August 5, 2014

Wednesday Writing Challenge: Blood on the Floor

Welcome to the Wednesday Writing Challenge!

Every Wednesday, I pose a new writing challenge here on the blog. These challenges come from books on writing, classes I've taken on creative writing, or sometimes just from my own imagination. If you're an author, hopefully they will help you get your writing juices flowing and help you improve your craft.

 


Some of these challenges may be very good ones or may include an element I consider highly important for writers to learn...so occasionally I may cycle through some of my favorites more than once. 

 

??  Want to Participate  ??

The Wednesday Challenges are open to all readers. In order to participate, simply comment on the challenge post with your response to the exercise. Not only is it good practice, but you could win something nifty and fun!

 

August Prize: A Lotus Petals journal

Including a personalized message from Brantwijn Serrah



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 And now...

***Here's Today's Challenge!***


You are a character from your story.

You've just entered your home and found blood on the floor.

Why is there blood on the floor?

Is it fresh blood? Has it been there a while?

Whose is it? What does it mean?

What's going to happen now?

 

Here's the catch:

You only have 3 sentences to tell the story.

 

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***Hints and Tips:***

 

*You have limited space. Find ways to share multiple details in smaller phrases. You can tell your readers how long the blood has been there by describing the color, for example: fresh red vs. rusty brown (one is still wet, recently spilled, while the other indicates old, dried blood). If you tell them this, you don't have to also explain in terms of specific time.


*How do you feel? Convey your emotions through your actions. Panicked characters might immediately cry out for someone they are worried about. Characters who don't feel emotionally invested in the people in their home may not be concerned, and may simply raise an eyebrow in dry curiosity instead of immediately reacting. By showing your emotions through your actions, you avoid extra sentences wasted by telling how you feel.


* Cut unnecessary details. Are you afraid the blood belongs to someone you love? You don't have to tell us how you met, if you're married, or even what they look like. Not at this point. You can tell that to us later on in a more well-suited scene. For now, all you have to do is show us your love through the way you react. You'll react differently to this if its someone you love, someone you hate, a family member, a good friend...think about these differences.

 

Don't let those 3 sentences become long by turning them into run-ons. Find ways to convey more info in less words. 

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous6/8/14 12:54

    Dammit, the vampire coven had gotten blood on the wood floor again. Marion, the house human, angrily mopped at the spill, making a light pink sudsy slurry. If they didn't learn how to not make a mess during dinner she was going to have to quit.


    Sally Max
    Check out Sally Max at www.sallymax.com
    See My Fair Vampire. Out Aug. 2014.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The dark green splatter of goblin blood could mean only one thing, Malik had returned. Clover cautiously slipped into the kitchen, pulling a knife from the cubby. If the goblin thought he'd take her, he was sorely mistaken.

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  3. As I waked in the door I noticed the smell of copper and saw a big red puddle on the floor, I immediately panicked, He had found us.
    I frantically searched for my boyfriend but knew it was too late, my evil father, the leader of the Vampire coven had murdered the love of my life and knew I would come after him even though I knew it to be a trap and I would most likely wind up dead too.
    I decided then and there I would get my revenge, I wouldnt walk into my fathers lair unprepared and I then started to plan my fathers murder.


    ( completely fictional , my dad is not a vampire lol and I would never hurt him)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Commands issued forth from her immediately upon sight of the dark red droplets that led though her yard and into her cabin. Family scurried, her orders followed even before she reached the small boy on her table. "Close your eyes, the pain will end soon," she spoke softly to the child even while she ripped cloth and wrapped the wound tight with poultices.

    ReplyDelete

What do you think?