Welcome to chapter 11 of Write After Reading: Living the Life Poetic.
This chapter is about thinking outside the box when it comes to using sensory descriptions. Instead of thinking what lonely feels like, we try to imagine what it tastes like, sounds like. By using unusual and unexpected sensory definitions we get a richer experience. I loved the idea behind this chapter. It’s something I’ve been doing with students for years but, as often happens with me, I don’t practice it nearly enough myself.
I will say that kids amaze me when I use this sort of writing with them. When I’m doing a residency, one of the first writing exercises we do is to identify the senses and then brainstorm expected words/phrases to go with them. Then I have them them throw out a word and I write it on the board…say “honesty” and then they have to use each of their senses to tell me what home looks like, feels like, tastes like, sounds like and smells like. I will often preface this exercise with a reading from the fabulous Book of Qualities by Ruth Gendler.
I think this chapter reminded me of what I am trying to accomplish by doing this Write After Reading project – actually WRITING the exercises. Exercises are good for us. Physical ones and written ones. I don’t do them enough. I think what happens to me after reading an exercise such as this is that there’s a soundtrack in my background that says, “Yes, that’s a great idea. Wow, look at those examples. Those people are so creative. If I do these exercises I will be more creative too. Except I hear the dog asking to go outside and it’s almost time to go to the dentist. And I’m not really awake yet….” And so I close the book and forget about it. I’d like to be kinder to myself and take a little time each week to play with some no pressure exercises like the ones in this chapter.
I am off to the dentist to fix a lost crown but when I come back, I think I’ll work on the following exercise:
Who does red love?
What kind of shoes does anxiety wear?
What does jealousy eat for breakfast?
Where does fear live?
What did blue borrow and why?
How does pink sing?
What does truth taste like?
The idea is to answer the questions very fast….don’t over-think them.
How does PINK sing?
I guess like this:
But I’m not a big fan.
Re: How does PINK sing?
I’m not a fan of THAT Pink either. 🙂
Okay…I couldn’t get into LJ for a while but here are my responses to this exercise.
Who does red love?
Red loves pink for the softness it brings to her life but has had a long-standing affair with black because they share a love of risk-taking and strawberry ice cream.
What kind of shoes does anxiety wear?
Anxiety wears comfortable shoes made of softest leather to cradle her tired feet. They are cushioned with little air pillows that make it feel like she is walking on clouds but she is always afraid they are going to pop. She won’t wear them in the rain though, as she fears they will be ruined.
What does jealousy eat for breakfast?
Jealousy eats eggs covered in hot sauce for breakfast then washes it down with a side of Pepto Bismol. She knows she should eat better but she can’t break the habit.
Where does fear live?
Fear lives in a cave on the north side of the hill. The sun never quite reaches the entrance so he is always coming and going in shadows. He has a candle he stole from Hope but he’s afraid to light it.
What did blue borrow and why?
Blue borrowed my paintbrush to paint the sky.
How does pink sing?
Pink sings slightly off-key but no one seems to mind because her smile makes you forget her voice.
What does truth taste like?
Truth tastes like a deep, dark wine, full-bodied and satisfying.
Lovely! I especially liked your jealousy (I swear I could picture her!) and blue answers.
Love the Pepto Bismol image! And I like pink’s smile, too. Who cares if she’s off key.
Fun exercise. I’ll get to mine tomorrow, but couldn’t resist throwing in this comment that’s totally off track. There’s a billboard in my town for a funeral home. “Think outside the box.”
Oh gosh…I LOVE that billboard. You have to use it in a story somehow.
I’m sure if I went back and revised I would come up with different things but I really tried to do it right in the heat of the moment. Looking forward to yours.
OK, I feel dumb, but I don’t get the billboard. If it was a crematorium, that would be funny. Clearly, I’m missing something–help?
Think outside the box, as in a pine box (a casket).In other words, don’t wait until you’re dead to have a good idea. The funeral parlor’s bottom line is pre-planning your funeral.
I decided anxiety wears stiletto heels. They’re all teetery.
Oooh, I like that image a lot.
So annoyed with LJ! Will catch up here tomorrow–can’t wait to read your post, Susan!
I know LJ has been a real pain lately.
I couldn’t guess where to begin until I saw Susan’s post. Here’s mine (by ellie).
Red loves lips and lipstick, for there it can shine.
Anxiety wears warm, waterproof boots to keep her feet safe.
With breakfast, Jealousy drinks mimosas in public, as if she didn’t care, but in reality, to dull the pain of envy.
Fear lives behind the eyes in unsuspecting, unprotected minds.
Blue borrowed the ocean to raise fish.
Pink sings the Star-Spangled Banner loud and strong, red and white stripes running together with tears of pride over the years.
Beware liars, for to you, truth tastes like lemons.
This was fun, Tabatha. Love your blue answer and your red one, too. Of course red would love lips! Seems so obvious now, yet it’s a fresh idea!
I can’t take credit 🙂 That was Ellie.
Tabatha
Ellie
I like yours a lot. Love that Pink sings the Star-Spangled banner….and I can picture Jealousy with her mimosas. Ha!
The Exercise
OK, I haven’t read anyone else’s responses yet, and I’m going to try to do this fast:
Who does red love?
The sun
What kind of shoes does anxiety wear?
Close-toed high heels that are too narrow for the wearer
What does jealousy eat for breakfast?
Raw bacon and runny eggs and maybe some calf hearts
Where does fear live?
In a mineshaft, hidden below a field, waiting for kids to fall in
What did blue borrow and why?
Blue borrowed stationery to write a love note
How does pink sing?
Sickeningly sweet, with a flirty grin, thinking she’s much better than she is. Slightly sharp.
What does truth taste like?
Honey, slow and thick and golden
Ooh, that was fun!
Re: The Exercise
Oh Laura….love the close-toed shoes for anxiety and fear in a mindshaft…ooh!
Pink’s singing seems to really bring out some creative thoughts for us all.
Love blue writing a love note because I don’t normally associate blue with love so I like the unexpectedness of it.
Re: The Exercise
Thanks, Susan! That was fun:>)
Love that, Tabatha. That is jealousy on the nose!
Alas, I did read the posts before completing my exercise, so I had all your images in my head. I tried to do it fast and come up with my own.
Red loves a hand-me-down dress she can wear with no makeup.
Anxiety wears mules too big for her tender feet.
Jealousy eats hot mustard on toasted bread washed down with brown beer.
Fear lives in the root cellar where it can seep deep in the hidden darkness and twine itself around half rotten potatoes.
Blue borrowed a ship to sail beyond the gray line of sky into the black beyond.
Pink sings poorly with a mouth full of Bubblelicious.
Truth tastes like bread with butter, steak with eggs, shepherd’s pie heaped with mashed potatoes. Solid, staples, plenty of protein.
Dori I love the hand-me-down dress for Red and fear in the root cellar. What great images.
Re: What I Needed to Hear
I agree. That was a great line. It’s so easy to be stuck in the same old rut. It’s so easy to get attached unconsciously to a word or a phrase and run it into the ground. I recently revised a middle grades novel and removed countless incidences of “just.” I was just so easy to stick it in.
Re: What I Needed to Hear
Yep, I agree with both of you. We keep doing the same thing and getting the same thing and wonder why our work isn’t as original as it could be.
Oh my goodness….this was just an epiphany moment for me. Wow…lightbulbs going off all around me. It didn’t happen when I read it for myself. It was hearing both of you say it, proving once again the importance of conversation.
Dori, I am always amazed to see what words of mine are repeated again and again and again. Ugh!
I did this exercise quickly when I read the chapter, giving just one or two word answers. After reading all yours, I wish I’d given it a bit more effort. Yours were much more fun reading.
I did like this chapter. It gave me a good kick to get me out of some ruts I was too comfortable in and opened my eyes to how I could change it up a bit.
Cindyb
Cindy,
Thanks for playing along with us. I think it’s great to have little jaunts like these exercises to shake us up.
This was a fun excercise. Here are mine.
Who does red love? – Herself. Only Herself.
What kind of shoes does anxiety wear? – Practical loafers. She wouldn’t want to trip and fall.
What does jealousy eat for breakfast? – She’ll have whatever he’s having. Except she’ll have more.
Where does fear live? – Somewhere far, far away.
What did blue borrow and why? – A bright red peony. She thought it would good look in her hair.
How does pink sing? — Too soft and slow for my tastes.
What does truth taste like? — Ice cream. It’s cold and sharp and it bites.
Barb T.
Barb,
Love that red loves only herself. Of course!
And truth…wonderful description of truth.
I haven’t read the chapter yet, I am going to do that and then sleep on it and see what comes up in my dreams. For now, here’s the top of my head:
What does red love? soft flesh & new buds
What kind of shoes does anxiety wear? brown loafers with scruffs on the toes
What does jealousy eat for breakfast? something she can’t afford but wants because she thinks you have it
Where does fear live? right under your nose & deep in the corners of every room
What did blue borrow and why? my new skirt, because it’s such a lovely day
How does pink sing? far too sweet & sentimental & mushy
What does truth taste like? dirt & tomatoes
I love all the answers people are coming up with for shoes for anxiety.
Ooh, truth tastes like dirt and tomatoes. That’s an interesting image.
Thank you for joining us, Andi.
Oh Tabatha…yours is fun….she will have what everyone else is having and she still won’t be happy.
Truth tastes like broccoli with lemon? Lovely image! Thank you for sharing.
While the answers are all fun, I like the questions as their own poem!
Aren’t the questions great? If you haven’t seen that book, The Book of Qualities, check it out. It’s an oldie but a goodie.