Descriptive Word Play - writercize #174 #AtoZChallenge

In March I posted a writercize called Feeling Fruity with very impressive results. 

I invited people to describe the fruit of their choice using descriptive words to describe all five senses. I challenged them to think beyond big, small, stinky, soft, to really garner the essence of the fruit. 

And describe it they did! I was drooling reading through the pictures they painted with words.

There is something to be said about the ability to describe an ordinary thing, such as a piece of fruit, and make it come to life. 

Imagine the marketing power of a wordsmith who can draw a client in with language. Imagine the success of a venture capitalist who can communicate their dream product perfectly. Imagine the movie rights for a novelist who can paint an entire world with words. (Hunger Games, anyone?

Today I challenge you to describe something. Describe its appearance, worth, untouchable essence, if you may, and work beyond simple adjectives to get there.

writercize: Pick an everyday object in your home (ie fridge, sweater, computer, hairbrush). Now describe everything important about it. 

Remember that appearance alone may not be what is most important ... purpose and relationship often count for something in the objects that surround us.

Please share in the comments, and be sure to leave your URL as well!

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response about a desk.

Feeling Fruity - writercize #164

This weekend I attended another fabulous workshop hosted by Nutschell Windsor, known in the blogging world as The Writing Nut, and in real life as the founder of the Children's Book Writers of LA, among her many hats. As usual, I walked away inspired, with a writercize or two that formed in my head while there.

Last year at the March meeting, Nutschell encouraged writers to start a blog as a way to get writing and build a platform. Since she is brilliant, I heeded her advice and writercize was born. It is unbelievable to me that an entire year has passed, and even more unbelievable to think that I would not have met several of you bloggers from all around the world whom I now consider friends.

This weekend's meeting was all about voice, style, tone, and ... description, which is where I am taking you on today's writercize. 

Nutschell challenged everyone to expand their linguistic capabilities with description. Not the type of long, drawn out description that brings boredom and tears to the readers' eyes, but the type of description in which the writer carefully selects his/her words to most accurately portray whatever s/he is talking about and incorporates it directly into the action of the story. She had us play around with taking nouns and verbs to the next level to spark interest, and reflect on the five senses in general. 

I want to apply the concept of description to a particular item that is guaranteed to stimulate each and every one of the five senses.

writercize: Using all five senses (sight, sound, taste, smell and touch) describe a piece of fruit. 

If you are low on time, make a list. If you have a little time to spare, write it out in paragraph form.

Please share your writercize experience as a comment!  I always love to see what readers come up with!

Click "read more" for writercizer sample response about a lemon.