Writers in Isolation

Just at the moment, many people are thinking more about how to make meals. This writing exercise takes cooking as its starting point - but you don't have to be able to cook to try this writing exercise. Stage 1. Think of a simple meal you have made recently. It should be something you enjoy making or eating. It could be as simple as a sandwich or a little more complicated like a samosa or a bowl of hummus. Write down all the ingredients. Stage 2. Take each of the ingredients in turn and write a description of each using the following senses in this order: touch, hearing (if you can), sight, smell, taste. Stage 3. Think about the points in making the meal where a significant change occurs. This could be when ingredients are combined or when they are heated. This could be as simple as spreading butter or margarine on bread or more complicated when ingredients change consistency in cooking. Write a sentence about the way in which each change occurs.   Stage 4. Now ima...

This exercise is about thinking about how to show character and emotion through action, without saying what the character’s emotions are. Stage 1. Think of a regular household chore. It should be one that involves a certain amount of physical activity (for example, washing clothes by hand rather than switching on a washing machine). Write down the activity, breaking it into a series of steps. Stage 2. Think of a character who is experiencing stress or uncomfortable emotions. Think about how they show those emotions physically. How does it affect the way they sit, stand, walk, etc? Describe the character getting up and walking across a room in a way that shows how they feel - but don’t mention the stress or emotion. Stage 3. Now take the character through the household chore you have imagined, stage by stage. Continue to show the emotions through action and movement without mentioning the character’s state of mind. As the character goes through the stages of the task, let the c...