Yes, yes, I know. It's been forever. Please forgive me -- I've had internet issues recently.
But I hope to make it up with a nice challenging exercise for today's workout.
It's about colors in your writing and the moods that they can create.
But I hope to make it up with a nice challenging exercise for today's workout.
It's about colors in your writing and the moods that they can create.
I actually adapted this exercise from one that I had to do in a writing course I took in Middle school.
I know, that's pretty lame.
But I promise that it will be fun! This was probably my favourite exercise I ever did in all my English classes.
So first, let me outline what exactly it is, and then give you a couple tips on how best to utilize this exercise.
1. Pick a color.
2. Take a random scene or setting (random generators are great for this) and paint a picture with your words that mainly reflects that one color you chose. Try to set a mood that goes along with the color.
3. Repeat with a different color.
Now those are pretty simple instructions, but simple instructions can be difficult to follow (IKEA, anyone?). SO I have a few tips.
First, when you pick a color, go ahead and find a whole bunch of words that imply or are that color. For instance, I picked blue. Some adjectives that can mean blue: Turquoise, Teal, Azure, atmospheric, cool.
Then, think of the sort of emotions that the color you picked can bring about. For blue, I thought of: sad, ambitious, and peaceful.
Now as you write your little passage, trying to make the reader SEE the color you're writing into your work, utilize the words that you thought of and try to communicate the feeling.
My favourite part of this exercise was the irony. Once I'd done a little bit of it and was getting the hang of it, I began to aim higher. What if I tried to make the reader think BLACK in a snowstorm? Or silver in the woods at night? What if I took a happy setting like a birthday party and tried to make it feel sad using the color blue?
Of course, the opportunities for this are endless and amazing and SOOO much fun. You can look up what different colors symbolize in different cultures and use those ideas in your writing. Have fun with it. The sky's the limit!
So if you liked this post, please leave a comment and let me know. What colors did you pick and how did you utilize them?
And what are YOUR greatest struggles in the area of description?
Until next time,
Gel
I know, that's pretty lame.
But I promise that it will be fun! This was probably my favourite exercise I ever did in all my English classes.
So first, let me outline what exactly it is, and then give you a couple tips on how best to utilize this exercise.
1. Pick a color.
2. Take a random scene or setting (random generators are great for this) and paint a picture with your words that mainly reflects that one color you chose. Try to set a mood that goes along with the color.
3. Repeat with a different color.
Now those are pretty simple instructions, but simple instructions can be difficult to follow (IKEA, anyone?). SO I have a few tips.
First, when you pick a color, go ahead and find a whole bunch of words that imply or are that color. For instance, I picked blue. Some adjectives that can mean blue: Turquoise, Teal, Azure, atmospheric, cool.
Then, think of the sort of emotions that the color you picked can bring about. For blue, I thought of: sad, ambitious, and peaceful.
Now as you write your little passage, trying to make the reader SEE the color you're writing into your work, utilize the words that you thought of and try to communicate the feeling.
My favourite part of this exercise was the irony. Once I'd done a little bit of it and was getting the hang of it, I began to aim higher. What if I tried to make the reader think BLACK in a snowstorm? Or silver in the woods at night? What if I took a happy setting like a birthday party and tried to make it feel sad using the color blue?
Of course, the opportunities for this are endless and amazing and SOOO much fun. You can look up what different colors symbolize in different cultures and use those ideas in your writing. Have fun with it. The sky's the limit!
So if you liked this post, please leave a comment and let me know. What colors did you pick and how did you utilize them?
And what are YOUR greatest struggles in the area of description?
Until next time,
Gel