It's the start of September and holidays and exam results are over. So many things are starting up again, including the need to days into shape once more. I'm starting with a post about a popular five-minute Fast Fiction exercise from the Scattered Author's Society's retreat at Charney Manor back in July.
The workshop was led by author Lynne Benton who had brought her Big Dictionary along. She asked one person in the group to choose a random page number, opened that page up and then asked someone else to choose how many lines down the page she should look. Once Lynne had found the line and read out the first, best randomly selected word, the whole group had five minutes of immediate writing time.
The first word chosen was "glittering" and below is what came into my mind. It's not a piece intended for children.
GLITTERING
"Glittering". That's how they described me in the programme, darling. Once glittering is what they mean. That filthy word has taken over my name. I'm never known as "Zandra Brown" these days. I only get the clatter of "glittering Zandra", like an ugly, jangly necklace of cheap metal or a bright shiny fabric that clings too tightly to where it shouldn't.
What do you think, darling? Would you like to be glittering?
Pass me that lipstick. No, that one . . . and does my glass need a refill? Can you? Thanks! I know I was glittering . . . And if that stupid man at the lighting desk could be gentle with his lights tonight, I could glow now and that would still be worth seeing, you know.
Listen! Just listen. He's playing through the damn tunes again. Practising, he calls it. Ha! He's wearing them out before he plays them for me. I swear he thins all the mood out of songs before he gives them to me. . . You know, darling, that bad note last time wasn't my fault. It was his. He dropped away, left me without an anchor, without a strong note to stand on . . . No wonder . ..
Breathe, breathe! Just another sip. . .
Right, darling, hand me my wrap . . . God how I hate mirrors . . .
And do please have a bottle chilled for when I come back. Okay?
Glittering! I'll show them what glittering means.
* * * * * * * * *
Times up! After five minutes scribbling came the call to stop. Three people shared their pieces and then, with brains slightly more alert, we worked with a second chosen word and then a third choice, for which the group was given a whole ten minutes writing time. Working on these exercises among Charney's friendly, comfortable company was very enjoyable.
However, sitting here at my desk putting this post together, I'm reminded that "Dictionary Choice" would be a simple, first-thing-in-the-morning activity home here too. It might make a good daily warm-up for September, when admin can take up too much time and my writing mind is out of practice.
Although I might need to look for a good-sized dictionary first.
Where one earth has mine gone? It was here a decade ago.
Penny Dolan
ps. I'm sure there are random word generators online, but a handful of big, fat book feels so much better. If dustier.
pps Thanks to Lynne Benton for this particular session, and to John Dickinson and Jen Alexander who I recall using this exercise in the past. Other words my notes suggest were selected are slide, sign and tramp.
4 comments:
A good warm-up - and that's an excellent story! Now, on to the work in progress!
Thank you, Joan! I think. :-)
It was a good workshop - and what a great story!
Great story, Penny - we had some really good ones for "glittering", didn't we? And you're right, we could always do it ourselves to start the day...
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