually managed to write and complete at ~2800-word story in the Lethe!verse, "Strange" (Bob/Megabyte, R), so it's been a pretty productive day so far.

An attempt at the today's exercise...

"Body Language"

It was amazing how much Garak could say without using a single word: the suddenly stiff lines of his neck ridges, the brief tightening of his broad hands on a bolt of cloth he'd been in the midst of unrolling, all the subtle cues of his usually mobile face and voice fading to uncustomary stillness as his pale eyes went wide and he simply stared at Julian for a long moment before his gaze slid away to the side and he started moving again -- trying to pretend that nothing had happened, that nothing had been said. He opened his mouth, no doubt to utter a phrase that would deflect the query that still hung in the air between them.

Julian wasn't so easily deterred. "Well?" he insisted before Garak could speak, and he took a step closer to the Cardassian's worktable, never letting his gaze waver from the face that had already assumed an expression too serene for the circumstances.

He expected an outright denial, or at least a total non sequitur. Instead he was treated to a hesitation of those smoothly moving fingers, a half-lidded glance of those suddenly bright eyes, and the unexpected: "I see… and what time shall I be ready?"

The smile that bloomed on Julian's face hid nothing whatsoever.

THE END

[roane]

I... am at that frustrating but exciting point of writing a chapter where the scenes are all laid out and ready for me, I just have to start writing them. So a LOT of planning today, and a lot of idea-bouncing with one of my betas.

[pinstripefedora]

I decided to go ahead and flesh out the short scene I wrote yesterday, bringing it from ~250 to ~670 words, and then, because it wound up being composed of excerpts from several different versions pasted together, I sent it off to my sister, who agreed to beta it for flow.

And as for tomorrow, I have both a day off work and a game plan for tackling a really tough bit of writing, so I'm excited about that. :D

[pinstripefedora]

Wow, could that first sentence have any more commas in it? Way to go, self. OTL

[linaewen]

I truly meant to write yesterday, but I was distracted by watching the NFL draft of all things! :-D I did get some research done, however, for a new story prompt I was given yesterday. I need another challenge in May like I need a hole in the head, but it's an awesome prompt, so I'm excited. Today's plan is to avoid distractions and actually put some words on the page!!!

I like this exercise; I need this kind of discipline. I think I do okay, but I'm sure my writing could be even more powerful if I show rather than tell.